Ways to improve your diction?

[john_dzite]

Hi. I don't think I'm good with my diction. I want to improve it. Any idea how I can do it because I think diction is quite important in singing.

 

[EiraVanora]

do speech exercises.
you can search the net for those.
examples:

1. repeat the words;
red lorry
yellow lorry
do it continuously while steadyly build up speed.

2. 'soften' your tongue by letting them vibrate continuously in one breath by going
'Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr........' (this is a good breathing exercise too) can do the same for your lips too.

3. keep in mind to not mumble when singing.
practice opening your mouth as big as possible while singing.
it might look stupid at the beginning.
once you get the hang of it, it'll be natural.
it also helps to 'steal' gasp of air inbetween verses/lines.

4. practice tongue twisters

5. listen to how people talk.
best people to follow are the brits.

hope these helps.

 

[john_dzite]

oh btw i just found out a good way too after googling awhile.

putting a pencil between your mouth (not biting it, just put it lightly so it don't fall). Then try doing the tongue twisters you know. Practise on your s, v, f and th.

The problem with me is I can't pronoun s and f properly. when i pronoun s it sounds like there's echo but after a little training, the echo get shorter which is good! Yay!

 

[EiraVanora]

ive never tried the pencil exercise before...hmmm....sounds pretty effective.
well done!

 

[fgl]

Watch vids of the queen of England then try to emulate the way she speaks .. sure to improve diction .... I did ... :mrgreen:

 

[john_dzite]

thanks, fgl. will do that tonight. u see im quite desperate in improving my diction because my when i perform on stage, my friends complain that they can't really hear what I sing and they say I have a dition problem.

 

[EiraVanora]

i can help if you want. pm me if you're interested.

 

[john_dzite]

it's okay. my girlfriend is helping with it now. =)

 

[EiraVanora]

okie dokie.
good luck! *thumbs up*

 

[sage]

I just sing a lot more English songs, and let it influence the way I speak in time (and not the other way round).

It's easier to grasp diction if you practice it even when you're not singing.

 

[EiraVanora]

agreed to that.

 

[weckl-x]

If you have $600 bucks...

Focus on Speaking
English for adults > Part-time courses

Course fees S$630 (inclusive of 7% GST)
Levels Pre-intermediate to Advanced
Course venue Napier Road
New courses start in January, March, June and September

These courses are for adult learners who feel the need to develop more confidence and fluency in their speaking and who want to spend extra time on improving their speaking skills in English.
By the end of the module, you will be able to

• Discuss a wide range of topics with increasing confidence and fluency
• Use appropriate levels of formality and politeness
• Speak confidently about your life past, present and future
• Speak clearly so that others usually understand you
• Use some features of English stress and intonation patterns
• Socialise confidently with other English speakers
• Understand English spoken by native speakers at or close to normal speed
During the module, you will study

• How to open and close conversations
• How to express your opinion and respond to the opinions of others
• A variety of topics such as art, news, honesty, the future, health
• How to give a presentation
• The importance of correct pronunciation and intonation
During the module, you will

• Improve your confidence and learn to speak English more fluently
• Discuss a wide range of topics in free conversation
• Practise dialogues from a variety of situations
• Improve your pronunciation and intonation
• Acquire and practise key expressions in English conversation
• Give a formal talk to classmates
• Carry out a variety of tasks by sharing information with other students
• Practise English in role plays and everyday situations

http://eastasia.britishcouncil.org/...ourse_ID=7ce33902-c7e3-4f53-afaf-25b32304efe7

 

[john_dzite]

I just sing a lot more English songs, and let it influence the way I speak in time (and not the other way round).

It's easier to grasp diction if you practice it even when you're not singing.

hmmmm... well... ok thanks for the tip, Sage. =)