Sweet Talk
Tone of voice can affect the outcome of what we say more than the meaning of the words used. How often we hear that someone was upset by the tone of voice: its loudness, whining note or harshness. Tone conveys the feelings of the speaker. These affect the listener who decides, for example, whether or not the speaker sounds uncaring, sincere or businesslike.
If we have heard a recording of our voice we are usually surprised by the tone we hear. The voice inside our head has a fullness that listeners don’t hear. A recording is a good place to start assessing our own voice. Do we hear the pleasantness we want others to hear or are there notes that are unpleasant and don’t support the message we want to send?
Do we hear that tired gravelly sound called ‘vocal fry’ often occurring at the end of sentences when the pitch drops? If this scratchy sound is there try humming and notice how the voice sounds more resonant and interesting. Tension affecting the vocal folds has been released and it is not transferred to the listener.
If you have got into the bad habit of neglecting your voice and you want more help use the services of a voice coach. The care you take with your voice is well worth time and investment.
