Using your voice
Good voice production – why bother?
How
you say what you say
is as important as
what
you say
How can listeners understand what you are saying if
- you are too soft to be heard
you mumble
you speak so fast that your words blur into one another
Here are some issues to work on, with suggestions:
Speak clearly
Speak slowly rather than quickly. Project your voice to the back of the group you are speaking to
Articulate your words carefully – see below for advice on articulation
Use your voice for emphasis
Use pauses – a pause before a word or phrase gives it emphasis, while a pause before and after gives great emphasis. Change the volume for emphasis – either louder or softer. A louder voice for key words gives obvious emphasis, but a whisper that carries the whole space can be very dramatic.
Vary your voice
Change the timbre (pronounced tamber) of your voice. This is the way you produce your voice. Choose a word like “development” and practise different ways your voice can produce the word. Vary the pitch i.e. in a range from a high, light tone to a deep, heavy tone
Vary your speed. You should have a regular, standard speed, which very occasionally you vary by speeding up, and more often by slowing down, sometimes to a very slow measured pace
For very detailed advice, explore the material on the voice in Wikipedia