Improving your speaking voice

[James Boston]

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James,

I think El D is referring to receiving training for appearing in interviews, TV and radio segments, and handling press conferences. It's like public speaking training specific to media outlets.

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Gotcha. But, what does this entail?

[Tupacia]

James,

As El Diablo mentioned, it usually involves videotaping the client as they go through mock interviews, mock press conferences, and other times when they may be asked to speak to the media.

After the taping, you go through the videotape with the client and critique their delivery, the way they structure their answers, their posture, and other things of that nature. After the second or third taping, the difference is always dramatic.

[odellthurman]

Diablo - Why did you go through media training, who trained you, and please tell us about it? I would be interested in hearing about that experience.

[James Boston]

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their posture, and other things of that nature.

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Hmmm. This is interesting. I was on the radio for a long time. Speaking was never something that bothered me. However, every time I saw myself on TV, I thought I looked stupid.

[sebbb]

when I have to present something in public part of me freezes and I tend to go in a monotone, monocord boring voice mode. Does that happen to anyone? How could I change that?

[Tupacia]

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their posture, and other things of that nature.

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Hmmm. This is interesting. I was on the radio for a long time. Speaking was never something that bothered me. However, every time I saw myself on TV, I thought I looked stupid.

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Without knowing what exactly about your TV appearance made you think you looked stupid, here are a couple of possible explanations I see frequently with my clients:

1. Poor body image: If you consider yourself fat or unattractive or have other body image considerations, then you may think you looked stupid because you are uncomfortable with the way you look.

2. Not enough motion in the frame (TV viewing window): If you aren't moving your hands and body in the appropriate way, you will appear stiff and robotic. A person that isn't moving at all presents a very uncomfortable vision for the viewer.

3. Too much motion in the frame: Conversely, if you are moving too much during your interview or appearance (dependent mostly on the zoom the cameramen are using) then you can also look stupid. A slight rocking back and forth that may be barely noticeable in a regular conversation is magnified in the high-zoom TV formats used for most interviews (think Hardball or O'Reilly Factor for instance).

4. Matching your gestures with your words: Many people have problems matching appropriate hand gestures and body movements to their spoken words for maximum impact. Great speakers know exactly what gesture or movement coincides with their message.

Hope that was helpful.

[Tupacia]

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when I have to present something in public part of me freezes and I tend to go in a monotone, monocord boring voice mode. Does that happen to anyone? How could I change that?

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You are afraid of public speaking. Your monotone voice is a symptom of that fear, so thus attempting to treat your voice in isolation will be ineffective.

How to overcome your fear? You have a couple of different options:

1. Hire a personal speaking coach. While the most expensive option, it is also the most effective as a good speaking coach can address your personal strengths and weaknesses and boost your confidence.

2. Buy/use resources. There are many resources dedicated to improving your speaking (shameless plug: my website www.SuccessfulCommunication.com being one of them) on the Internet. However, as someone in the industry, there is a ton of misinformation being passed off as "expert knowledge." Caveat emptor.

3. Do it yourself: The most effective method for improving your speaking skills by yourself is to videotape yourself giving speeches, watch those videotapes, critique your performance, and do the whole process again and again. While not easy, you will get used to the thought of seeing yourself speaking which will actually eliminate much of the fear of speaking.

[john voight]

Anecdote:

I suck at public speaking. Often times in highschool and college, I would get nervous as hell, (in college I would even shake). I found that it was because I was not prepared. I mean I would go up, knowing there was no way in hell I should be giving a speech, and then talk.

Quit funny in retrospect.

Anyway, last semester, I had to give a speech. Luckily, I got to choose what I would blab about, and i chose "Making Music on your Computer". I basically showed to a hall of 100 kids (by far the biggest crowed I ever talked to) how to make music. And I was not nervous at all; I was talking loud, and not conscious about myself; only focusing on the presentation.

Now, I did take about 7 or 8mg of hydrocodone (chewed it up mind you) as well as some valarian root to chill myself out, but honestly I doubt it did much; I was thinking clear, focused, and doing well.

I attribute it to knowing, very well, what you are talking about. Now, that is not the only factor. I recently did some poker videos of me playing NL30 deep on FT. And in relistening, I found that I sound like I am high on heroin:

Quite/timid voice
Lazy sounding/talking slow
In general it sounds like I am uninterested/not confidant

Now, in reality I smash these games like like windows during the L.A riots. Its just my voice/style. It always seems liek I am sad or bored, b/c my voice is monotone, and slow. Speaking in a huge hall, I had to cognitively compensate, however when I am not in those circumstances, I do not compensate, and thus my voice is very mellow.

So I guess what I am saying is; it is a multi edge sword, and I too am fighting this battle. (actually not really, but maybe I'll start working on my PS skills)

[teddyFBI]

If u want to pick up a book, i understand that Roger Love's books (esp Set Your Voice Free) are more or less the standard-bearers. Love is basically the go-to guy in Hollywood whenever actors need voice coaching. He coached Joaquin Phoenix to emulate Johnny Cash for Walk The Line.

[gusmahler]

I did a CLE that involved public speaking where they taped my performance before and after the speaking coach was through. It was a while ago, so I don't remember everything, but I do remember some points.

* TALK LOUD. I have a naturally quiet speaking voice. So I basically felt like I was yelling by the time the coach said my voice was loud enough. This is obviously not applicable if you're speaking into a mic.

* Vary your speaking pattern. Don't say everything in the same tone. Speak slowly and emphasize some points. Speak faster at other points. Don't be a monotone.

* Scan the room. Maintain eye contact with the audience. But make sure it's not just one person. So you divide the room into thirds and face each third of the room for a few seconds before you move to the other thirds. (My big problem is that, when I have to think about something (e.g., answering a question, I look up to the ceiling before I answer). It's a tendency I've had for years in 1-on-1 conversations. It's distracting.

* Posture. Stand up straight. Notice your arms. Don't just let them lay by your side, you need some movement, but not too much.