THE VOICE AS AN INSTRUMENT BY EDWARD LEAR

THE VOICE AS AN INSTRUMENT

The human voice is the most important channel of communication therefore a clear voice in any communication is usually brought about by a clear voice and articulation. That is why we must follow the under listed exercises keenly.

A fully opened and relaxed mouth in the following combinations (repeat each line four times):

                        Fah, fah, fah, fah, vah vah vah vah

                        Pah, Pah, Pah, Pah, bah, bah, bah bah

                        Mah, mah, mah, mah, nah, nah, nah, nah

 Moving the lips from a closed position to an exaggerated smile position and remembering to move nothing but the lips, repeat rapidly four times each:

                                    Me-me-me-me

                                    Pree-pree-pree-pree

                                    Wee-wee-wee-wee

Whisper the following words three times each to exercise lazy lips:      

Ontological, anachronistically, ecumenical, superfluity, impracticable, lexicographer, irremediable, posthumously, impossibility, impenetrable, schizophrenic, voluptuousness, existentialism, ignominiously, irrevocable, philosophical, polysyllabic, disingenuousness, incalculable, preposterous, antidisestablishmentarism, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

(As the mouth receives very small vibrations from the vocal cords when you whisper, your lips must work exaggeratedly.

Remember, whispering is a strain on vocal cords. If you feel any hoarseness, stop. When you have a sore throat, do not resort to whispering, for it is more taxing than normal speech?) The following verses are to be read slowly, aloud, and with exaggerated mouth action

a.      On a little piece of wood,

Mr. Spikky Sparrow stood;

Mrs. Sparrow sat close by,

A-making of an insect pie,

For her little children five,

In the nest and all alive,

LIP AND TOUGUE EXERCISES FOR BETTER ARTICULATION

This is an exercise made to give the actor on stage a clear articulation of words. Generally, anybody who wishes to speak clearly can also follow in the exercise.

Singing with a cheerful smile

To amuse them all the while

Twikky wikky wikky wee,

Wikky bikky twikky tee.

Spikky bikky bee!

Mrs. Spikky sparrow said,

Spikky, darling! In my head

Many thoughts of trouble come,

Like to flies upon the plum!

All last night, among the trees,

I heard you cough, I heard you sneeze:

And, thought i. it’s come to that

Because he does not wear a hat

Chippy wippy sikky tee!

Bikky wikky tikky mee!

Spikky chippy wee!

Not that you are growing old,

But the nights are growing cold,

No one stays out all night long

Without a hat: I’m sure it’s wrong!

Mr. Spikky said, ‘How kind.

Dear! you are, to speak your mind!

All your life I wish you luck!

You are! You are! a lovely chick!

Witchy witchy witchy wee!

Twitchy witchy witchy bee!

Tikky tikky tee!

‘I was also sad, and thinking,

When one day I saw you winking,

And I heard you sniffle-sniffle,

And I saw your feathers ruffle;

To myself I sadly said,

She’s neuralgia in her head!

That dear head has nothing on it!

Ought she not to wear a bonnet?

Witchy kitchy kitchy bee?

Spiky wikky mikky bee?

Chippy wippy chee!

-- EDWARD LEAR

Mr. and Mrs. Spikky Sparrow

By:

 Eguriase S. M. Okaka