New York Speech Coaching - Services

Speech Coaching

What Is Speech Coaching?

Speech Coaching is training that involves improving the tone, resonance, expressiveness, volume, and clarity of one’s voice. In our sessions, we will tailor-make our work to suit your needs. Some people are looking for Accent Reduction (see Accent Reduction), while others are seeking Public Speaking (see Public Speaking/Executive Preparation). There are certainly elements of Speech Coaching in these more specific areas, but our primary focus in Speech Coaching is your actual voice itself. Also, Speech Coaching involves learning to apply your new vocal skills to whatever you may be working towards in the business world or in the creative world.

Many people encounter anxiety in relation to conversation and public speaking. For some it’s an inconvenience, while others find it debilitating. Whether you dread small talk at a neighbor’s holiday party, fear your upcoming presentation, or are terrified to give the toast at your sister’s wedding, these insecurities are universal. At New York Speech Coaching, we examine not only the technical components of enhancing your voice, but work from a physical and psychological perspective to help you feel at ease on a first date, a job interview, or hosting a charity fundraiser.

I Hate The Sound Of My Speaking Voice

Many people assume their speaking voice is something they were born with and cannot change. Unlike your height, however, your voice is actually extremely malleable. Just like you dress to suit the occasion, you will use your voice in different ways depending on the situation. You obviously dress differently for lounging around the house than you would for a wedding. Similarly, you will employ different vocal traits if you are sitting talking to your friend on the couch versus giving the State of the Union address. Simply by manipulating various facets of the vocal anatomy, you can color your voice dramatically. Impressionists do this all the time. If you don’t like the way your voice sounds on recordings or video, you can change it! We’re here to get you a speaking voice you love.

Can I Make My Voice “Manlier” or More Feminine?

Absolutely! While your speaking voice is certainly not a reflection of your masculinity or femininity, many people feel insecure about their speaking voice because of the pitch or tone. They wish they carried more authority or a more delicate sound, and had what would be conventionally described as a “manlier” or “feminine” speaking voice. While there are some genetic limitations, there are plenty of ways to be true to your personality while incorporating alterations that will help you achieve your desired quality.

Can I Improve My Volume and Projection?

Volume and projection are some of the biggest reasons that people seek speech coaching, both for the business world and the creative world. It’s not true that some people are just “soft-spoken” and are thus incapable of projecting their voice. We will discover what physical and vocal obstacles are standing in the way of finding your vocal resonance and make these changes. Some aspects of this include breathing, space, use of resonators, tongue position, posture, and perhaps even some things that are primarily mental. Using vocal exercises, we will explore ways of increasing the volume and projection of your voice.

Can I Fix The Tone Quality Of My Voice?

The tone quality of one’s voice is another reason that people commonly seek speech training. Sometimes people feel that their voice is too high, too low, too thin, too breathy, too weak, too nasal, etc. All of these issues have to do with an overuse or underuse of certain elements of the voice. Once we identify which components of your voice need attention (i.e. nasal, pharyngeal, soft palette, tongue, breath, etc.), we will be able to add or subtract elements that are making your voice undesirable to you. Much like playing with the balance switches on a car or stereo, it truly is as simple as adding or subtracting vocal elements until you get the sound that suits you best. We will show you exercises and things to practice that will help move you toward the voice you are looking to develop.

Can You Help Me With My Lisp, Stammer, or Other Speech Impediment?

In many cases, speech impediments can be corrected by implementing a specific adjustment that one was previously unaware of – be it placement of the tongue, cultivating efficient breathing, or reducing tension. A number of these can be addressed in one session. If the problem is severe, we can refer you to a speech pathologist or vocal doctor.

Can I Fix My Damaged Voice?

Many times we work with speakers who have experienced vocal problems or damage in the past or are still living with it currently. If you struggle with vocal damage or problems, please rest assured that there is hope! We have worked with many people to correct vocal problems and to rehabilitate damaged voices.

Sometimes it is necessary to consult with vocal doctors and in other cases it is not necessary. Quite a bit can be fixed by working to discover if the problem is being caused by stressful or very tense use of the voice. We can help you to determine the severity of the problem. Then, we can determine if the problem is solely based on technique or whether it is solely physical damage.

From here, we can create a plan to solve the problem using vocal technique solutions, advice from vocal doctors, or a combination of methods. If assistance is necessary, we have colleagues in the world of vocal science and vocal medicine. By working with these professionals, we can determine what kind of damage there may be if the damage is severe. In any case, please know that there is a great deal of hope in many cases where people’s voices are not performing as they once did. Don’t give up on yourself, but rather seek out the best information you can.

Can I Work On My Voice For Business, Voice-Overs, Camera, and Theatre?

Having an effective voice for the business world or the creative world is a very coveted skill. And, everyone is unique in terms of what they need and what their goals are. In our sessions together, we will lay out a plan to help you to get to the level that you need to be at with your speaking voice, depending on the situation. We will then apply the appropriate vocal and situational exercises to help you achieve goals in your respective field.

Can I Improve My Confidence?

Confidence is absolutely something that can be learned, as opposed to something that just occurs naturally Speaking with confidence involves many factors. First, it involves knowing the mechanics of your voice and how to use it to its full capability as far as projection, articulation, pacing, tone, and range. These are all things that can be addressed and improved in a speech coaching session. Secondly, speaking with confidence involves having had enough experience with situations that cause you to feel pressure. Whether this is public speaking, presentations, auditions, or anything else performance-related, there are methods to making sure that you feel comfortable. Having a set of experiences and a technique related to the task at hand can improve your confidence dramatically. You may always feel slight nerves to speak- that’s natural. However, you will begin to trust your skills more and more and use your nerves in positive ways, knowing that you can deliver.

Are There Other Things New York Speech Coaching Can Help Me With?

Please feel free to look at the wide variety of services that we offer in the Services section of this site. The topics that we have provided information on are what the majority of our clients are seeking assistance with. However, there are some less common scenarios that we have worked with clients on in the past. Some of these additional services include:

Media Appearances
Voiceover work
Dating
Job Interviews
Classical / Shakespearean acting
Stand-up comedy
Storytelling
Impressions

Our forte is adapting our approach to meet the needs and goals of each individual. So, if there are services that we have not listed or explored on this site, please feel free to inquire with us. We are happy to assist you if it is something that we are able to help you with!