NOW TO THE SOUNDS THEMSELVES! - Starting with the consonant "B"

So here we start the journey through the characteristics and qualities of consonants to help bring alive speech sounds that are able to be made by expressing them to their fullest extent - not in the volume of  sound - but in the nature of the consonant.

In doing this for consonantal and vowel sounds I will describe and present the actual sound, the outward gesture that supports it being made, provide an example of it's use within roles described in the last Post together with exercises to help develop making the sound.

I am concentrating upon the consonants first, rather than the vowels, because their sounds are more capable of being developed independent of our temperaments. Vowels reflect our temperaments more strongly, being described as "windows of the soul". Another way of distinguishing between the two is through the analogy of a train and it's passengers. The coaches of a train are the consonants, the passengers are the vowels.

So to the consonant 'b'.

To make the sound - keep closed for as long as possible both lips and feel their measured opening to form the 'b' sound - picturing a gesture of careful "enclosure". In consonants there is rarely a stronger need to consciously form a sound than in the case of the 'b' because of it's quiet subtle nature.

Consider a mother holding a baby and speaking "beautiful baby" - the consonants 'b' being perfectly placed to help her present, in sound, a treasured mothering instinct.

Speaking these two words you can feel strongly what a mother can bring not only to the consonant 'b' but also what that consonant can do to underpin the whole nature of the words 'beautiful' and 'baby'.

The physical gesture that supports and helps make the sound 'b' is one of bringing our forearms and hands in towards our body in an "O" shape, having first held them out in front of us, just as we would if receiving safely a new born child from another. Within the sound of 'b' there is the intention to protect.

Roles of teacher, facilitator, or nurse, using the consonant 'b' within an intended necessary 'command' for something to have to happen in a fixed way by a set time can, contrastingly, gain considerable strength from the consonantal sound 'b'. This is because of the 'inclusive' character of the sound.

Try examples: A nurse encouraging someone in their care who is finding it very difficult to eat saying "Break the bread into small pieces" - supported by hand gestures of breaking bread: A teacher requiring a class to complete a piece of work by break-time saying "By break-time I need to have all your work on my desk"- an effective command within a clear boundary of time and place - the desk.

These examples are not given to show we have to have the consonant 'b' included within words to engender feelings of inclusiveness and enclosure. They are given to show that the consonant 'b' is particularly powerful in being able to engender these feelings. Therefore, when choosing words to speak, consider the potential qualities and characteristics of the consonants in them for their sounds.

Exercise speaking 'b' by speaking a sentence with words containing this consonant concentrating upon forming the sound in the above way. I use exercises by Dr Rudolf Steiner and a line he created for developing the sound 'b' is "By beaten bowers bide brave". The words themselves are not meant to have any meaning it is the arrangement of the consonant 'b' within them that is the value.

You might be saying now - what!! - such concentration upon a single consonant, let alone a word or sentence. Is it worthwhile, does it make a difference, what is it saying about the way I hear people and myself speak? Especially having covered the ground in 2012's Posts about forming clear mental pictures - images and supporting gestures of what we say.

This Blog is offering a path towards consciously formed living speech. It is not about techniques. It is about principles and values at the root of forming speech - a watchfulness over speech.

Below is an audio recording of the character of the sound 'b' and exercises to develop it.



I appreciate hearing from those consciously working with this consonant and in the next Post I will work with the consonantal sounds of 'c', 'ch' and 'k'.