Don't Get Tongue-Tied: Stretch!

Frank Verderosa
Apr 13
2 min read

Updated: May 4

cartoon of a voice actor pulling their tongue in the studio.

Some of you may know this trick- but I saw it in action recently during a session courtesy of a director, and just HAD to share it- since it was new to me! If you’ve ever stepped into a booth and felt like your tongue was made of lead, you aren’t alone. Even the most seasoned pros have days where the copy feels "mushy" or the diction just isn't "popping."

While there are plenty of traditional warm-ups involving lip trills and tongue twisters, there is one slightly strange—and very effective—technique that involves a common household item: the paper towel.

What is the "Tongue-Pull" Exercise?

It’s exactly what it sounds like. You take a clean paper towel, gently grab your tongue, pull it forward, and attempt to speak. It looks ridiculous, it sounds even worse, but the results are undeniable.

Why It Works: The Science of the Stretch

The tongue is a powerful muscle—or rather, a complex group of eight muscles. Much of the tension that ruins a "clean" take lives at the very back of the tongue (the root). When this area is tight, it constricts the throat and limits your resonance.

By physically pulling the tongue forward, you are:

Releasing the Root: You’re forcing the extrinsic muscles to stretch and relax, opening up the oropharynx (the space at the back of your throat).
Isolating Articulators: With your tongue "out of the way," your lips and teeth have to work overtime to shape sounds.
Creating "Muscle Memory": When you release the tongue, your brain retains that hyper-active engagement of the lips and teeth, making normal speech feel effortless.

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Step-by-Step: How to Do It

Grab Your Gear: Use a clean, dry paper towel. This provides the necessary grip (since, well, tongues are slippery) and keeps things hygienic.
The Gentle Pull: Wrap the towel around the tip of your tongue and pull it forward. You want to feel a firm stretch at the base, but it should never be painful.
The "Messy" Rehearsal: While holding your tongue out, read your most difficult line of copy. You will sound like you’ve had one too many at happy hour—embrace it. Focus on over-enunciating every single consonant.
The Release: Let go, take a breath, and immediately read the line again normally.

The Result: Vocal "Pop"

The sensation after a tongue-pull is often described as "light" or "roomy." You’ll likely find that your diction is sharper and your tone has more natural resonance because you’ve literally cleared the path for the sound to travel.

It’s essentially weight-training for your mouth. Once you remove the resistance, the words move faster, cleaner, and with much more "pop."

Pro-Tip: Maybe save this one for the home studio or a private warm-up room—it’s a game-changer for your audio, but it’s definitely not a spectator sport!

Frank Verderosa is an award-winning audio engineer and voiceover casting director with decades of industry experience. As the owner of POV Audio, he casts, sound-designs, and mixes television, radio, and promo campaigns for leading ad agencies and networks. Outside the studio, Frank supports the voice actor community through coaching, consulting, and demo production for talent at every level. To connect or learn more, visit www.frankverderosa.com and use the chat tab or explore the Voice Actor Services section.