How To Speak Loud and Clear

  culled from:http://howto.menshealth.com

Step 1

Sip water. "When you're dehydrated, your body cuts down on mucus production," says C. Richard Stasney, M.D., an otolaryngologist and the director of the Texas Voice Center. Your vocal folds vibrate about 100 times a second when you speak—and mucus protects them from friction, which can cause swelling, irritation, and injury. 

Step 2

Clear phlegm the right way. Noisy throat clearing bangs your vocal folds together, which can hurt them, Dr. Stasney says. Instead, take a deep breath and exhale through your mouth quickly and forcefully, without making a sound. This will dislodge mucus from your throat so you can spit it out or swallow it, Dr. Stasney says.

Step 3

Don't try to go all Barry White. Men drop their voices to sound authoritative, says Linda B. Shields, M.S., a speech pathologist based in Raleigh, North Carolina. That can damage your pipes. Determine your natural pitch by saying "mmm-hmm." The top of that hum is your optimum pitch. 

Step 4

Speak clearly—to a doctor. If vocal changes or pain last for 2 to 3 weeks, see an ear, nose, and throat doctor. "Talking should be effortless, like a golf swing," says Mark Courey, M.D., director of the voice and swallowing center at the University of California at San Francisco.