The correct use of the voice and intonation requires a certain vocal technique, also known as declamation.
The noun declamation corresponds to the verb declaim, which means to recite. In this sense, the action of reciting is related to oratory, which is the art of public speaking and which, in turn, has an intimate connection with poetry or theater.
Just as declamation is important to sing well, it is also necessary to speak properly, that is, to communicate effectively.
Vocal technique, the foundation of declamation
The human voice is an instrument and as such must be taken care of so that the sounds are pleasant and are correctly understood. Vocal technique exercises are especially useful for those who use the voice professionally, such as presenters, actors, teachers and, ultimately, all those activities in which the voice plays a primary role.
The human voice involves a complex process. In fact, when emitting a sound, the diaphragm, the abdomen, the vocal cords, the control of breathing, the trachea and the position of the tongue act together. If something inappropriate occurs repeatedly in this process, the voice will end up suffering in some way, for example with a hoarseness.
General guidelines in declamation
For a declamation to be correct, experts in the human voice advise a series of general guidelines:
1) do breathing exercises and mechanical control of the parts involved in the emission of sounds,
2) train the correct intonation of the voice,
3) improve body position to stabilize sounds and
4) understand declamation as a technique and at the same time as an art.
The declamation in the theater
An actor needs his voice to connect with the viewer. In this sense, his voice is an essential tool and with a deficient technique in handling the voice, the quality of artistic interpretation will be greatly affected.
In the training process, the actors need to familiarize themselves with a declamation method. The art of reciting is of singular importance in poetic language, since the musicality of the voice gives poetry its true dimension.
Photos: iStock – skynesher / martinedoucet
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