The Alexander Technique and that Vocal Fry Sound.
My friend and colleague, Alan Bowers, brought my attention to an article about the popular phenomenon called “vocal fry”. It has particular relevance to Alexander Technique teachers and students.
Vocal fry manifests itself as a self-imposed creakiness near the bottom of the vocal register. This ‘scratchy’ voice is supposed to sound cool and hip, or whatever the current cool and hip words are for cool and hip. You be the judge: Link to article.
People who vocal fry believe they’re presenting themselves as laid-back, relaxed, and cool. When people employ vocal fry long enough, whether through choice or habit, they may be frying their vocal mechanism.
How to not get a job by not employing the Alexander Technique.
The article, written by Olga Khazan, is named “Vocal Fry May Hurt Women’s Jobs Prospects”. The article points out that when you employ vocal fry during an interview, you decrease your chances of getting employed. This style of speech comes across as lazy, perhaps arrogant, and dismissive. It’s as if one is slumping with their voice.
The vocal fry, slumping, choice, and habit. And the Alexander Technique.
Vocal fry and slumping may be linked, and both take their toll—a damaged vocal mechanism, neck tension, and back pain. Just as the “cool” vocal fry may become a habit, the “cool” slump may become a habit, and you know what they say about habits…
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
-Aristotle
“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
“First we make our habits, then our habits make us.”
-Charles C. Noble
Mark Josefsberg-Alexander Technique NYC
(917) 709-4648
Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net-“3d People In Line Waiting For Job” by Renjith Krishnan
This is sad news. You mean there is never going to be a time when I can ever do my Darth Vader imitation during a prospective job interview?
It’s not sat Franis! You could definitely use that voice during an interview. There are plenty of children’s parties where they need a Darth Vader. The voice would be perfect then! Now go out there and get that job!