Imagery and Art in the Practice of Violence and Language - Assignment Example

Introduction Communication is a central player for every successive project or activity. In the field of arts, voice projection and organization are among the most important factors to consider before making a stage performance. Apparently, every human being has a voice that is capable of expressing thoughts and emotions. However, not all people can synchronize voice smoothly when performing or expressing their emotions. In this regard, it is of great significant to learn how to organize voice in different occasions in order to send the desired impression to the audience. In this paper, I write to reflect on the lessons learned throughout the semester, knowledge gained and what I can do to improve my voice quality. According to Kist (13) tension murders vibration. The negative environmental influences and self-defenses against emotional distress results in poor voice production. I have learnt several barriers to outstanding voice quality throughout the semester. In this regard, I have learned that tension is the greatest enemy to excellent voice production. Tension makes it difficult for individuals to produce their natural voice. Essentially, tension lowers an individual’s confidence and, therefore, he/she ends up producing low-quality voice that is not natural. Doing vocal warm up plays an essential role in releasing tension and building strong personal confidence. In addition, warming up gives an individual a chance to polish up on challenging areas in order to produce a synchronized and high-quality voice. I have learnt several benefits of vocal warm up in class and through personal research. For instance, warming up gives the speaker the courage to face the audience. After learning about the outcome of vocal /physical warm up and practicing it, I have noticed several changes in voice production before and after warming up. For instance, after warming up, I realized that my courage to face the audience improved, and I was able to make a smooth speech. On the contrary, before warming up, I had the fear of facing a crowd of people, and I had no enough confidence. In essence, vocal/physical warm up prepares an individual psychologically before the actual performance. People have varied voices and therefore perform differently on stage. Through watching some television programs and theater, I have identified that people have varied voices. Some people have soft voices and others rough voices. Watching theater and some television programs taught me a lot on matters regarding voice. Through watching theater, I learned how to produce sound in different occasions and how to make the audience enjoy listening. Some television programs provide information that is very crucial in developing voice production. Watching theater has been my second library because I learn a lot from it. There are several factors that impede my vocal freedom. For instance, I rarely attend social gatherings and as result, I lack an exposure to different kinds of people. Additionally, I rarely socialize with peers especially during controversial debates. In this regard, personal confidence and the courage to face the audience has stagnated for quite sometimes. On several occasions, my peers usually complain that am very shy and that I usually have tension when addressing a huge crowd of people. Voice is an important tool of communication that requires regular upgraded. I have learnt various ways of improving and maintaining good voice quality and body. After researching from books and reading articles written by renowned celebrities, I have discovered that taking enough water each day is important for proper voice production. Water relaxes the body muscles, clears the voice box and gives the required energy for quality voice production. Additionally, I practice at least twice a day to an audience of at least five people to improve my voice. I usually ensure that I have followed all the guidelines given for improving the quality of voice. During one of the presentations outside the class, I realized that the auditorium had a different kind of audience as compared to the class presentation. In essence, the audience kept responding to my rhetoric questions with much vigor, and humor as if they were expected to respond appropriately. Moreover, the audience seemed to be more attentive during the narration parts as compared to the other parts that had more action. As a matter of facts, I am certain that the effort I made in ensuring that I was physically fit, relaxed and comfortable further ensured that my voice was clear. In reference to freeing the natural voice, I have personal, professional and artistic goals for my body and voice. To begin with, the personal goal that I have is to ensure that I take more caution in my physical wellbeing since the body, and the voice works hand in hand. In terms of professional goals, I intend to ensure that I continue taking more voice lessons so as to improve on my vocals to ensure better performances in future. The artistic goals revolve around sharpening skills that are necessary in the accompaniment of the words during performance. In reference to the lessons learnt from Rodenburg (37), the most effective exercises that I took included ensuring that I remain relaxed and comfortable thus allowing the breathing to remain undisturbed, as well as, ensuring that the energies within the body flow easily. Similarly, I have learnt that mood control is importance since it ensures that the body and voice are prepared to carry out any thrilling performance. Additionally, I ensured that my professional vocal lessons were consistence a practice that has greatly increased my vocal performance to date. Nevertheless, during one of the presentation outside class, I experienced a very frustrating situation when I was almost halfway a performance, my voice became horse and I was unable to effectively communicate. As such, I decided to create some performance break in order to give myself a slight vocal break, and at least enable my muscles to relax. Unfortunately, when the performance resumed, my voice had not resumed and the more I struggled to keep the audience engaged the more my voice failed me. In the end, I was forced to end the performance, a situation that led to an equally frustrated audience, lack of communication and a fail in the general performance as well. In reference to the lessons learnt in class, I can now articulate that my self-awareness has deepened. First, I am now aware that there is strong relationship between the body and the voice. In fact, in order to achieve a good voice, different body process must take place in a consistence manner. For instance, an individual must be in positive attitude that allows the body muscles to relax thus giving out a good voice. Secondly, the voice must be taken care of in order to work excellently during any form of performance. Finally, there must be proper utilization of the voice in order to communicate during any form of performance. As such, there must be ideal communication in such kinds of performances. Apparently, class and outside performance have taught me to use my voice in a more professional and artistic way. The thought of having an ideal communication with the audience compels me to make more positive use with my voice. Currently, I use my voice in a professional manner since, I have learnt the basics of a voice and how to maintain a voice in order to meet the expectations of the audience at all times. Conclusion Voice is an important artistic tool that requires special attention during a performance. The speaker should understand the audience first in order to now the type of voice to suit the occasion. Artist should focus on improving voice quality in order to appease the audience and to receive wide acceptance. Works cited: Linklater, Kristin. Imagery and Art in the Practice of Violence and Language. Feeling the natural voice. (2006): 10-200. Print. Rodenburg, Patsy. The Right to Speak. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.2012. Print. Read More