Educational Tips on Voice Diction

TAKE this VOICE AWARENESS QUIZ:

Look at the questions below… and answer them honestly.

Whether the answer is yes or no, the questions should get you on
the road to self-improvement.

Could you work or support your family if you lost your voice? ___________
Do you warm your voice up before you get to work? _____
Are you a habitual ‘throat-clearer’?______________
Are you an expert and know all you can about your voice? _____________
Is your diction crystal clear, yet natural-sounding? _____________
Do you need a healthy sounding voice every day?______________
Do you have any tendency to mumble, slur or mispronounce words?_____________
Do people often ask you to repeat yourself? ______________________
Do you take quick, shallow, frequent breaths when you talk?____________
Do you force air through your voice in an effort to talk louder?_________________
Do others find your foreign accent difficult to understand?_____________
Do you tend to speak monotone or sound ‘boring’? _____________________
Do you speak too quietly?_______________
Do you speak too loudly?_____________________
Do you have a lot of phlegm and mucous build-up around your voice when you talk?_______
Do you ever speak too quickly? _____________
Does your voice sound too nasal or have a ‘shrill’ quality?___________________
Have you every lost your voice from speaking too much?_________________________
Do you use frequent ‘crutch’ words including “um”… “like”…or ”ya know”…? _____________
Is there anything you want to improve about your voice or how you talk? _______________
Do you have superior listening skills when it comes to communicating?_______________
Are you constantly interrupting people when they talk? _________________
Does public speaking terrify you?_______
If yes, has this fear been an obstacle to your career success?_____

Don’t take your main instrument of communication for granted or ignore one of your greatest assets: your voice.

Think like a leader and take action to become the best communicator you can be.
Work with a professional voice specialist.

FIVE VOICE MAINTENANCE TIPS

No matter what you do for a living, the health of your voice is more important than you realize. Don’t take it for granted.

Some careers depend on voice use. For instance, it’s likely that a sports coach, teacher or drill sergeant will have more physical demands placed on their voices than a pediatrician or an accountant. You, more than anyone, are aware of the level of vocal strength you need to meet, build and maintain for a flourishing career, which may hinge on the efficacy of your communication skills: voice quality and diction.

Vocal ‘hygiene’ is a relatively new field and it’s getting a lot of attention because improvement is often experienced immediately.

Here are some valuable maintenance tips to keep your voice healthy before there’s a problem such as laryngitis or hoarseness:

1. Drink plenty of water
2. Work with a professional vocal coach
3. Start every day with a quiet vocal warm-up and deep breathing
4. Reducing overall body tension will reduce tension in your voice
5. Entertainer’s Secret Throat Relief Spray www.entertainer’s-secret.com

Three Tips to Improve Your Speaking Voice

1…REDUCE VOCAL TENSION:

Tension tends to strangle the voice. The majority of people speak “higher” and/or “tighter” than they should which is usually a clear indicator of tension... inevitably leading to vocal fatigue and a host of other problems. For those of you who are prone to this, try speaking more in your lower register to stretch that area of your voice out. After a few weeks of consciously making that effort, try to gradually incorporate a more “sing-song” lilt to your everyday speaking. I promise it won’t sound strange to listeners. Almost guaranteed that there will be positive feedback and people will respond more enthusiastically! It’s like a regular voice work-out.

There are a host of issues around improving your voice, depending on how you want to modify it. Start by getting clear on what it is you want to do with your instrument. Everyone uses their voice in a different way. There are improvement regimens and remedies for each kind of voice.

Never think in terms of “good” or “bad”. We’re all different, with unique strengths and challenges innate to our own physiology, and our vocal tone is a subjective thing. Our goal is to maximize your personal impact and improve upon the positives you already have.

Remember, we’re all different, with unique challenges innate to our physiology, and our vocal tone is a truly subjective thing.

2…DON’T SPEAK ‘MONOTONE’:

For those of you who tend to speak ‘monotone’ and think your voice could sound more enthusiastic, some of this really does link to your personality, or the image of yourself you’re choosing to send out to the world. Try to use more variation of notes in your daily sentences as you speak. Tip: Use a mental concept of speaking in more of a ‘sing-song’ fashion. I promise it won’t sound odd to others; it may be just slightly out of your comfort zone. You’ll be surprised that this one simple modification has other ripple, or ancillary benefits:

• your face becomes more animated
• your mind will further engage along with your face
• others will listen more intently to you
• others will become more inspired with your subject matter

You’ll only know if you try – and you can measure whether or not there was a positive effect. For the 2 above suggestions, this doesn’t mean that you need to speak louder. Volume is subjective. When you increase your vocal range, it shouldn’t mean you need to increase the volume of your speaking habits.

3…DON’T ABUSE YOUR VOICE:

Treating your voice respectfully involves a big dose of common sense. One of the more common things people do to abuse their voice is yelling. Most people don’t do a vocal warm-up before an exciting musical concert, sporting event or political rally. Nor do they prepare their voices for a trip to a local dance club, noisy bar, wedding or exciting event where you have to bellow over the noise to have a normal conversation. What to do? There are a few things. Say as little as possible. Perhaps step out side or into the hall to talk. Get closer to someone’s ear when you’re talking, but DO NOT yell in their ear. (*see important safety note below).

Sometimes personal situations can be challenging and there may be yelling or screaming at home. It’s never an easy situation, but please avoid straining your voice, especially in anger. Besides the obvious wear and tear, you also develop a negative anchor or direct association to loud voice use subconsciously linked to anger or fear. Do lots of reading on anger management or get professional help. Please make use of the local library and the internet which are valuable sources for knowledge and information.

Important Safety Note on Hearing: A general rule of thumb is: The closer you are speaking to someone’s ear, the quieter you should get. This includes never making loud noises in the ears of animals, seniors or children. Loud “kisses” in the ear are also very dangerous, even though it’s meant as a sign of affection. You could easily cause permanent damage.

English can be strange!

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a tlotl mses and you can sitll raed it wiuthot porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe, and the biran fguiers it out aynawy. WOW! Thuohgt you wulod lkie tihs one.

… ..Anonymous e-mail

A NOTE ON CONFIDENCE !

PROBLEM: Frankly, I am tired of the misinformation out there about confidence and speaking. Public speaking books, websites and corporate trainers tout clever ways to “disguise” and “hide” your nerves. One popular public speaking guru went as far as recommending that if your hand is shaking, hold a glass to help steady it and conceal the shaking! Your hand shouldn’t be shaking in the first place. That’s a band-aid technique which doesn’t solve the real problem. It is temporary until the next presentation … and may even reinforce in your mind that being nervous before an audience is normal.

SOLUTION: Confidence is a state of mind, which should be a lifestyle. Nervousness is rooted in fear, and the logic to that is: anything fear-based doesn’t spell success but remains an obstacle. Kathy gets to the source of your lack of confidence so you can get down to the business of succeeding and reaching your goals, whatever they may be.

A NOTE ON ENTHUSIASM !

Think back to your school days. We have ALL had that teacher who hated their job and taught classes which were dreadfully uninspiring for us students. I don’t know about you, but those of my teachers who had no passion were, sadly enough, the epitome of boredom and apathy. Usually speaking monotone, their appalling absence of inspiration was clearly revealed by the lack of inflection in their voices. They would also sigh a lot, as if to say “I could care less about this. Let me outta here!” Their droning voices could almost command an unplanned nap. They didn’t take pride in their job. They didn’t care about their students. We felt unimportant and inwardly disrespected. We didn’t learn anything. It was all bad news because those deadbeat teachers wasted both their precious time and ours….so we didn’t care much in return. What a disservice it is to one’s education. Teachers have a responsibility.

On the other hand, do you remember that awesome teacher who made every day worth going to school for? Back in the ‘70’s I had a most wonderful high school teacher. God Bless Mr. Cameron. He made me a virtual expert on economics. He was a young upstart, fresh out of teacher’s college with a big belly, a big beard, big glasses, a big laugh, barked big words with an electric, passionate attitude. By the end of the term, I miraculously understood world and local economics. I couldn’t wait to get to his class every day and learn about the GDP, population control, urban renewal, supply and demand. His enthusiasm meant that he cared. I had always suffered in math classes but Mr. Cameron proved that I could learn anything. I’ll never forget him. He was a true professional and loved his work. In fact, part of my life’s inspiration came directly from him. (If you’re out there, Mr. Cameron from York Memo: thank you!)

It’s HOW You Say It

WHEN WE TALK FACE-TO-FACE:
8% of your communication is received through your words alone
37% of your communication is received through the sound of your voice (not content)
55% of your communication is received by the body language you send.

WHEN WE TALK ON THE PHONE:
8% of your communication is received through your words alone
92% of your communication is received by the sound of your voice (not content)*

You and your company need every competitive edge possible in today’s fast-paced business arena. A timid or poorly developed voice may unfairly hinder how others perceive you.

FACT: Sloppy speech will not build trust with clients or co-workers. The majority of people mutter or slur, ignore consonants, corrupt vowels and lazily group words together. We still understand what they’re saying because of the context. You only need to hear a few key words and then you ‘fill in the blanks’.
A great voice & good diction makes your professional image sparkle.
Voices can be instantly identifiable, distinguishing you as unique and easy-to-remember.


Do people always listen when you talk?

Your voice may be – and often is - the first impression your client has of you. These first few seconds will be major factor in the success of business presentations. Unfortunately, a new listener makes snap judgments about many things about you very quickly: your upbringing, your income, your I.Q., your mood, and much more. Be sensitive to how others react to what you say. You may be overloading them with information, which might cause them to “back off”. Do people tend to gravitate away from you at social gatherings due to lack of conversation? Do people look away when you’re saying something directly to them? They could be looking for a reason to end the conversation. If you find others asking you to repeat yourself, then that clearly means they have a problem understanding your words.

If people don’t listen when you talk, there is a reason.
Rest assured that something can be done about it.

Politicians as Public Speakers

“ A unique voice can be a valuable trademark for a politician.”

Whether to the left or to the right, a politician’s success largely depends on their public speaking skills. Very much included in that, is their “like-ability” factor. In fact: it’s the words they choose to say, how those words sound, the order in which they are said, the inflection of the words, and the candidate’s gestures that will get them elected…or not. Studies show that people begin to form opinions about a public speaker within about 4 seconds after they begin talking.

When a politician speaks, we are usually looking at the candidate as we hear them speak, which means that a large part of our opinion of them is also impacted by their visual appearance. Even a hairstyle can have a positive or negative affect. One thing is for sure: It’s rare that people don’t have an opinion about a political candidate. Content and policy can often be ‘spun’, and it’s possible to deliver factual information in a deceiving manner…which has made the public skeptical when it comes to their personal politics and leadership preferences. Today’s partisan politicians are burdened by political deeds of the past, and each political race demands more and more effort on the part of the candidates to overcome past obstacles. Having a high TRUST factor is paramount for every politician, and how he or she talks (i.e., what they say, and how they say it) will largely affect our decisions at the voting booths.

When it comes to getting elected and fulfilling their leadership roles, the bottom line is: Politicians need to have the ability to influence. That’s what political speaking is all about! Getting as many people as possible on your side. A politician will likely spend every day of their career trying to gain and keep - trust and support, and pleasing superiors, peers and the public. There are often cameras. Every time a politician speaks, they know it’s an important opportunity to gain allies and momentum, whether it’s a parliamentary debate or sharing information to a small group of office staff.

Human nature is quirky. If only one thing goes wrong out of 100 things, we are likely to focus on that one ‘problem’ thing - as opposed to the other ninety-nine great, ‘non-problem’ things. In this regard, word-of-mouth can be a politician’s friend or foe, keeping in mind that we tend to be greatly based in negativity. People are far more likely to criticize than to glorify, because we immediately look for what’s wrong, rather than what’s right. As a leader on either a federal, provincial or municipal level, a politician needs to be everything to everybody. Along with the ability and knowledge to carry out their political job description, the successful candidate must possess:

• the gift of gab and people skills,
• trustworthy persona,
• a friendly look with an every-person image,
• a high like-ability factor

A politician can have all of these things, but without excellent impromptu, or improvisational speaking abilities with a masterful use of language, the rest will be negated. He or she needs the ability to debate. To be quick on their feet with their mouths, if you will!

“A unique voice can be a valuable trademark for a politician.”

Let’s look at the public speaking skills of one of the finest politicians the world has known: Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton is a world class public speaker and master story-teller. Clinton simply always looks and seems ‘friendly’ and this works to his advantage. Unlike a politician like Ralph Nader, Clinton knows how to smile. He conveys a ‘real person’ image who understands that human beings are emotional at their cores; not automatons. We know he has teeth! Interestingly, showing your teeth as you speak helps the sound echo and resonate out of the mouth because tooth enamel is hard, and non-porous so sound won’t be absorbed.

Clinton has immediate disposal to his power with passion and ease, and he is never tentative. You have never really seen him ‘flustered’. He has a phenomenal ‘trust-factor’. We never question that he is the expert, he is the leader, and entirely in charge. Every word he speaks rests in ‘suredness’, and his southern drawl even endears us as he pronounces the word “can’t” like “caayn’t”, “lines” becomes “laaans”, and “whine” becomes “whaaan”.

One of his greatest assets is his wit, which can be scathing to an opponent. He smirks as he points out their absurdities. Psychologically speaking, to laugh at someone is one of the most undermining things one could do.

We saw Clinton’s speaking talent before he was elected president. During a presidential debate with George Bush Sr., Clinton literally captivated the audience when he stepped out from behind his lectern and stood right in front of the audience speaking directly to them, as if he were one of them. People still remember that as a stand-out.

Democratic National Committee Unity Dinner Speech 2004

At the Democratic National Committee Unity Dinner, Bill Cinton gave a speech defending the position of presidential incumbent Senator John Kerry on March 25, 2004.

Photo taken by: JASON REED / REUTERS Photo used by permission.

Here’s a brief critique on his public speaking style:

DICTION:
His diction is in tact and you understand every word he says despite his southern accent and the unique ‘gravelly’ quality to his voice. He is articulate, using proper syntax for the most part; clearly well-read.

VOICE QUALITY:
Every human voice in the world is unique and personal unto itself, like a fingerprint. Bill Clinton’s voice is also quickly identifiable, insomuch as it has a raspy, yet high (tenor-ish range) quality to it which, combined with his southern drawl, makes it almost unmistakable. When you hear Clinton speak, whether you see him or not, there is no mistaking his voice for someone else’s.

Technically, a “rough, crackling”- sounding voice would commonly indicate that a person has ‘weak’ vocal cords. Yet there is nothing weak about Clinton as a person; he’s as tough as nails. Through all this toughness and intellect, he is downright likeable and the kind of ‘nice guy’ everyone would like to sit and chat with over lunch! The raspy quality of Clinton’s voice indicates that his vocal folds may be abused and are not articulating at their most optimum (vocal membranes not making clean closure).

The weak voice/strong persona dichotomy that Clinton purveys is interesting. While his warm, casual voice is endearing and his allies love him… his enemies are subliminally “fooled” by him on a deeper level. If you listen to him, he simply doesn’t sound like he acts. If you read Sun-Tzu’s “The Art of War”, you know that deception is the key to winning any battle. His strong, likeable-ness comes through for him in spades when it comes down to brass tacks and this, and was no doubt his strength in tough negotiations. His access to every emotion he deemed necessary, as well as diplomacy and a “schmooze-factor” which was ‘through the roof’.

It’s how Clinton uses his voice, which emotes power. It doesn’t matter to the public that his voice is higher, with his larynx slung high in his throat. As a vocal coach, I’m almost certain that he is prone to hoarseness when he does a lot of public speaking at once, because there is a lot of misplaced muscle tension. But that’s another story.

VOLUME:
His vocal dynamics cover a wide range, from almost a whisper to a yell.

TALKING SPEED:
His talking cadence ranges from very quickly passionate and excitable, to slow delivery for impact of more forlorn or melancholy statements. He is a master of the dramatic pause, used for poignant statements that need to sink in.

PITCH & RANGE:
Clinton makes use of his whole vocal range effectively. He speaks with a wide, flourishing range sprinkled with emotional expression. If we were to assign pitches to his words, we can appreciate how high and low his voice is able to sweep for impact. (If I didn’t know better, I’d suspect he’s taken acting classes and worked with a speech and voice coach.)


He talks like a real person. Here are some specific examples:

GESTURES:
His gestures were sweeping. He flicks and points his finger like a sword to punctuate statements, and does his classic Clinton thumb-press into the air. Applause and cheers erupted approximately once every minute. When he angrily bellowed, “In 2000, don’t you ever for get this – at the convention……Over and over and over again…” Clinton pounded desk each time he said ‘over’. It was like a performance unto itself. He also occasionally splays his fingers, palms out and down, as if doing a blessing as he speaks.

APPEARANCE:
Clinton wore a robin’s-egg-blue coloured tie, with a white shirt and black jacket. His hair was perfectly coiffed.

CONTENT:
Every point he made was justified with fact and only necessary details. He could sell a jury any verdict a court needed. He closed on every argument.

FACIAL EXPRESSION:
*Shakes his head “NO” when he really means it.
*Eyes wide, forehead wrinkled with expression, enabling his teeth for resonance.

SPECIFIC PHRASES SPOKEN by CLINTON:
“ How dare they do that…”
………..His anger was apparent; audience was riveted.
“ They runnin’ this big ad…”.
……….He speaks with casual, down-home phrases that are natural to him.
“ They gonna do their darndest to turn a good man into a cartoon.”
……….Southern colloquialism; glib. What other presidential figure has ever uttered the word “cartoon” in a speech?
“ Ever a doubt the vote would pass? (pause) No.”
………He asked a question (incomplete) and he answered it.

CONTENT:
Besides a well-crafted, colourful speech in support of Kerry, Clinton’s content was poignant with nothing extraneous. Many politicians are famous for loving to hear themselves talk, giving ten-minute answers to simple questions which could be answered in seconds (sorry to be so blunt, but I believe it’s true). But Clinton never spoke in circles; all long-winded political rhetoric was omitted. He cut to the chase. There were surprises. Nothing extraneous. It was all about Kerry, not himself. All business. All passion.