Now we have reached the Consonant "F"

As you would expect this consonantal sound is 'fiery' in nature and is best achieved by blowing the air in our lungs and mouth "through" our front upper teeth - arching downwards slightly the sides of our upper jaw.

It is an exciting, engaging, ear catching sound which draws attention to itself.

Try it in the word it can so easily represent - FIRE - and experience how the sound F literally propels the "IRE" along in it's wake.

This sound is an "air sound" which enables it to continue on in length for as long as you want it to - providing you have the breath!

It is unlike an "impact sound", for example 'd' as presented in the last Post, which comes to a definite stop once the tongue parts from the upper set of teeth.

There are two stages to making this sound. The first is to blow air from our mouth in the way I describe at the beginning of this Post. The second is simply to open our mouth and "release" the f sound.

Below is a sound recording where I do this.

In the recording you will hear and experience my conscious lengthening of the f sound to present it's full attractive potential.

Find words with f in them, not only just at the beginning like Fire, Family, Focus but also where this consonant is placed elsewhere in the word. Experience the truly remarkable affect it can have on a word.

Examples where f is contained within the body of a word are - offer, effort, leaf.

A bodily movement from Eurythmy, a form of invisible speech, for the consonant f is outstretching our arms and hands, particularly the latter, like water waves extending into the distance. Make this movement when creating this voice sound and experience how the two live together in natural harmony.

An example of an exercise I use and speak in the recording is:

                              Ha, forceful rush,

                              this showers as chaff,

                              from thresher's flail.

This is an exercise for all "air" sounds. Make your own up placing f in different positions in words.

Again as before, the construction of these phrases, by Dr Rudolf Steiner, is solely for exercising air consonants. The construction of the words themselves have no particular meaning.

Have fun with this consonant and note the reaction of those with who you are speaking when you consciously use this consonant.

Do not blow them away!

As I was seeking to show in the last Post through the first instalment of reading Goethe's prose-poem The Green Snake and The Beautiful Lily - enjoyable, good, effective speaking is about moulding and radiating what you are imagining. If this is done well there is no need to "be noisy"!

Best of luck and let me know how you get on.