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Introduction
This post was made for the request of a reader.
I’ve had this question from my juniors and fellow EXCO members in NCDCC - how do I project my voice without hurting myself?
Projecting vs shouting
Contrary to popular belief, they are not the same thing. Projecting uses your diaphragm, while shouting uses your throat, thereby hurting it. When commanding drills, it is always important to project and not shout.
Warm-up exercises
To warm up your voice for projection, you should always start with deep breathing. Expand your lungs, and breathe out slowly.
Then, you can take a deep breath and say ‘Ha!’. You can repeat this 5 times. Every time you do this, take note that you should be “breathing out” with every ‘Ha!’. If you feel your throat straining or hurting, you’re shouting. Take a drink of water and try again.
Testing for projection
To know if you are projecting, or indeed shouting, there are 2 tests. First, is your throat hurting after repeating the exercise above 5 times? If it is, you’re probably shouting. Second, place a hand on your stomach. With each ‘Ha!’, if you feel your stomach going in, congratulations! You’re projecting!
Projecting in drills
When projecting, you should be ‘pushing’ the air out of your lungs. Shorter drills are easier to project, but for longer drills, like one of the sizing drills, you need to take pauses, at the commas. For example, YANG TINGGI KE KANAN, (pause) RENDAH KE KIRI, (pause) DALAM SATU BARISAN (pause), PARAS! You can also take a quick breath in the pauses.
Also remember, always stay hydrated! Hydration is extremely important to not make your throat too dry.
Conclusion
So you learnt how to project your voice! Remember, take breaks so that your throat won’t hurt too much. Always make sure you’re loud and clear when commanding drills. Good luck!