Voice modulation means to control your voice immediately accordance to the requirement of your speech. One of the most important things while talking or delivering a talk is confidence!
What’s in it for me?
- What is Tone Variation or Voice Modulation
- Voice Modulation in public speaking
- Importance of voice modulation
- Usage of emotions to improve voice modulation
- Tips to improve voice modulation
- Some simple exercises to practice voice modulation
- Conclusion
What is Tone Variation or Voice Modulation?
Tone simply means the quality of voice. Voice Modulation is the use of your own pitch to differentiate between different words and different grammatical meaning. It is the only distinguishing factor that exist different in different languages.
Tone variation is something that comes from within. The minute you’re thinking about varying your tone you are going to sound inauthentic.
So the great place to make sure it happens from within is being naturally connected to your own voice. When you do so your body, your voice will change naturally.
Voice modulation in public speaking
If you have structured your speech that has requirement of variety in the type of voice because of the experiences in it, your body and your voice will change automatically, if you allow it to do.
The only proper way of speaking is to allow your voice to originate from diaphragm. We have a pair of vocal chords it is from the Adam’s apple in case of men. When we breathe in, the vocal chords open so that your breath will go to your lungs and when you breathe out, they start to vibrate. So if you want to have a stronger voice, you want to have more air in your vocals.
Voice modulation means to control your voice immediately accordance to the requirement of your speech.
Whatever you are saying should be in sync with your voice. If you are happy, your voice should seem happy and if you are sad your voice should seem sad otherwise your voice will sound monotonous.
For more detailed analysis- Read more.
Importance of voice modulation
If you want to be an effective speaker or a communicator, you must master the art of voice modulation. By mastering the art of voice modulation, you can make your presentation or speech more interesting, understandable and your audience will remember you.
Anyone can learn the principles of voice modulation as any other skill. If you manage to master the fundamentals of it, it gets easy to use it too. This will enable you to speak in a better persuasive manner.
Practice speaking skill exercises. You can practice them out in mind and also by speaking (speaking is always better). Both will help you to improve and turn them into skills that can be used in your delivery.
Effective usage of this skills will make you to be more confident in your talks and that will ensure you better usage of the skills you already acquired.
This is the only skill that will help you to have an authority over the audience.
Usage of emotions to improve voice modulation
Generally, most people know the appropriate tone and voice to speak in any particular emotion. But when it comes to speaking in public 70% of them fail to use them. So it is so very important to practice and remember some of it so that our minds get hard-wired to it.
Some basic suggestions or rules in reference to it are as follows-
ANGER-
An increase in power and volume is required. It should show some urgency.
FEAR-
An decreased power and higher tone to make it sound less offended.
SADNESS-
A lower tone of voice and emotion to show some affection, sympathy and warmth.
CURIOSITY-
Slowing down of voice and increased emotion for building suspense and mystery.
STRONG-
Increased power of tone to make a strong statement.
SURPRISE-
Higher tone of voice and strong tone to make excitement felt.
Tips to improve Voice Modulation.
The most important organs that of a human body that related to the voice quality are lips, jaw, tongue and your voice box as discussed earlier. You have to exercise these 4 parts just like you exercise other parts of your body.
Some tips that can help you to take your voice modulation to an another level are as follows :-
- Make it a habit to speak from your own natural voice and not fake it.
- Never make your voice sound monotonous and boring. It can put your audience to sleep.
- Always deliver your speech with variation in pitch and tempo.
- Get rid of mother tongue influence to sound clear and confident. Whatsoever do not ever fake your accent.
- Give attention at the rate of speech that you are speaking so that your audience can understand you well.
- Speak normally at a rate of 100 to 125 words per minute. Check your speed by recording yourself and try to bring it in this range.
- Speak out loudly so that everyone in the audience can hear you.
- Pause in between your sentences to control your speed.
- Make sure to not use the same words repeatedly. Such common phrases are- like, because, I mean, understand?, basically, clear?, etc. Notice the repetition of words by recording your voice then eliminate and replace them with new words.
- Understand the difference between confusing words and apply them in the correct manner.
- Identify vocalized fillers and empty words such as er, ah, unh, umm, etc. get rid of them and replace them with words (if necessary) because usage of these fillers confuses the listeners.
- Pronounce the words properly putting stresses at the right syllables. Words that has one syllable is spoke louder than the one with more syllables. Dividing the words into parts or chunks helps the process of decoding of words which will help to spell words correctly.
Also read how to boost your confidence using Body Language.
Some simple exercises to practice Voice Modulation.
What most of the people want in their voice is a deep and strong voice. Depth of voice is a very much commonly asked question. Basically, a resonant deep voice gives an assured authority, it gives you the sound of someone that you want to listen to. It also makes easier to listen as well.
This is not only for men, it is for both men and women. Now, not all of us can afford to go to a speech therapy to improve our speech texture but what we can do is use some simple yet effective techniques-
8 general tips and tricks that can be practiced very often to get the desired results.
1. Relax your body to relax your mind-
If you can’t, force yourself to be. Only relax mind produce deep and great voice.
2. Vocal Chord exercises-
Vocal chord exercises help you to have flexible sound that can be modulated easily. Find the lowest note that you can without breaking your voice.
3. Head voice and chest voice-
Know the difference between your head voice and your chest voice, once you have identified it you want to focus on your chest voice rather than your head voice because head voice produces thinner sound than the head voice. The chest voice is the range of notes at the bottom of your voice. It is created by thick vocal chords.
4. Pausing is very important-
Make this a habit even when you speak one on one. When you pause, you are able to catch your breath. Your pauses will also make your audience lean towards you.
5. Usage of power words-
Choose powerful words when you stress on certain words so that your message is captivating.
6. Practice speed-
Practice speaking quietly and loudly both to know how it can make a difference in your speed.
7. Imitate your models-
Look and observe powerful speakers, politicians, celebrities, youtubers, etc. Make note of every little gesture they do and also listen to them carefully the way they modulate their voice.
8. Practice tongue twisters-
A tongue-twister is a phrase that is designed to be difficult to articulate properly, and can be used as a type of spoken word game. It helps you to speak clearly and get rid of mother tongue influence. Some of basic tongue twisters are-
-She sells seashells by the seashore.
-The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick.
-Black bug bit a big black bear.
But where is the big black bear that the big black bug bit?
Best tongue twisters- see more.
The use of effective voice modulation can make a huge difference between a charming speaker and a boring speaker. With enough practice you will be able to master the art of voice modulation and will be able to deliver a speech like an expert.
Conclusion
Striving for a beautiful and sharp voice is not a overnight process. It takes lifetime to have it. Humming is an effective way to warm up your voice and cool it down after using it for a long speech. By exercising your voice on a regular basis and making some minor adjustments, you may notice some drastic improvements in your voice over a period of time.
