the Feldenkrais Method with Emma Alter

Exploring the Connection Between Tension, Voice, and Expression

Sound is, at its essence, the oscillation or vibration of air. It travels through space as waves, ripples set in motion by something moving. When we speak, sing, or play an instrument, we’re the source of that movement. The quality of our sound is directly influenced by how freely we can vibrate.

This isn’t just a technical issue for singers or instrumentalists. It’s a deeply human one.

Think for a moment: 

Ask Yourself:

• How much of your body is truly vibrating when you make sound?
• Is your entire mouth and throat free to move in co-ordination with your vocal folds?
• Do you feel your breath and voice move through your whole body, or does it get stuck somewhere?

I often meet people who carry a lot of tension in their jaw, throat, and chest. When we dig a little deeper, it’s rarely only about posture or technique. It’s emotional. Many of us are holding back: not just sound, but parts of ourselves.

Babies and toddlers are different in this regard. They produce an astonishing amount of volume for their size. They haven’t yet developed habitual tensions, but a big part of it is emotional freedom. They haven’t learned to hold back. They don’t feel the need to fit in, be acceptable, or take up less space in order to be loved or accepted. They simply express themselves.

As we grow, we start to learn the opposite. We get messages (some subtle, some not) that it’s safer to be smaller, quieter, more contained. That we shouldn’t be “too much.” And so we start to tighten. In our muscles, our bodies, our voice. It slides into our lives.

This tension shows up in the sound we make. A constricted throat. A tight jaw. A breath that never quite fills the lungs. And more importantly, it shows up in our self-expression. We edit ourselves before we speak. We stop saying things that matter. We fear being heard as much as we fear being ignored.

But here’s the invitation: What if you let more of yourself vibrate? What if releasing physical tension could also help release emotional blocks you didn’t even know were there?

Freeing your voice isn’t just about sounding better—though that’s often a beautiful side effect. It’s about reclaiming your space. Letting yourself be heard. Letting your sound move through you and into the world without apology.