How to Keep in Good Voice? Take a Lesson

Whether you are interviewing for a job, making a presentation or meeting a new client, how do you make yourself sound credible, authoritative and confident?

William Rush, a professional voice consultant, says it is a matter of “practicing good vocal habits throughout your life.”

Rush, who established his own voice consulting firm in Chicago in 1983, has coached commodity traders who want to yell louder, trial lawyers who want to sound more persuasive and performers from the Broadway show “Annie,” who wanted to build their endurance to sing and speak more effectively.

“The first thing I tell my clients is that there are no magical shortcuts to take for maintaining the quality of your voice,” he said. “Instead, vocal conservation begins and ends with a dedication to practicing good vocal habits throughout your life.”

Rush divides his clients into two categories: heavy users--teachers, telemarketers, coaches--who constantly use and strain their voices, and moderate users--executives, secretaries, salespeople--who do not have to speak as forcefully.

He then teaches each group the four fundamentals of vocal effectiveness--breath, pitch, articulation and flow--as it applies to them.

“To conserve their voices, I stress the importance of avoiding caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes, all of which will dry the throat,” he said. “Instead, I advise my clients to drink lots of water and juices, and to keep their home and work area properly humidified.”

Rush, who is a consultant to the Halls Mentho-Lyptus Voice Improvement Program, also recommends using a eucalyptus-based cough tablet to soothe a scratchy throat and avoiding dairy products and chocolate.

“The best ammunition in the war against vocal chord abuse is prevention,” he said.

During a job interview, Rush recommended the following:

Realize that you will be nervous. Take a few deep breaths to make it easier for you to speak.

* Maintain a pitch that will allow you to speak loudly without straining--usually about five notes above the lowest note you can sing easily.

* Avoid vocal traps. If the interviewer is responding to your answers in a noncommittal way, be sure your voice retains its enthusiastic quality.

* Remember to enunciate consonant sounds. If you don’t, it can sound like mumbling.

* Keep your shoulders back and your spine straight, but be flexible enough so that you’re not gasping for breath. You want to speak with clarity and ease.

* Pause briefly after each important thought or word to add emphasis. Use pauses to pace yourself to ensure that the interviewer gets your point.

* Try to anticipate the questions that you might be asked. You will convey your response more confidently when they do come up.

* Speak in declarative sentences to sound more assured.

For a free brochure on speaking effectively, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Halls Mentho-Lyptus V.I.P., 500 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60611.