The Power of Your Voice

Early in the speaking training, when we break down the aspects of your individual expression, we focus on Voice (Vocal Variation), Face (Facial Expression), and Gesture. 

Often, executives are focused on their words, yet we know for our listeners, it’s voice first, words second. One of the first hurdles a participant needs to get over is the sound of their own voice. Usually, after the first recording is played back, more than one attendee is distracted by what they hear in their video. 

Often, we dislike the sound of our own voice because we hear it differently when speaking versus when listening to a recording. 

The science of why your voice sounds different to you:

When we speak, our brain combines sound from the air (air conduction) and the vibrations of our skull and vocal cords (bone conduction). This internal process makes our voice sound deeper and richer to us. A recording only captures the voice through air conduction, which lacks the lower frequencies that bone conduction amplifies, causing the recorded voice to sound higher-pitched and unfamiliar. 

Hearing a recording can be jarring because it reveals a difference between your self-perception and the reality of how you sound to others. This discrepancy can challenge your sense of identity. You are simply not accustomed to hearing your voice in this way, and the unfamiliar sound can be unsettling. 

Many years ago, when I did voiceovers for commercials, my voice always sounded richer because in a recording studio, they were able to amplify the bass and reduce any sound they chose. I don’t audition anymore, but before I lead workshops, in order to have access to my full voice, I need to warm up my breath. 

Breath & The Voice:

Many Indigenous cultures believed their vocal folds were in their stomachs. 

Think about the truth of this statement. We power our voice from our stomachs, so this makes a lot of sense. 

The power of the voice starts in the breath, and the deeper the breath, the stronger the voice. So, scientifically, the voice is powered from the stomach, but the sound starts in the throat. It’s the air passing over the vocal cords in the throat that creates the vibration and therefore sound. 

 In the 2-Day Intensive, we touch on the power of the voice, but sometimes a client needs more time to dive deeply into their best sound. It's not just what you say but how you say what you say that impacts the listener.

Vocal Variation:

Our listeners prefer that we vary our tone (vary vocal pitch), punching (emphasizing) certain words in our sentence, so they easily grasp the important words of our sentence. A voice with vocal variation also means using different changes in volume and pace to make our speaking more engaging and expressive. This helps to convey emotion, emphasize key points, and maintain listener interest. 

A monotone voice is speech that is delivered without variation in pitch, tone, or volume, making it sound flat, dull, and lacking in emotion. 

The way we speak is usually not the fullness of who we are, but the sum of our habit patterns. When I hear a client speak for the first time, I can tell if they are using their full sound or not. If they are not, I can help them explore their full vocal range so they have more options. Just like going to a gym and lifting weights, the voice can be strengthened, deepened, and developed.

Your voice is uniquely you. It is a tool that you can use to connect to your listeners. Enjoy your wonderful sound, and if you want help to develop it further, reach out to a professional just like you would for any other skill. 

Please take 3 minutes out of your day to listen to the incredible vocal range of Maya Rudolph. This is a comedic sketch, yet her vocal mastery is incredible. 

Or, copy/paste in your browser: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUT80JVy3v4

Jo

www.333-communications.com