Competent Communication #6 - Vocal Variety

(See sample speech here)



Introduction

Your voice is the link between you and our listeners. It is the primary medium for conveying your message. What kind of voice do you have? Is it rich, exciting and easy to listen to? All speakers should work to develop a voice that enhances their words and attracts listeners’ attention.


Executive Summary

Your voice has a major effect on your audience. A lively, exciting voice attracts and keeps listeners’ attention. A speaking voice should be pleasant, natural, forceful, expressive and easily heard. Use volume, pitch, rate and quality as well as appropriate pauses to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message. Your voice should reflect the thoughts you are presenting. Review Your Speaking Voice which you received in your New Member Kit.


Objectives

  • Use voice volume, pitch, rate and quality to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message.

  • Use pauses to enhance your message.

  • Use vocal variety smoothly and naturally.

Time: Five to seven minutes





Your Assignment

This speech focuses on vocal variety. You are to:

  • Choose a subject that calls for vocal variety. It could be a topic that requires a display of emotion, one that enables you to quote or imitate different tones of voice or manners of speaking, or one that involves a great deal of description.

  • Use a voice that is pleasing to listen to, with proper balance of volume, pitch and rate.

  • Use pauses to enhance your message.

  • Use your voice to reflect and add meaning and interest to the thoughts you are presenting.

Be sure to incorporate what you’ve learned in previous projects about purpose, organization, word usage and body language, and use appropriate suggestions from the evaluations you received. As you prepare your speech, review the Speaker’s Checklist in Project 1 and Your Speaking Voice
(Catalog No. 199), which you received in your New Member Kit.

This information is provided as a service to members. For full details on this speech project, refer to the Competent Communication manual. All materials in the Toastmasters Educational Program are copyright Toastmasters International. All rights reserved.


The Competent Communication Manual

You may be more comfortable communicating by electronic mail or telephone than in person. Speaking to large or small groups, or even one-to-one, may intimidate or frighten you. Yet good communication skills are vital if you want to be successful. Corporate leaders say that the ability to communicate well orally is one of the most important skills their recruiters look for in job candidates. Businesses want people who express themselves clearly and confidently, and are persuasive and comfortable communicating with a wide range of people, from top executives to assembly-line workers.

(See sample speech here)