Marlon Brando had us in 1972 and has us even now when he said in The Godfather, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Have you ever wondered what actually makes famous dialogues in history so famous? The voice, the delivery, the way they make normal words worth mentioning over and over? Can anyonedo this? You may say no. We say, why not? Let’s talk about voice modulation and control with which you can make your speech a success.

  • Lower your pitch. Yes! Get rid of the myth that if you are speaking on the microphone, you need to scream. The purpose of the mic is to make your voice louder, so maintain an even tone.
  • Have you noticed that certain sounds such as ‘s’ and ‘p’ if not pronounced well become really shrill or explosive on microphones? Keep the mic a little away from your mouth while speaking to avoid this.
  • Slow down but don’t be a tortoise. Always keep in mind to let your words flow, not overflow. Don’t speak like you are thinking. Stop to breathe. When you speak without catching your breath, your words are going to sound incoherent. Clarity of voice paired with the right pace is the way to go.

Why is emotive speaking so important anyway?

  • Go back again to Marlon Brando’s dialogue. Notice how pithy it is? Pitch and timbre are vital to deliver a powerful message. Pitch can alter or change the entire meaning of a sentence and timbre is the emotion you add into your voice.
  • Don’t forget the context. Depending on the scenario and what you are speaking about, you have to use rhythm to enhance an idea, pause or show transition.
  • Brush up on speaking tools such as inversion of words, repetition etc, that instantly add emotion.
  • Sincerity can be noticed through your voice. The way it is with writing it is so with speaking too. Your audience is judging your attitude the moment you begin speaking. Your credibility is channelized through your voice which will in turn affect the outcome of your deliverance.

A good speaker forgets himself/herself and shows total involvement in the talk, creates tension that builds up in the room by the minute.

A good speaker keeps the audience at the edge of their seats, anticipating more.

A good speaker is confident and has a voice that rises and falls at all the right times effectively capturing every listener’s ear in rapt attention.

See what we did there?!

Is it going to be Morgan Freeman’s style of speaking where he speaks with the ease of a man who has achieved all there is to life, Amitabh Bacchan’s booming and commanding voice or George Clooney’s attractive style of saying surprisingly so much through unfinished sentences? Instead why not set your own trend today? Keep practicing and soon you’ll be making even sounds such as meh and uhmm sound breathtaking!