Episode 213

How To Unlock Confidence Through Your Voice with Jimmy Cannon

Unlocking Confidence Through Vocal Power with Voice Coach Jimmy Cannon

Summary

In this insightful episode of the Present Influence Podcast, John Ball interviews speaking coach and voice expert Jimmy Cannon. The discussion centres around how improving your voice and vocal style can significantly boost your confidence, enhancing your effectiveness as a professional communicator. Jimmy shares his journey from being a jazz singer to becoming a vocal coach specialising in helping people overcome anxiety and vocal blocks. The conversation delves into the importance of breath control, the physiological and psychological aspects of vocal performance, and practical tips for achieving vocal variety and presence. In addition, the episode touches on techniques to project confidence and authenticity through voice, making it an essential listen for anyone looking to improve their public speaking and presentation skills.

Find out more about Jimmy at https://www.jimmycannon.com/ and take his Voice Mastery Quiz

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Voice Confidence

00:31 Meet Voice Coach Jimmy Cannon

02:10 The Importance of Voice in Professional Settings

02:54 Understanding Vocal Challenges

09:27 The Role of Values in Building Confidence

20:25 Breathing Techniques for Better Voice Control

29:38 Mastering Patrick Stewart's Voice

30:14 Voice Resonance and Placement

31:19 Old School Voice Training

33:24 Understanding Vocal Presence

34:02 Exploring Vocal Circles

36:32 Voice and Social Perception

40:41 Voice Exercises for Range and Volume

44:23 The Importance of Vocal Variety

47:38 Jimmy Cannon's Singing Journey

50:05 Conclusion and Future Episodes

Go to presentinfluence.com to take the Speaker StrengthsFinder Quiz and discover your greatest strengths as a speaker as well as where to focus for growth. For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Transcript
John:

What if you could become more confident by working on your voice,

2

:

on how you sound, how you speak, just

by changing a few things with your

3

:

voice and your vocal style and range?

4

:

You can start to sound and feel way

more confident, and that's gonna give

5

:

you a good grounding and edge for

being a better speaker, presenter,

6

:

and whatever else you might be doing

professionally that involves you speaking.

7

:

My guest in this episode is a speaking

coach who focuses very much on voice

8

:

and on helping you develop yours.

9

:

He's got some great

insights, some cool tips.

10

:

I really enjoyed getting to speak

with Voice Coach Jimmy Cannon.

11

:

By the end of this episode, you'll have

some tips and tricks to help you be able

12

:

to sound more confident, and there's gonna

be way more to learn where that came from.

13

:

And at the end of the episode Jimmy

and I will share with you how you

14

:

can find out more and take this

journey further if you would like to.

15

:

If you are on YouTube right

now watching this, please be

16

:

sure to like and subscribe.

17

:

It really helps the show a lot,

especially if you leave a comment as

18

:

well, so you can tell me how much you

love the show or how much you hate it.

19

:

Either way, it, it really makes a big

difference and it means the world to me.

20

:

If you're an audio only podcast

listener, please be sure to follow

21

:

the show on your preferred podcast

app and maybe even leave us a five

22

:

star review if you enjoy the show.

23

:

So welcome to Present Influence the

show for professional communicators who

24

:

want to impact, influence, and inspire

with their talks and presentations.

25

:

My name's John Ball, keynote

and communication coach, And

26

:

your guide on this journey to

mastery level presentation skills.

27

:

I am very happy to welcome Jimmy Cannon

to the Present Influence Podcast.

28

:

Jimmy.

29

:

Hi, how are you?

30

:

Jimmy Cannon: John very well.

31

:

Very good.

32

:

We've got some good weather

here in the uk, which is nice,

33

:

and it's a pleasant surprise.

34

:

John: Yeah, I'm happy to say we

have in here in Spain as well,

35

:

which hasn't been recently.

36

:

So yeah, we've both got good weather.

37

:

That's always leaves us

feeling good as well.

38

:

I've been really looking

forward to speaking to you.

39

:

One of the main reasons for that, even

though we have some similarities in what

40

:

we do professionally, you very much focus

on the voice in part of what you do think.

41

:

Can you tell us a little bit more about

what your focus is and why you chose to

42

:

go in on partly on focusing on voice.

43

:

Jimmy Cannon: Absolutely.

44

:

Well, I started with Think thinking that

I was gonna be helping people who already

45

:

experienced like yourself, already doing

speaking gigs and already doing stages,

46

:

conferences, et cetera, and presentations,

pitches, pictures, et cetera.

47

:

So I thought I'd be working with top

level people, high level people, and

48

:

just helping them project their voice

even further than they were already

49

:

projecting their voice and their message.

50

:

But what transpired, and I don't really

know how it came about, I dunno how the

51

:

seed came about, but what transpired were

people coming to me with a feeling of

52

:

that they weren't being heard, either.

53

:

Either a psychological feeling that

they weren't being heard in meetings.

54

:

Or that there was something, a

block, something stopping them.

55

:

And I, I do this because this, it's

generally around here, which is

56

:

the somatic response to the anxiety

that you might be feeling before

57

:

you speak or during your speaking.

58

:

And so people come to me, you know, I've

got a weak voice, I've got a thin voice.

59

:

I don't like the sound in my voice.

60

:

And then that sort of took

me down another path of

61

:

method really, and how I was

going to help people with that.

62

:

So I ended up, I'm going off slightly

off piste here, but a bit of a tangent,

63

:

but I ended up doing a master's in

vocal pedagogy to find out more about

64

:

the voice, the physiology of the voice.

65

:

And I still dunno

everything about the voice.

66

:

It's endless, like, like

everything you learn.

67

:

John: That's a keen interest

to go and do a master's study

68

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

69

:

I, well, well, the reason I did

it actually was because I was

70

:

teaching singing, and I've been a

singer all my life, but I didn't

71

:

really know how I was doing it.

72

:

I didn't, people would say,

how did you get that voice?

73

:

I have no clue.

74

:

I listened, I mimicked, I co, I simulated,

I innovated, whatever it might be.

75

:

That's what I did.

76

:

I think that's how we generally

learn and improve, so.

77

:

John: think for our

listener, you can hopefully.

78

:

Hear this and tune into it, that

79

:

Do have a quite distinct resonance to your

voice, and I think it's coming through

80

:

even just in this conversation right now.

81

:

Jimmy Cannon: Thank you, I appreciate

that and of the checks in the post.

82

:

But the, I suppose that's a natural thing.

83

:

It's what I've been looking

at trying to create is what's

84

:

called a balanced phonation.

85

:

So that is a balance simply

put of breath and tone.

86

:

And that's what Ingo Tets, the

guru of vocal pedagogy talks

87

:

about is the creating that.

88

:

And everything we are trying to achieve

is to create that balance of breath.

89

:

So that's like an EQ on a Hi-Fi system.

90

:

We, you might want to think, well actually

I've got, maybe I've got a nasally voice

91

:

or my, I speak from the throat, or my

voice isn't deep enough, or it's too

92

:

deep, you might, you, so you're trying

to find that balance and that gives

93

:

people the confidence so the more they

feel confident about their voice, the

94

:

more confident they're gonna be to use

their voice in different scenarios.

95

:

And just going back to quickly to what

I was saying before, which was that

96

:

what I help people now do is improve

the quality of their voice and how

97

:

they project, but also mitigate the

anxiety that might be stopping them

98

:

from speaking in the first place.

99

:

John: How much of a difference does that

make when you are working with people?

100

:

Jimmy Cannon: It's huge.

101

:

It's literally life changing.

102

:

I had, I've had lots of clients say

to me not every client, but I've

103

:

had lots of clients say to me, this

has been completely life changing.

104

:

And not only professionally, but.

105

:

Socially as well.

106

:

So not just, so just, in the, in a bar,

cutting through the crowd in a bar.

107

:

Social situations at dinner party,

dinner parties where you might not

108

:

normally be listened to if you, you

try to, get in the conversation.

109

:

And also professionally.

110

:

So the whole professional thing

really is my main focus, and that's

111

:

to generally help people that are.

112

:

My, my sort of main avatar, which

is all my marketing kind of focus

113

:

is on, and that's really dependent

on people that have come to me.

114

:

But most people come to

me, seem to be in IT.

115

:

So they're in IT, they're

in middle management.

116

:

They have got the opportunity to

be promoted into senior management,

117

:

which means more leadership,

requirements or expectations.

118

:

So there's more meetings with

stakeholders, teams, et cetera.

119

:

So much more group activity, much

more speaking to larger groups.

120

:

And that's the change that I'm making is

either they've been promoted or they want

121

:

to be promoted and that can be a huge

lifestyle, economic change in their lives.

122

:

John: Is this kind of helping

people to find, to some degree,

123

:

authority and influence through the

tonality and power of their voice?

124

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yes, I believe that

what we're trying to achieve from

125

:

a physiological perspective, is a

balanced phonation, but when the

126

:

result of that is an authentic

connection between our cognitive

127

:

mind and our physical body and how we

represent our emotions and our ethics.

128

:

It's a bit deep.

129

:

I realize that for this time

of the day but yeah, go on.

130

:

Sorry.

131

:

Yeah.

132

:

John: I know what my my listener

is is an intelligent sort, so,

133

:

Jimmy Cannon: perfect.

134

:

Yeah.

135

:

John: Let me ask you that, I'm curious,

like, is I'm having a bit of a chicken

136

:

and egg conversation going in my head.

137

:

I recognize it could be both, but is

it, do you think it's the psychology

138

:

that leads to weaker voices or weaker

voices that leads to psychology?

139

:

Or is there just no way to know?

140

:

Jimmy Cannon: It very much

depends on the client.

141

:

My, my experience.

142

:

That's really interesting question.

143

:

Thank you.

144

:

And my experience is that we

actually need to deal with the

145

:

psychology first, so that's.

146

:

That, whatever that, whether

that's the chicken, whether that's

147

:

the chicken or the egg, I dunno.

148

:

But we can label it another time.

149

:

But I feel that it's

generally their perception.

150

:

So it's generally one's perception

of how they sound and how they feel

151

:

that they're coming across, which

is lack of self-confidence, imposter

152

:

syndrome, lack of self-worth, could,

it could be a behavioral experience

153

:

that they've had years and years ago

at school, we were all asked to stand

154

:

up and speak, say something in school.

155

:

So it could be something like that needs

to be sorted first, but it generally is

156

:

in align with what I do with the voice.

157

:

So my, the three pillars that I work with

are the voice, presence and confidence.

158

:

And generally speaking, we need

to work on the confidence first

159

:

before we can then omit if you

like, presence through the voice.

160

:

John: Okay.

161

:

makes sense.

162

:

And from that perspective, just to give

us a bit, maybe a bit of an overview

163

:

of what your client's journey might be.

164

:

When you start with

confidence where do you begin?

165

:

Does it depend on who you're working with?

166

:

Or do you have a typical place

that you normally start to dig

167

:

into when you work with someone?

168

:

Jimmy Cannon: Absolutely.

169

:

So the first thing that

we do is establish values.

170

:

So I not only studied voice, but I

also studied acceptance and commitment

171

:

therapy, which is I, and I'm just, if

I can quickly explain what that is,

172

:

because actually five, six years ago,

I had no clue what that was either.

173

:

So it is a behavioral therapy, it's.

174

:

It it comes from rational frame theory.

175

:

It's very similar to cognitive

behavioral therapy or CBT, you reframes

176

:

negative thoughts, whereas acceptance

and commitment therapy allows you

177

:

to be aware or accept the negative

thought but nonetheless, move forward.

178

:

Based on your values, based on

your, yeah, based on your values.

179

:

So values in the, in this situation

are different to goals, values are,

180

:

for instance, could be, I want to

spend more time with my family.

181

:

So that could be a value that you have

and it also could be a goal, but it's

182

:

generally something that is, it determines

who you are and what you represent.

183

:

A purpose, your why, if

you like, would be a value.

184

:

Whereas a goal is I want to, in the

next five years, I want to scale

185

:

my company to a certain whatever.

186

:

It's, that might be, that would be a goal.

187

:

And then, so, so I start with

committed action towards your values.

188

:

So if you wanna spend more time

with your family, then what?

189

:

What can you do in at work?

190

:

What can you do in life and

work to put that into practice?

191

:

How can you, that might be, I'm

going to reduce the meetings.

192

:

I'm going to reduce, I'm gonna

simplify the meetings, or I'm gonna

193

:

sim, do something logistically to

allow more time to establish that.

194

:

So that, and that might be linked

to the way that you hold a meeting.

195

:

It might be linked to.

196

:

The way you use your voice in a meeting.

197

:

It might be that you,

you don't talk so much.

198

:

It might be that you pause more,

you reflect more, you ask more

199

:

questions, you delegate more.

200

:

It might be something like that.

201

:

And that these all linked to how

one communicates in that, in your,

202

:

in this scenario that you might be.

203

:

So I would start with values.

204

:

John: yeah, values is great.

205

:

I've been coaching for years and

206

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yep.

207

:

John: always a very

208

:

Jimmy Cannon: I do realize, John

I'm teaching grandma how grandma,

209

:

how to psych eggs here as well.

210

:

John: no but you're not

211

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah,

212

:

John: to teach me, right?

213

:

We are

214

:

Jimmy Cannon: no, of course.

215

:

Absolutely.

216

:

John: I, but I

217

:

I'm learning new stuff from you 'cause

I've never heard of this therapy before

218

:

It sounds fascinating and then you

get the impression, you're bit of

219

:

a renaissance man, so it is good

to hear with over studying and,

220

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

221

:

John: and diving deep into things.

222

:

But one of the challenges that I've

sometimes found with working with

223

:

values is people tend to want to dig

into the values that they want to have

224

:

rather than the ones that they do.

225

:

Does that make a difference or

do you have to elicit the values

226

:

that they actually have beyond

the ones that they wish they had?

227

:

Jimmy Cannon: I think yes, that's

definitely part of the process.

228

:

And that's very interesting

that you say that.

229

:

'cause that is very common.

230

:

It's a sort of a surface answer, isn't it?

231

:

And you sometimes you need to just

create some space to allow them to dig,

232

:

to explore that a little bit further.

233

:

I think that's really interesting.

234

:

Yeah.

235

:

I wouldn't be able to talk more on that.

236

:

I think that would be your side.

237

:

Well you, maybe you could

tell me what that would be.

238

:

What's your experience with that?

239

:

John: Look in, in general working with

clients, we have to work a little bit

240

:

to find out whether they are bringing up

values that they actually have or whether

241

:

they're just wishful thinking right now.

242

:

I wish I had, and

243

:

One of the main ways we

do that is that what.

244

:

What is actually going on in your life?

245

:

How is that value being

represented in your life right now?

246

:

That's usually where we'll find out

whether it's a, an, whether it's a real

247

:

value or whether it's a desired value.

248

:

Because your values do actually

impact your actions, your activities,

249

:

and the choices of what you

focus on in your day-to-day life.

250

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yep.

251

:

John: whilst you may want to

change some of those things

252

:

For various reasons.

253

:

That will uncover your true values.

254

:

Like where are you spending the most time?

255

:

Where does your focus mostly go?

256

:

Because you might tell me you want

to learn and be a committed lifelong

257

:

learner and study and maybe do a

master's or something like that.

258

:

But if you're spending all your

spare time watching YouTube and

259

:

Netflix and whatever else, that's

where your values are right now

260

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah, it's very interesting.

261

:

John: or entertainment.

262

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

263

:

John: yeah, maybe a shift

would be needed there.

264

:

Jimmy Cannon: And actually values can

be a distraction as well as you said.

265

:

So maybe watching YouTube videos and

Netflix or social media, et cetera.

266

:

Would, could possibly be,

procrastination so something similar

267

:

under the umbrella of social anxiety.

268

:

Then you've gotta just, you've

gotta explore a lot more.

269

:

Yeah, absolutely.

270

:

Very fascinating.

271

:

John: But a great place, always a

great place to start with people

272

:

'cause they are, values are somewhat

foundational to how we show up.

273

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

274

:

John: Once you start working on that

do you find that the values work that

275

:

you do with people gets them to a

place of confidence or there maybe

276

:

more that you would still do that?

277

:

Jimmy Cannon: I think

there's definitely more.

278

:

And so the, once we've established

the values, it would be a case

279

:

of, well, how can we work?

280

:

How can we work towards those values

based on those, and what can we do?

281

:

So for instance, what I would suggest

things would be, for instance,

282

:

coming outta their comfort zone

would be something like, could you

283

:

volunteer to host the next meeting.

284

:

Could you volunteer to do that

workshop in October, which is one of

285

:

what one of my clients is gonna do.

286

:

And and because before she would never

put a hand up and say, yeah I'll do that.

287

:

I'll do a workshop, I'll

do half an hour workshop.

288

:

So now it's like, we're

working towards October.

289

:

How does that make you feel?

290

:

Well, that makes me feel

fantastic because it's a relief.

291

:

I'm actually feel like I'm

work, I'm moving forward to.

292

:

To achieve something.

293

:

To achieve something based on my values?

294

:

Or could it be that you

want to join Toastmasters?

295

:

So when you are in that environment.

296

:

Possibly the difference or the parallel

shift, if you like, with what you and I

297

:

do, in contrast would possibly be that.

298

:

In situ, there is a feeling of anxiety.

299

:

There's the feeling of

the somatic feeling.

300

:

Whatever the physical feelings might be.

301

:

That's the experience, but that will

be mitigated through mindfulness

302

:

exercise, present moment exercises.

303

:

To reduce that anxiety because

the general concept is that the

304

:

breath represents the value.

305

:

So by focusing on the breath, doing

mindfulness exercises, et cetera,

306

:

when you are in situ, when you're in

that environment and you feel nervous,

307

:

it's gonna be a lot less nervous.

308

:

'cause the reason you are doing

that workshop in October is to

309

:

improve your life in some way.

310

:

John: Yeah.

311

:

What one of the things I really love

about all that you're saying here is that

312

:

I've said for years that presentation

skills training and public speaking

313

:

training is much more of a personal

growth tool than people realize.

314

:

I.

315

:

People think it's just about

well being able to get on

316

:

stage and being a bit brave.

317

:

And there's so much more to it that

I think it's one of the fastest

318

:

tracks to advancing leadership

development that there potentially is.

319

:

When you are reaching out.

320

:

That you lean very much into

the transformational side of

321

:

this as well, which is great.

322

:

Are people coming to work

with you primarily for that or

323

:

primarily for the voice work.

324

:

Jimmy Cannon: Primarily they're coming

to me with, for, with the voice work,

325

:

but it absolutely transpires and I very

rarely get someone who is completely

326

:

confident with their presentation

skills and that there is no anxiety,

327

:

there's no feeling of, we all have

anxiety and nerves and it's a natural

328

:

chemical obviously that we need to

utilize and to manipulate and control.

329

:

But most people come to me

with a sense of anxiety or

330

:

something that is a distraction.

331

:

A cognitive fusion, if you like,

that is, is distracting them

332

:

from their goals or their purpose

in that time, in that moment.

333

:

So they come to me with

feeling I speak from my throat.

334

:

I'm not being heard, I'm

not being listened to.

335

:

I can't work it out.

336

:

I feel you are a voice coach.

337

:

I feel like I need to work with you

on getting, this needs to free up.

338

:

But the freeing up.

339

:

He's actually connected up here.

340

:

So it's definitely a holistic approach and

it's def so I very rarely do I get I got,

341

:

I have, I had one client recently who's

a barrister in Australia, and he just, I.

342

:

They were going from one

courtroom to the next courtroom.

343

:

The first, the initial courtroom

has microphones in and the other

344

:

courtroom doesn't have microphones.

345

:

So we had two sessions where I

just helped him project his voice.

346

:

Obviously in the discovery call, I

said, asked him if there's anything

347

:

else stopping you or is there any,

block that is perhaps stopping you

348

:

from speaking a bit more, with more

projection or more confidence is, Nope.

349

:

No I just need.

350

:

I need physical help in to be

able to project my voice more.

351

:

So that's what we worked on.

352

:

But generally speaking, there is some

form of block or anxiety that, that

353

:

is stopping them from being heard

or their message being delivered.

354

:

John: so it sounds like people get a much

deeper holistic experience than maybe if

355

:

they just went to a typical voice coach.

356

:

Jimmy Cannon: Well, this is

the thing, and this is when I

357

:

started this I've, and I'm still.

358

:

Because I'm subclinical.

359

:

So I was trained in exception

and commitment therapy, but

360

:

I'm not a therapist, so I

don't wanna make that clear.

361

:

So I, there are things that, PTSD

for instance, I would, wouldn't

362

:

touch, I wouldn't, there's lots

of things sub not subclinical that

363

:

I wouldn't be able, wouldn't be

able to explore with my clients.

364

:

So that's.

365

:

That's pretty, pretty obvious.

366

:

But there's, it's, that's an

imposter syndrome thing for me.

367

:

Perhaps I need to go, I should

have gone and gone back and

368

:

studied as a speech pathologist.

369

:

But as far as I know, and my

research tells me that having this

370

:

holistic approach is more beneficial

because we do tackle a much wider

371

:

body of the problem rather than a

specific physiological issue there.

372

:

There's definitely behavioral

or psychological things at play.

373

:

John: I can see that and and I really, I.

374

:

Has a good feel to it.

375

:

you've done work on confidence with

people and you feel like you're

376

:

getting to at least closer to where

they need to be what would be next

377

:

that you move into working on their

voice and their projection with them?

378

:

Or is it the presence part?

379

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yes, absolutely.

380

:

So the voice is directly connected

to the vagus nerve there.

381

:

There's lots of research to say that

the both sympathetic and as sympathetic

382

:

nervous system are connected to

the negus ne by the vagus nerve.

383

:

So by.

384

:

Using the voice as a tool to

develop more confidence and to

385

:

mitigate the anxiety is one way.

386

:

The, it's very much a chicken and the

egg because the confidence will give

387

:

you, the confidence will give your

voice a bit more stage if you like.

388

:

And the voice feeling more confident

with a voice will also give you

389

:

more confidence, generally speaking,

socially and professionally.

390

:

So the, it's they go hand in

hand, but I generally start with.

391

:

The psychology side of things,

and then go into the voice.

392

:

I always start with breathing and

that's something that I don't think

393

:

I've ever not started with the

breathing when I talk about the voice.

394

:

John: What do we need to know

about breathing that you could

395

:

Jimmy Cannon: What don't you

need to know, John, about?

396

:

About breathing.

397

:

Okay.

398

:

John: I am right now.

399

:

I think I am.

400

:

Jimmy Cannon: What?

401

:

Breathing.

402

:

Yeah.

403

:

Yeah.

404

:

I hope so.

405

:

Otherwise, yeah, that's it.

406

:

That's it.

407

:

Yeah.

408

:

That wouldn't be very good.

409

:

It would be very short episode.

410

:

Exactly.

411

:

So what most people speak from they,

they speak with an upper chest breathing.

412

:

They speak short breaths.

413

:

This is counterintuitive to

what we're supposed to be doing.

414

:

So from, from about six months old,

we tend to breathe incorrectly.

415

:

So it's retraining people to.

416

:

You speak correctly and I'm hesitating

because it's, people might have heard

417

:

it as diaphragmatic breathing, but

it's actually abdominal breathing, so

418

:

it's so just very quickly, we need to

allow the lungs to expand and change

419

:

pressure, and they need to transform

the type of air that's going in and out.

420

:

To do that, we need to release the

diaphragm contracts and releases and

421

:

lowers down, allowing the abdomen to

lower down and the lungs to expand.

422

:

To do that, we need to be very relaxed.

423

:

We need to allow the belly to come out

and be, without any dignity and just to

424

:

let that happen and let other muscles

expand and contracts and relax as well.

425

:

That's the first thing, is that

we are generally not allowing

426

:

enough breath in the lungs.

427

:

In the first place and right then, and

actually so deep breathing generally

428

:

through the nose has been the re

research, the technique called Bottega

429

:

technique is, has been proven to reduce.

430

:

The heart rate or lower the heart

rate and give out endorphins as well.

431

:

Release endorphins.

432

:

So it's a lot of upside about using just

a deep breath in anyway, but when we're

433

:

speaking, we need to then use that breath.

434

:

So without that abdom abdominal

contraction, without that support of the

435

:

breath on the outbreath as we're speaking,

we are not going to be able to achieve.

436

:

Total variety, pitch, variety

dynamic variety in our voice.

437

:

And I say the word variety

because it's not about just one

438

:

pitch, one, one volume, one tone.

439

:

It's about having, utilizing the tools

in our voice to be able to express

440

:

ourselves in the most effective way.

441

:

So it always starts with the breath.

442

:

You cannot project properly and safely

without correct control over your breath.

443

:

John: Of course, I think if our

listeners, anything like me, even just

444

:

this little conversation now you're

probably finding yourself breathing a

445

:

little more deeply 'cause you're thinking

446

:

Jimmy Cannon: That's right.

447

:

Yeah.

448

:

John: so it's having a bit

more conscious awareness around

449

:

it does make a difference.

450

:

But can we perhaps train ourselves

to a point where it does become

451

:

more instinctive and natural to.

452

:

Breathe more deeply and be breathing

properly more or all of the time.

453

:

Do you think

454

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah, absolutely.

455

:

I, the first thing is to be aware,

the f first thing is to be aware

456

:

of how you are breathing and

how you can improve your breath.

457

:

I think it's also.

458

:

Just a learning curve as well

because we generally don't realize

459

:

that we can use a lot more breath.

460

:

We can control that breath

for a lot longer time.

461

:

There's a, there's some recent

research to say that elongating

462

:

the phrases as we speak.

463

:

So really opening up the vowel

sounds and the vowel quality will

464

:

reduce the an will reduce anxiety.

465

:

There's a direct connection between the

vagus nerve, the larynx, the abdomen, and.

466

:

That control over the, as we

speak and elongate those phrases.

467

:

So the answer to your question is

to, unfortunately, is practice.

468

:

Like anything, it does

need to become habitual.

469

:

So right now, I've been a singer for a

long time and I do this day in, day out.

470

:

So I'm.

471

:

Completely oblivious.

472

:

I'm very, everything is completely

habitual to me when I'm speaking, and

473

:

it's just a little bit of effort that I'm

using to control the outbreath as I speak.

474

:

But initially, maybe a few weeks, you

are going to really have to think about

475

:

how you are controlling the breath, how

you're taking a breath in, et cetera.

476

:

So it is a muscle or muscles that

need to be trained and muscle

477

:

memory will eventually kick in.

478

:

Yeah.

479

:

John: how long do you think it

generally takes for most people

480

:

to start to notice some change?

481

:

Does that happen maybe in the

first session where you work

482

:

Jimmy Cannon: I, yeah I think the main

thing, so the first session is really

483

:

taking the energy away from the larynx.

484

:

So take most people speak from the throat,

so they're speaking this all, I'm gonna

485

:

exaggerate the sound now, but they're

speaking very much from the throat.

486

:

The vocal tract is quite narrow.

487

:

It's constricted.

488

:

And they might be this

sort of thing all day.

489

:

If they, if you're speaking all

day, every day, that's gonna take.

490

:

A lot of, strain on the vocal folds.

491

:

So what's happening is too

much vocal load going on.

492

:

So what we do is by using the breath

properly, we can take away, hopefully

493

:

you can hear the difference in my voice.

494

:

It's a bit deeper, and I can go

even deeper and think about, I.

495

:

Using that more chesty resonance.

496

:

As we're speaking, what I'm doing is

I'm engaging the abdominal muscles,

497

:

and I'm going to exaggerate that now.

498

:

And this is what I call my vicar voice.

499

:

I'm going into more of a chest resonance,

and this is, thank you so much for coming.

500

:

And that energy, that resonance there

takes away the acoustic energy from the

501

:

vocal folds, allowing the resonant to, if

you like, to broaden throughout the body.

502

:

So that's the change and it normally.

503

:

Within the first session,

there's a definite feeling of

504

:

transformation in that way.

505

:

And now the other transformations

would be, other sessions would

506

:

be finding different areas of

resonance to project the voice.

507

:

So there's a couple of exercises.

508

:

I have hundreds of exercises,

but loads of exercises to project

509

:

the voice in different ways.

510

:

John: Yeah.

511

:

How much does projection matter

when you are using microphone?

512

:

Does it still make a difference?

513

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yes very good

question and I would say that, I

514

:

would say I'm still trying to not

speak too loudly in this situation.

515

:

Now you and I are speaking for those

listeners who are just listening orally.

516

:

John: Yeah.

517

:

Jimmy Cannon: I.

518

:

Into a microphone and I still feel that

I'm, I shout, I still feel that I, so

519

:

my wife constantly reminds me if I'm

on the phone to bring my voice down.

520

:

'cause you're easy,

you're speaking too loud.

521

:

Too loud.

522

:

So I'm very aware of the

resonance of my voice.

523

:

And perhaps it's too loud sometimes.

524

:

And actually I don't need to speak

that loudly if there's a microphone.

525

:

Six, seven inches away from my mouth.

526

:

So what, however, there's.

527

:

This is beautifully leading

into, and I thank you for that.

528

:

A beautifully leading into presence.

529

:

'cause what we want to

do is create presence.

530

:

And presence is an authentic resonance

that you are with, that you are

531

:

creating in the space that you are in.

532

:

So the space that I'm in now is my

office here, my studio, if you like, and.

533

:

That's, I'm trying to fill the

space here as I'm speaking, but I'm

534

:

also connecting to the microphone,

but I'm also looking at you.

535

:

I'm not always looking at you directly in

the camera, but I'm looking at you 'cause

536

:

I wanna see your nonverbal expressions

and how you are responding to me.

537

:

No pressure.

538

:

John: Yeah.

539

:

I'm being analyzed so

540

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

541

:

Yeah.

542

:

That's not at all.

543

:

Not at all.

544

:

So, so I'm conscious of

how I'm coming across.

545

:

I'm conscious of how I'm coming.

546

:

I'm also thinking that perhaps I

haven't asked you this, John, but

547

:

perhaps most of your listeners are

listening in the car, maybe, or orally

548

:

they're not watching a video, I dunno.

549

:

John: I like to

550

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah,

551

:

John: listen to me while they're

washing the dishes or at the

552

:

gym, or could be doing anything

553

:

Jimmy Cannon: exactly.

554

:

So I'm very conscious of how my

voice is sounding, taking out.

555

:

50% of our communication

skills, which is nonverbal.

556

:

So if I, if we take that out completely

and we're just doing a podcast like

557

:

this, the voice is absolutely integral

to communicating the energy and the

558

:

passion that you have over your subject.

559

:

John: Yeah I can remember earlier

days of vocal coaching, the old watch

560

:

your Love courses and stuff like

that, which I'm sure people have done.

561

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

562

:

John: didn't love it if I'm honest,

563

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

564

:

John: I've worked with some

other vocal coaches as well.

565

:

And one of the things that probably did

help me a little bit and then I know it

566

:

made some changes for me was, being told

to select like a vocal avatar as it were.

567

:

Like, who would you, if you could sound

like anyone, who would you most want to

568

:

sound like, and I've said this before

in the show, but not for a long time,

569

:

That Patrick Stewart was my vocal

570

:

Jimmy Cannon: Right, right, right.

571

:

Brilliant.

572

:

John: Such a deep

resident commanding voice.

573

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah,

574

:

John: I sound anything like him, but I

think I've moved a little bit more in that

575

:

direction from having focused on that.

576

:

Jimmy Cannon: so, so, but here's the

interesting thing is that I'm always

577

:

telling my clients to mimic, and this

is such a great thing to do, and it's

578

:

a very good idea to have the avatar.

579

:

A lot of people come to me, well,

I'd love to sound like this.

580

:

We are, I.

581

:

We are limited to how we can sound

because of our physiology of the larynx.

582

:

Right.

583

:

So we are just, we are limited.

584

:

And I'm not gonna sound like

Barry White, it's just not,

585

:

it's just not gonna I've tried.

586

:

It's not, it's not gonna happen.

587

:

John: not go that low either.

588

:

Yeah.

589

:

Jimmy Cannon: Exactly.

590

:

Yeah.

591

:

But I think I think not now, but may,

maybe I, if you are up for it, but I

592

:

could help you sound like Patrick Stewart.

593

:

We'd have to study him for a little bit.

594

:

But with Patrick Stewart, because he's a.

595

:

Shakespeare and actor and

obviously very famous.

596

:

You, he's studied he's absolutely studied

acting and the voice and the communication

597

:

that, you know, with what he does.

598

:

So with his voice, it, it is

very forward place placed.

599

:

So he's very conscious.

600

:

I'm trying to do it now, but he's

very conscious of, well not may,

601

:

maybe, probably not conscious

now, but he would've been very

602

:

conscious of how his voice is placed.

603

:

So what I mean by that.

604

:

Is that you can place it in,

it's called the resonance ladder.

605

:

So you can place it

down here in the chest.

606

:

You can place it in the throat, or you can

place it very forward in, into your, in

607

:

the front of your lips and it becomes much

more articulated and that's, that would be

608

:

the difference for you to focus on that.

609

:

So before placement more,

I'll give you some could give.

610

:

Happy to give you some exercises on that.

611

:

John: would.

612

:

Jimmy Cannon: So that's what I would

say the difference between your voice

613

:

and his voice would be, that would be

more forward placement and probably

614

:

more resonance in the mask area.

615

:

And it's really, again,

finding that balance.

616

:

John: I think if I sounded more

like Patrick Stewart, I would

617

:

get a lot more speaking work.

618

:

So

619

:

Jimmy Cannon: Do you think, so do

you think that, do you think that,

620

:

John: I like to think that it's

621

:

Jimmy Cannon: let's go with that.

622

:

Let's go with that.

623

:

John: belief, I think.

624

:

But but no, I do really like that.

625

:

I.

626

:

Is it I can remember hearing

people teaching things like

627

:

this is in presentation training

rather than vocal coaching.

628

:

But teaching things like if you

have a soft or high voice to try

629

:

and bring it down, is that something

you would say that's a good idea or

630

:

Jimmy Cannon: I think

it is a bit old school.

631

:

There it is.

632

:

Old school.

633

:

Having said that, there's a lot of

research that, that unfortunately

634

:

Dictates that a lower, more chesty

resonance voice is going to sound more

635

:

authoritative and that's just the fact.

636

:

So people perceive lower tone

voices as more authoritative

637

:

and having more credibility.

638

:

So it's so you can find a

more lower, I'm doing it now.

639

:

You can.

640

:

You can find lower tone or lower voice.

641

:

It's generally resonance that

you want to focus on, not pitch.

642

:

So we will, as I said before, we have a

certain physi, physiologic, physiological

643

:

limitation to our voice, depending

on the size of our larynx and, but.

644

:

You can only, you will only

go down to a certain note.

645

:

And actually for singers,

it's, it, you can go a lot

646

:

higher, but you can't go lower.

647

:

And that's the same.

648

:

The speaking voice is the

same as the singing voice.

649

:

It's just that you elongate

the vowels more with singing.

650

:

So, but you can add more tonal.

651

:

Quality to the lower

frequencies of your voice.

652

:

So the difference is if I

was, I'm exaggerating now.

653

:

I'm, if I'm speaking in my sort of nasal

area and some people speak like this

654

:

and I'm going, I'm really exaggerating.

655

:

Now, if I'm going into kind of a

more of a witch sound right, that.

656

:

John: switch off,

657

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

658

:

Yeah, exactly.

659

:

Exactly.

660

:

Yeah.

661

:

So from there you can go into, going

from there, you can open up the larynx.

662

:

So you can go into your, you

can literally send the resonance

663

:

down into your chest area.

664

:

And even if it's, even if it's

really high, you can still

665

:

have a low tone in your voice.

666

:

It doesn't have to be high pitch.

667

:

It just has to be a lower frequency

that you are adding to that sound.

668

:

John: Yeah.

669

:

I love that it's so clear to

hear the differences that,

670

:

that these things make as well.

671

:

So it is, so, it is very apparent for

me and for listener that the these

672

:

things, they make a huge difference.

673

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

674

:

John: wanna come back a little bit

more to, to presence because we

675

:

were talking a little bit besides

676

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

677

:

John: move into that, and certainly

for for me, and for a lot of people

678

:

who teach presentation skills,

679

:

We might look at presence

a little differently.

680

:

Do you focus on that primarily from the

voice aspect of presence or where do you

681

:

begin that element with your clients?

682

:

Jimmy Cannon: Well, I was fascinated

by a book by Patsy Rodenburg called

683

:

Presence, and that was introduced

to me, like all of us with, from a

684

:

friend who's in the same industry.

685

:

And Jimmy, you have to read this book.

686

:

I.

687

:

Because she's an actress.

688

:

Actress and that's, but it's all, it

is all about, not all about the voice,

689

:

but Patsy Rotenberg talks about three,

I won't go into this in massive detail,

690

:

but she talks about three circles.

691

:

So first circle being perhaps, maybe

you are a little bit reticent to speak.

692

:

Maybe there's some nervous, some

shyness, there's lack of confidence.

693

:

And then the second circle is where

we all want to be, is that balance

694

:

of authenticity and humility.

695

:

And then third circle is where you could

come across maybe as slightly arrogant,

696

:

perhaps narcissistic, toxic maybe, and, or

you, and that just, and that comes across

697

:

in a quite an alpha male sounding voice.

698

:

So if you're speaking quite loudly and you

want you, through the audience as it were.

699

:

So there's a few exercises that you

can do to, practice being in, and it

700

:

goes back to, in fact, the environment

that you're in, if you're in this

701

:

environment is very different to being

in an acoustic environment where,

702

:

you know, so it's a stage virtual.

703

:

Meeting room is very, a very different

environment, so you need to practice

704

:

this, these exercises within those

environments, obviously, and they have

705

:

they would have a different effect.

706

:

But the idea is that we want

to obtain second circle.

707

:

That's the kind of the balance.

708

:

Again, it's all about balance between

those three types of people, if you

709

:

like, based on their personality traits.

710

:

So it's got a mixing, so it's

how you represent yourself.

711

:

So if I go into, so I live in

a, you might, I'm sure Cornwall.

712

:

I live in, in, in Cornwall, which

is in England, southwest of England.

713

:

And it's a very rural place.

714

:

And generally speaking I'm,

hopefully there's no people.

715

:

I'm Cornish, but so it, but I lived in

London for a long time, so I It's fine.

716

:

I can, so the Cornish don't like

people that put their head above the

717

:

parapets, so shall we say, generally.

718

:

And I think that.

719

:

John: kind of thing.

720

:

Yeah.

721

:

Jimmy Cannon: That's right.

722

:

Exactly.

723

:

So you've gotta be very careful if

you walk into the local supermarket

724

:

and and so when I walk in, I

re I'm very conscious of that.

725

:

I'm not sounding in third circle.

726

:

I'm not, he, hello there.

727

:

Yeah.

728

:

Do you have, could, do

you have any avocados?

729

:

Right.

730

:

You don't want to come across like that,

which is interesting conversation to know,

731

:

to would be that we can have another time.

732

:

John: a hint of for those who might

remember Leonard Rossato in that,

733

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

734

:

Yeah, that's right.

735

:

Yeah, exactly.

736

:

Yeah.

737

:

I can't remember the the scene.

738

:

Yeah.

739

:

But yeah.

740

:

Right.

741

:

So I'm very conscious of how I sound.

742

:

I do notice it might just be an ego thing.

743

:

I do notice when I, if I walk into a.

744

:

To a shop and I'm queuing up and then

I'm next and I can't think of an example.

745

:

What would it be?

746

:

I'm asking, can I get a coffee?

747

:

My voice will carry more, it will be

more resonant, and most of the coffee

748

:

shop will look around and stare at

me to think, who's this foreigner?

749

:

So it's very I so believe so deeply

that the voice has such a con, a strong

750

:

connection between how you want to

come across and how you do come across.

751

:

And that balance of that authenticity that

we're trying to portray or, and humility.

752

:

John: I would definitely

ag agree with that.

753

:

I am one of those people, and this is

I think, a product of me being born

754

:

in Manchester, having nearly all of

my family come from Merseyside and

755

:

having lived most like all sorts of

different places around the UK that.

756

:

My accent is very mall malleable.

757

:

Like it will change and

758

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yes.

759

:

John: it will depend, it will

change depending on who I'm talking

760

:

And and so it is more so with people from

the uk but it has happened when I spent

761

:

years of a lot of years working with.

762

:

Large groups of Australians, and I

started sounding a bit Australian.

763

:

A long time in the US when I was

a team, and I started to sound

764

:

in the middle bit American.

765

:

I and I find this in conversations

with people, I will start to

766

:

naturally pick up their accent

767

:

And I don't do it consciously, but

sometimes it gets pointed out to me

768

:

or I will notice it at some point.

769

:

And, okay, this is a thing of.

770

:

We try to sound more like the people

we want to connect with in some way.

771

:

And

772

:

Jimmy Cannon: I think this is Absolutely,

yeah, it is absolutely fascinating.

773

:

And we are all social chameleons

I to a degree and I'm something

774

:

that I'm really envious of the loud

middle aged white man in the pub.

775

:

Who's just got this

really sons voice, yeah.

776

:

I think that probably what we need

to do is go back to the apartment and

777

:

talk to Jenny about the cleaning lane

or something, something like that, and

778

:

I'm just, how are you are completely

oblivious to anybody else around you.

779

:

And I envy that quite frankly.

780

:

Or it might be, I might be another type

of person, let's say not middle class.

781

:

Who is on their phone, on

speaker phone in South London.

782

:

Right.

783

:

And they're just chiming out.

784

:

Yeah.

785

:

I saw him the other day.

786

:

I'm not sure he is gonna come back.

787

:

I dunno, maybe.

788

:

Right.

789

:

And they're completely oblivious

of everybody around them.

790

:

They're just in the moment.

791

:

They're focused on the conversation

and they're focused about

792

:

their problems and their drive.

793

:

It's fascinating and I'm very

self-conscious about how I come across,

794

:

and that's something I need to work on.

795

:

John: do, I always, you might be

right, they're oblivious, but I

796

:

think that in, in my head, there's

always this assumption that they

797

:

actively want people to be listening

798

:

Jimmy Cannon: Sure.

799

:

John: but I could be wrong.

800

:

Jimmy Cannon: No, I think you're right.

801

:

John: be a complete obl.

802

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

803

:

Can I ask you, John?

804

:

Because I, something that I do day in,

day out and forgive me for okay, great.

805

:

You've got a very.

806

:

Because I listen to people's

voices all day every day, and

807

:

I'm obviously fascinated with it.

808

:

You have a very, how can I put this?

809

:

You have a very controlled

mannered sound to your voice.

810

:

It's very, you generally don't go over

a certain volume threshold, and it's

811

:

a very empathic tone and it's really.

812

:

Easy to talk to you.

813

:

What is your, what are

your thoughts on that?

814

:

John: That's nice feedback.

815

:

Jimmy Cannon: pleasure.

816

:

Yeah.

817

:

Yeah.

818

:

John: And I think again, that

could be the result of years of

819

:

having been working as a coach.

820

:

Jimmy Cannon: Right.

821

:

John: Could be.

822

:

Jimmy Cannon: I think absolutely that yes.

823

:

Yeah.

824

:

John: But if I, for example,

like, doing more stage work.

825

:

I'm

826

:

More storytelling, I'm doing more

stand starting to do standup comedy.

827

:

Jimmy Cannon: Okay.

828

:

John: That, that might not be the best

qualities to have in my voice when I'm

829

:

Jimmy Cannon: Right.

830

:

John: things.

831

:

So if that, if I'm looking

to make some changes there,

832

:

What, where would I, where

should I start to lean into?

833

:

Jimmy Cannon: Oh, very interesting.

834

:

Okay.

835

:

I love the way you

brought that back to me.

836

:

That's good.

837

:

I like that.

838

:

That's good.

839

:

Very interesting.

840

:

Yeah.

841

:

So, okay, so here's the thing.

842

:

We are.

843

:

Unaware of the potential

volume and range of our voice.

844

:

So one exercise I do is to speak in a

whisper and then speak in a normal tone

845

:

or volume and then speak very loudly.

846

:

And most of the time, I'm not gonna

get you to do this most of the time.

847

:

Oh, should we?

848

:

Should we do this?

849

:

Okay.

850

:

So say something.

851

:

Okay, great.

852

:

Let's do it.

853

:

So say whatever.

854

:

Just say whatever.

855

:

You just tell me what we, you

had to do before our call today.

856

:

Right?

857

:

So before you do it, yeah.

858

:

No, before, sorry.

859

:

Before you do it, I want

you to say it in a whisper.

860

:

Okay.

861

:

So that means, so this is the kind of a.

862

:

Multifunctional exercise if you like.

863

:

We are really focusing on the

articulators, so our tongue, teeth,

864

:

lips, hard palate, et cetera.

865

:

And to do that, so if you are

whispering, you really have to

866

:

accentuate the consonance, right?

867

:

So I want you to just

10 seconds in a whisper.

868

:

Go.

869

:

Perfect.

870

:

Perfect.

871

:

Brilliant.

872

:

So let's do it now in a normal tone,

your normal tone as you've been

873

:

speaking to me, that's really important.

874

:

I think that is the main, so don't try

to create any other, anything at all.

875

:

Just purely how you've been speaking.

876

:

Don't start being all

dramatic and with me,

877

:

John: I'm not gonna go Shakespearean

878

:

Jimmy Cannon: so don't

go Shakespeare yeah.

879

:

Just speak normally.

880

:

Say the same thing, not go for it.

881

:

John: okay.

882

:

Jimmy Cannon: Not word for word.

883

:

John: I had to pack up my bags and

drive from Valencia City Center up

884

:

to a small village in the Menton.

885

:

Jimmy Cannon: Perfect.

886

:

Right.

887

:

So now what I want you to do, I want

you to speak a lot louder, alright?

888

:

And not shouting just doesn't

have to be a lot louder, but

889

:

quite a bit of more energy, okay?

890

:

And normally I would show you how

to do this with your abdominal

891

:

muscles and then without, right?

892

:

So a little bit louder, same thing.

893

:

And we'll see how that feels.

894

:

John: Prepare yourself.

895

:

Listen now,

896

:

I had to drive from, I had to pack

my bags and then I had to drive from

897

:

the city center in Valencia, up to

a small village in the mountains.

898

:

Jimmy Cannon: Great.

899

:

That is a perfect example.

900

:

So how do you feel about the difference

between let's either, either one of

901

:

those three or particularly the last one,

902

:

John: the last one definitely felt

much more like I was projecting.

903

:

And I even felt maybe more

resonance in, in that as well.

904

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

905

:

For me the main difference was energy.

906

:

Don't, please, don't get me wrong,

you, it is not that you're lacking in

907

:

energy, in your normal volume of voice

908

:

John: but yeah.

909

:

Jimmy Cannon: but that, that you,

there was a lot more energy there.

910

:

What's really interesting, and this

is what I find quite often, is that

911

:

the volume of voice for you, the

perception probably from you is

912

:

like, that's a bit over the top.

913

:

It's a bit loud.

914

:

Maybe it's outta my comfort zone, but

actually the reality is that it's not.

915

:

Much louder.

916

:

If you were to measure that as an

SPL level, then I bet you would find

917

:

that it's not a huge difference.

918

:

The engineer wouldn't

be going, oh my word.

919

:

I've gotta bring down the fader down here,

920

:

John: conscious of not wanting to

blow my listeners' ears out if I

921

:

Jimmy Cannon: Of course.

922

:

Yeah.

923

:

And I can imagine that you would be able

to speak a lot louder if you're doing,

924

:

John: I think so.

925

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

926

:

Exactly.

927

:

Yeah.

928

:

John: But yeah I, well, I did a

little bit of voice training years ago

929

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

930

:

John: Doing some stage

singing work and stuff.

931

:

So the

932

:

Stuff was super important.

933

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

934

:

John: One, one more

voice related question.

935

:

Jimmy Cannon: Sure.

936

:

John: A couple of things I wanna,

937

:

Before we do close things off, but does

it make a difference to have a wider

938

:

range, a vocal range from deeper to high?

939

:

Jimmy Cannon: Absolutely.

940

:

So the whole thing, the whole

premise of what I teach is variety.

941

:

So that is, is literally the spice of

communication and never used that before.

942

:

Never again.

943

:

Never again.

944

:

John: It.

945

:

Jimmy Cannon: yeah.

946

:

Thanks.

947

:

Thanks Tanya.

948

:

So, so absolutely we use.

949

:

Generally 20% of our vocal range are

chest in for men, our chest register.

950

:

So 20% a fifth of what

we could potentially use.

951

:

So if you are doing a lot of

speaking, a lot of presenting, a

952

:

lot of pitching, et cetera, you want

to present effectively, then using

953

:

a lot wider, more broader range.

954

:

It pitch wise.

955

:

Your voice is absolutely, is up to

gonna be absolutely gonna be key

956

:

to connecting with the audience.

957

:

Our brains are tuned to being distracted

very quickly and tuning out very quickly.

958

:

And as well as I do that, if you are

in the audience, you are thinking

959

:

about 55 things at the same time.

960

:

Have I put the washing on?

961

:

Did I have, is the slow cooker gonna,

is that gonna be fine by the time

962

:

I get back, did I lock the door?

963

:

All that stuff did I.

964

:

Leave the car in the right

place or whatever it might be.

965

:

Right.

966

:

So, so we are easily distracted

about whatever that might be.

967

:

So you have to absolutely.

968

:

Keep the audience engaged and one way

to do that is variety of your register,

969

:

of your voice, as well as total variety,

as well as dynamic of variety as well.

970

:

So speaking like you are speaking at the

moment, which would be about this sort

971

:

of volume would be a very powerful way

to bring the audience back, but also

972

:

a little bit more energy occasionally

just to get and also pace as well

973

:

is an incredibly effective way to.

974

:

Slow down and allow the

audience to process, et cetera.

975

:

John: I love all that.

976

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

977

:

John: is, honestly,

this is so fascinating.

978

:

Jimmy Cannon: Oh, great.

979

:

John: talk about this for

980

:

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah.

981

:

Yeah.

982

:

John: my, my, I'm pretty sure my listens

gonna be enjoying all of this as well.

983

:

I wanna ask you, about, about your

singing a little bit, but before we

984

:

do, maybe a listener might be wondering

maybe wanted to check you out a bit more.

985

:

What was the best way to find out

a bit more about you and to maybe

986

:

even get some some insight into

deeper insight into what you do.

987

:

Jimmy Cannon: Sure.

988

:

Thanks Jill.

989

:

Well, jimmy cannon.com

990

:

is my website.

991

:

Very simple.

992

:

There are loads of links to, I've

got a fantastic, I'm slightly

993

:

biased, but it's a quiz that I use.

994

:

It's devised by a company

called Scorecard or Score App.

995

:

And you, yeah.

996

:

John: They're great.

997

:

Yeah.

998

:

Jimmy Cannon: Very good.

999

:

So, and I spent a lot of time really

getting the questions right to the

:

00:47:05,869 --> 00:47:07,579

three pillars that I help people with.

:

00:47:08,059 --> 00:47:11,539

So if you want it on the website,

everywhere, on the website, on

:

00:47:11,539 --> 00:47:16,159

my blog posts at the top of the

homepage is a link to that quiz.

:

00:47:16,159 --> 00:47:21,959

It's, it it's a very useful free resource

to find out where you are with your

:

00:47:21,959 --> 00:47:23,519

voice, your confidence, and your presence.

:

00:47:24,119 --> 00:47:25,394

And then if you wanna book a call.

:

00:47:26,729 --> 00:47:28,199

That's absolutely fantastic at all.

:

00:47:28,199 --> 00:47:30,599

We can have a call about

where you wanna go.

:

00:47:31,304 --> 00:47:33,614

John: I'm gonna be taking the

quiz and I hope my listener,

:

00:47:33,674 --> 00:47:34,874

our listener will as well.

:

00:47:35,304 --> 00:47:35,634

Great.

:

00:47:35,664 --> 00:47:36,924

Thank you for sharing that as well.

:

00:47:37,114 --> 00:47:38,189

It sounds like a great resource.

:

00:47:38,524 --> 00:47:41,584

Let's let's come to your singing

because because I know that

:

00:47:41,854 --> 00:47:43,534

you are a passionate singer.

:

00:47:43,649 --> 00:47:48,489

Tell us a bit about what kind of singing

you do and I guess you are singing.

:

00:47:48,489 --> 00:47:49,569

Why do you sing in a band?

:

00:47:50,409 --> 00:47:52,839

Jimmy Cannon: Yeah, well actually

I, so I've been a jazz singer

:

00:47:53,019 --> 00:47:56,799

for most of my life, and I was a

saxophone as a jazz saxophone player.

:

00:47:56,799 --> 00:48:00,669

Still am and I'm not doing

anywhere near as amount of gigs.

:

00:48:00,889 --> 00:48:04,339

Part of the reason why I started having

singing lessons was I was doing eight

:

00:48:04,339 --> 00:48:09,029

shows a week, and touring and just working

really hard and my voice was straining.

:

00:48:09,029 --> 00:48:11,819

So that's where the

beginning of my journey.

:

00:48:12,479 --> 00:48:16,739

As a singing teacher and coach

comes from, and then I transfer

:

00:48:16,739 --> 00:48:18,119

those skills into speaking.

:

00:48:19,139 --> 00:48:23,279

And so I'm predominantly a jazz singer.

:

00:48:23,339 --> 00:48:26,489

I have a project or if you like,

a band or project called Bur and

:

00:48:26,489 --> 00:48:32,109

Bradstock, which is if you are if you're

interested is a village in Dorset and

:

00:48:33,499 --> 00:48:33,739

John: didn't.

:

00:48:34,579 --> 00:48:34,939

Jimmy Cannon: There we are.

:

00:48:35,389 --> 00:48:40,809

And so that is an exploration of

folk and jazz, so English folk

:

00:48:40,809 --> 00:48:46,449

music, which is tainted with some

jazz harmony and arrangements.

:

00:48:46,959 --> 00:48:49,269

And that's something that

I'm really passionate about.

:

00:48:49,319 --> 00:48:54,419

But my business is very prolific

at the moment, and that's on

:

00:48:54,419 --> 00:48:56,399

a back burner unfortunately.

:

00:48:56,399 --> 00:48:58,139

So, but it's definitely

something that isn't.

:

00:48:59,009 --> 00:49:00,029

It's a good Exactly.

:

00:49:00,029 --> 00:49:00,569

Yeah, exactly.

:

00:49:00,569 --> 00:49:02,739

So it's something I do

want to, start again.

:

00:49:02,739 --> 00:49:08,299

And I've got a big project in mind which

is song collecting and then finding the

:

00:49:08,299 --> 00:49:12,979

songs in individual places around the

country, and eventually going back to

:

00:49:12,979 --> 00:49:18,259

those places where I found the songs and

I've arranged those folk songs to record

:

00:49:18,259 --> 00:49:19,699

and then going back to do concerts.

:

00:49:19,699 --> 00:49:20,809

It's a big project.

:

00:49:21,889 --> 00:49:22,189

Yeah.

:

00:49:22,249 --> 00:49:22,759

That's the plan.

:

00:49:22,864 --> 00:49:24,004

John: have to collect you with my brother.

:

00:49:24,004 --> 00:49:27,004

I think he's involved in

folk festivals in Dset and,

:

00:49:27,034 --> 00:49:28,114

Jimmy Cannon: No, you are kidding.

:

00:49:28,174 --> 00:49:28,824

That's in wow.

:

00:49:28,824 --> 00:49:29,814

That's incredible, John.

:

00:49:29,814 --> 00:49:31,629

That's what a small world it is.

:

00:49:31,679 --> 00:49:31,969

Yeah.

:

00:49:32,974 --> 00:49:34,384

John: Jimmy, this has

been such a pleasure.

:

00:49:34,444 --> 00:49:37,114

You've been a, you've been a delightful

guest, so informative as well.

:

00:49:37,114 --> 00:49:37,474

This is a.

:

00:49:37,554 --> 00:49:41,294

Fascinating topic and such an

important element for speakers.

:

00:49:41,294 --> 00:49:44,534

Very often we just focus on what we're

saying rather than how we're saying it

:

00:49:44,589 --> 00:49:44,879

Jimmy Cannon: Sure.

:

00:49:45,284 --> 00:49:45,434

John: it.

:

00:49:45,434 --> 00:49:48,824

So I, I really love everything that you've

shared with us today, and I think this is

:

00:49:48,824 --> 00:49:52,514

gonna be, this episode alone is gonna be

a valuable resource for our listener as

:

00:49:52,514 --> 00:49:56,624

well as all the other things that can go

and check out from visiting your website.

:

00:49:56,624 --> 00:50:00,174

So, I just, I'd say thank you so much

for coming and being my guest today.

:

00:50:00,234 --> 00:50:01,104

Really appreciate it.

:

00:50:01,129 --> 00:50:02,119

Jimmy Cannon: Absolute pleasure.

:

00:50:02,149 --> 00:50:04,369

Pleasure, John, and really lovely

to meet you and speak to you.

:

00:50:04,369 --> 00:50:04,759

Wonderful.

:

00:50:04,759 --> 00:50:05,479

Hope we can do it again.

:

00:50:05,886 --> 00:50:06,756

John: What a fun episode.

:

00:50:06,756 --> 00:50:09,986

I really loved chatting with Jimmy,

and if you're like me, maybe you

:

00:50:09,986 --> 00:50:14,426

are even just having heard Jimmy

talking about our breathing and our

:

00:50:14,426 --> 00:50:17,576

voice and our resonance and how we

can change and play with our voice.

:

00:50:18,026 --> 00:50:20,066

At least have a play with this stuff.

:

00:50:20,116 --> 00:50:23,356

As I said, I think when we even just

start thinking consciously about our

:

00:50:23,356 --> 00:50:28,276

breathing, we do tend to find ourselves

breathing a bit more deeply and we can

:

00:50:28,276 --> 00:50:31,636

start to focus on whether our voice is

coming from our chest, from our throat,

:

00:50:31,636 --> 00:50:36,676

or from our abdomen, and try and adjust

and play with it from that direction.

:

00:50:37,451 --> 00:50:42,131

To me, the whole concept that playing

with your voice can massively change your

:

00:50:42,341 --> 00:50:46,841

confidence is exciting and interesting

and not something that I've really

:

00:50:46,841 --> 00:50:48,881

come across in this kind of way before.

:

00:50:49,121 --> 00:50:52,421

I hope you find it as interesting

and as exciting as I do, because

:

00:50:52,421 --> 00:50:57,281

as professional communicators,

our voice is our money maker.

:

00:50:57,281 --> 00:51:01,541

It's our, it's our tool, it's

our craft, and it's the thing

:

00:51:01,541 --> 00:51:03,401

that needs to sound good.

:

00:51:03,811 --> 00:51:07,621

Now I clearly have some stuff to

work on if I want to sound a bit less

:

00:51:07,711 --> 00:51:13,111

coachy and warm and empathic when I'm

doing standup or storytelling from the

:

00:51:13,111 --> 00:51:14,701

stage, and I'm gonna be doing that.

:

00:51:14,731 --> 00:51:19,681

But I do think the whole concept of, well,

just projecting that little bit more from

:

00:51:19,681 --> 00:51:23,851

our abdomen, just telling that volume

up noticeable to us when we are doing

:

00:51:23,851 --> 00:51:29,581

it, but perhaps less noticeable when we

are on the microphone or on the stage.

:

00:51:30,026 --> 00:51:35,456

It does turn the energy up, it

impacts the excitement element, and

:

00:51:35,556 --> 00:51:39,906

when I work with people on their

presence and on the things that

:

00:51:39,906 --> 00:51:47,376

actually connect with the audience, your

energy, your passion, your emotion is

:

00:51:47,376 --> 00:51:51,546

all stuff that needs to come through

when you're talking because it's

:

00:51:51,546 --> 00:51:57,546

hard to connect with emotionless or

professional sounding people who aren't

:

00:51:57,546 --> 00:52:01,326

letting those things come out in their

conversation and are trying to sound.

:

00:52:01,856 --> 00:52:06,836

Trying to sound a little too perfect

or professional and worried about

:

00:52:07,106 --> 00:52:12,076

being a little over the top or, being

perceived in a way that is less than the

:

00:52:12,076 --> 00:52:13,816

professional person that they want to be.

:

00:52:13,996 --> 00:52:16,636

Now, I'm not saying don't be

professional in other aspects of your

:

00:52:16,636 --> 00:52:21,291

job, but this is following on from

my episode last week about, about how

:

00:52:21,291 --> 00:52:23,751

professionalism often holds people back.

:

00:52:23,811 --> 00:52:28,821

This is really relevant to that

and how we use our voice is one of

:

00:52:28,821 --> 00:52:34,761

the ways that can make a big impact

and difference to standing out from

:

00:52:34,761 --> 00:52:38,901

people, letting our emotion and our

real self come through it a little bit

:

00:52:38,901 --> 00:52:44,121

more to stop limiting ourselves and

holding ourselves back with energy and

:

00:52:44,121 --> 00:52:46,191

passion for what we're talking about.

:

00:52:46,721 --> 00:52:50,081

Obviously we want that to be a little

contained, we don't want our volume to be

:

00:52:50,081 --> 00:52:52,211

blowing people's eardrums out for sure.

:

00:52:52,421 --> 00:52:55,841

And we don't want our energy to

be making people's brains explode.

:

00:52:56,491 --> 00:53:00,271

Those are maybe a little, we don't,

we don't want too much intensity,

:

00:53:00,271 --> 00:53:01,771

but we want a little more.

:

00:53:01,981 --> 00:53:06,331

We need to turn up the dials and our

voice is one of the ways that we can do

:

00:53:06,331 --> 00:53:11,581

that, and it's probably one of the most

powerful ones because you can still give

:

00:53:11,911 --> 00:53:16,951

talks, some presentations and whatever

else, without being there in person,

:

00:53:16,951 --> 00:53:20,641

without being visible, without being,

if all the lights went out in your

:

00:53:20,641 --> 00:53:24,691

presentation, you could still deliver it,

especially if you can project your voice.

:

00:53:24,691 --> 00:53:25,711

If all the power's gone out.

:

00:53:26,011 --> 00:53:29,851

If you're doing something online

and your camera goes off and you

:

00:53:29,851 --> 00:53:34,831

just can't get it to come back on,

you can still do your presentation.

:

00:53:35,131 --> 00:53:40,231

Your voice is the most powerful

part of what you do, and it's

:

00:53:40,231 --> 00:53:42,841

not just the words you say.

:

00:53:42,871 --> 00:53:45,811

It is absolutely the way you say them.

:

00:53:47,341 --> 00:53:49,171

I, I think this has been a lot of value.

:

00:53:49,171 --> 00:53:53,941

It's been an exciting episode and, a

wonderful direction to get into the show.

:

00:53:53,941 --> 00:53:54,361

I hope.

:

00:53:54,451 --> 00:53:58,741

No, please go and check out Jimmy

Cannon's website and probably we'll get

:

00:53:58,741 --> 00:54:02,061

Jimmy back on the show at some point

because I think there's more we can go

:

00:54:02,091 --> 00:54:05,511

into there and we'd love to have him

back, but hey, look, I've been recording

:

00:54:05,511 --> 00:54:07,431

some really cool episodes this week.

:

00:54:07,591 --> 00:54:11,566

For my next episode, I'm gonna

be starting, starting a bit of a

:

00:54:11,566 --> 00:54:15,526

series, going through some of Robert

Cialdini's principles of Influence

:

00:54:15,916 --> 00:54:19,006

and taking you into some of the

other principles of influence and

:

00:54:19,006 --> 00:54:20,716

persuasion that he doesn't talk about.

:

00:54:20,986 --> 00:54:23,866

And after that I've got plans

for an exciting series on logical

:

00:54:23,866 --> 00:54:25,726

fallacies, rhetorical techniques.

:

00:54:26,026 --> 00:54:30,196

We're gonna bring you all, and, uh,

YouTube is, YouTube is definitely

:

00:54:30,196 --> 00:54:31,456

gonna be a great place to get that.

:

00:54:31,456 --> 00:54:34,876

So fine present, influence on YouTube

if you're not already on here.

:

00:54:35,481 --> 00:54:35,841

All right.

:

00:54:35,841 --> 00:54:38,541

Wherever you're going, whatever you're

doing, have an amazing rest of your day.

:

00:54:38,541 --> 00:54:40,581

I will see you next time.

:

00:54:40,731 --> 00:54:41,121

Bye-bye.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

About the Podcast

Show artwork for Present Influence
Present Influence
The podcast that helps professional communicators learn the skills that increase influence, impact and authority.

Listen for free

About your host

Profile picture for John Ball

John Ball

John Ball is a keynote coach and professional speaker on a mission to help upcoming leaders master their communication, create impact and stand out as experts in their field.
John left the high life of his flying career to do something more meaningful to him and has since worked with several leading personal and professional development organisations as a lead coach and trainer.
The heart of everything John does involves helping people shift to personal responsibility and conscious awareness of how they show up and perform in every situation, whilst equipping them with the tools to be exceptional.
John also co-hosts The Coaching Clinic Podcast with his great friend and colleague Angie Besignano.
He lives in the beautiful city of Valencia, Spain with his husband and often visits the UK and US for speaking and training engagements. When he's not speaking or podcasting, he's likely to be out swimming, kayaking or enjoying time with friends.

Enjoying the show?

Your support means we can bring you more with better production and new features, even bonus episodes. Thank you.
Tip Your Host
A
We haven’t had any Tips yet :( Maybe you could be the first!