Vocal function exercises are important. They can have many functions, including improving poor breath response in the voice and coordinating voice with breathing. This video, produced by the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, is designed to teach basic speech teletherapy and vocal function exercises.
The sustained-E works on coordinating pitch and vowel sounding.
By holding an “e” sound at a constant pitch for as long as your breath lasts, practice sustaining a breath and coordinating that breath with a stable pitch.
The gliding “ooo” sound exercise guides the listener through controlled alteration of pitch and raises the top of the speaker’s range. If a word is easier than a sound, an open word like “whoop” can be substituted.
A downward gliding exercise reaches the bottom of the range and can help the patient expand their range downward. Once again, a substitute word like “no” can be used.
The third exercise in the video is starting and stopping sound cleanly and varying pitch with an “Oh” sound, intended to go up and down. Doing each exercise twice and repeating them later, for 6 to 8 weeks, the voice will get stronger and last longer through the day.
