You might be suprised to know that the saying "stiff upper lip" that is used to commonly refer to a particular English vocal trait, is in fact a US invention. It was an early phrase referring to a poem by a US women's rights advocate. An early #metoo reference perhaps. The Brits liked the power behind the sentiment. Emotional Resilience in face of a challenge. Try holding your top lip stiffly and you'll get the feel for the mouth position required to produce an English Upper Class accent. It's fun to do and timely...with Royal Wedding fever in the air!

Smart shoppers have taken to ordering their clothes by speaking to their Artificially Intelligent Speaker Systems. We've heard that the order can come out 3 sizes too big if you mumble your instructions! See...you even need to have a good voice to talk to a THING! ...OMG!

According to the latest discoveries by scientists, bats along with birds and dolphins have regional accents! Apparently, when bats are moved away from their mother colony and put into a new one, they listen to the sounds of other bats around them and pick up the exact same squeals. Humans often do the same (particularly if we're having fun!)...it's a way to fit in with the tribe.

We've had a busy start to the year. It seems lots of people want to sound good this year. And we are happy to help. We are running trainings in Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne in February and March and then have a full program in all capital cities during the rest of the year. Book in early via the website or phone to secure your place. We look forward to meeting you and your team.

What will this exciting year bring for you? What topics will you need to present? What will you be speaking about in business? to your family? to your friends? Hot topics this year will be cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, organics, new styles in leadership, engaging relationships and cooperative teamwork. Come and upgrade your virtual presenting skills and learn how to keep the important "human" touch and authenticity in all you do. 

Everywhere you turn you'll find yourself either talking or listening to "things'. Chatting to Siri or Cortana: commanding Alexa or Google to find things for you or turn on the lights. Bet you didn't know that they have a hard time helping you if they can't clearly hear your words. To spruce up your pronunciation...be sure to move your lips!

Researchers have found that two out of five people own up to using a fake voice to make a better impression on their caller. However most people can't keep it up for long.Women do it more than men but are often unaware they are doing it. The report also says that older people put on a "phone voice" less than younger people. So we don't just "dress to impress"...we "talk to impress" too. 

Most of us try to stifle a yawn because we think it's rude. However, I bet you didn't know that human behaviourists have discovered that a yawn is an evolutionary process indicating empathy.Before language,if people around you yawned when you did, it indicated that you were part of the same group. Try it out...it's contagious with people who like you the most! And, by the way, it's a great way to release tension from your jaw. Great for speaking!

Did you know that we change our voice when we talk to people who we think are higher status than us? Well, we do, and it's often not obvious to us. Recent research has pointed out that women tend to raise the pitch of their voice and men tend to speak more softly.People who consider themselves to be high status however, tend to talk in a measured way. Come and learn how to talk like the VIP you are...and make a great impression...naturally.

We have just heard great news from the lovely Natalie Ayash of Dooze Promotions. Another successful woman wins big time .Congratulations.

"It was a proud moment once I had completed this presentation. Filled with nostalgia to see 10 years of work at once." 

Protecting Australia requires some pretty impressive communication skills. We are right in the thick of it at TVB, training individual defence personnel on getting the message out there with clarity and precision.

This actor is definitly going to make it! We have never met someone so dedicated and hardworking as Dane Brady. He came to perfect his Voice and Speaking Skills and did a great job of it too. This guy has so much talent it's ridiculous. Hollywood...look out...another Aussi is on the way to the big time.

Apparently thousands of German school children have failed their final English exam because they couldn't understand dear Prince Harry's royal mumble in their audio comprehension test. Guess we should pass on a few of our handy hints to him! He's not alone in being a mumbler. Fortunately it is a fixable trait. Hope the students have better luck next time :)

When every object you see talks to you and at you life gets loud. Voice artists provide the soundtrack to your life. Or they used to. Now their profession is being severely challenged by technology. It's possible to sample and synthesize voices more realistically these days. Better watch out...your voice might be copied and used for the next interactive refrigerator. Not cool.

The most important skills recruiters and employers look for in a candidate were determined by a large survey of employers to be...number 1... “oral communication” number 4...“presentation skills”. Another survey of employees found that a disproportionate number would prefer to let someone else give a presentation, even if it meant losing them respect and opportunities at work. How does having to present affect you? To check out the full article from the BBC for more insights, go to our facebook page.

We help many students and film stars from overseas get their accent right. We were thrilled with the work Dev Patel has done with his Aussi accent. Check out his performance in "Lion"...released later this month. This is what you can achieve if you put in the hard work and get good guidance.