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The Bone Prop in Voice Exercises

A bone prop is a small device used to keep the jaw open and steady during voice exercises. It allows the lips and tongue to move while helping the jaw to stay still.

The use of a bone prop during voice exercises is detailed in the major books on voice training such as Voice and the Actor by Cicely Berry, Finding Your Voice by Barbara Houseman and The Actor Speaks: Voice and the Performer by Patsy Rodenburg. You may also find the use of bone props mentioned on professional voice training courses.

Historically all sorts of objects have been used as bone props, from pieces of real bone to bits of Rawlplug™ and ballpoint pens, but these often lead to unwanted jaw tension because they have to be held in place by the teeth.

Voicesource stocks bone props designed by Annie Morrison, known as the Morrison BoneProp™. The Morrison Bone Prop has been designed specifically to minimise the side-effect of jaw tension and is made from dental acrylic material so is safe to use in the mouth and can be easily cleaned. The teeth-groove in the top and bottom of the Morrison Bone Prop allows the prop to remain between the teeth without being held. The Morrison Bone Prop also comes attached to a ribbon to minimise any risk of choking.

Morrison Bone Props are available from Voicesource in two colours:

Each Morrison Bone Prop is supplied individually packaged with an accompanying leaflet of practice exercises.

Benefits of Using a Morrison Bone Prop

Annie Morrison lists the following benefits of using a Morrison Bone Prop.

Accelerates the acquisition of articulatory agility
Slows speech rate for more effective communication
Increases space within oral cavity – enhancing resonance without resorting to unnatural suppression of larynx (as is the case when the mouth is open too wide)
Helps correct tongue carriage imbalance
Encourages forward placement
Encourages lip and tongue muscularity
Corrects habit of opening mouth too wide
Helps the actor, singer, public speaker maintain a high level of articulacy
Helps children and adolescents understand the principles of clear speech
Helps voice coaches, speech and language therapists and singing teachers correct speech faults in their students

About Annie Morrison

Annie Morrison has worked as a voice therapist and teacher for almost thirty years and studied voice in performance at The Central School of Speech and Drama. Annie has taught in London drama schools including Rose Bruford College and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

More information on Annie is available from her website: www.anniemorrison.co.uk.