How to Develop a Perfect Speaking Voice

We have all heard at least one person in our lives whose voice is so beautiful and rich that we enjoy
listening to them speak, sometimes regardless of what they are actually saying. While developing perfect
vocal intonation and diction can be a lifelong task, a beautiful sounding voice can be obtained in a
relatively short amount of time. All you need is a little guidance and some dedicated practice. So if you
would like to develop a perfect speaking voice, start with Step 1 below.
Part1
Developing Good Speech Habits
1
Speak up. It's important to be heard when you speak, so raise your voice! If you tend to whisper, mumble
or speak with your head down, it is much easier for people to talk over you or ignore you.
o

However, this doesn't mean you should shout - rather, you should vary the loudness of your speech
depending on the situation. For example, if you're addressing a large group of people it will be necessary
to speak loudly in order to project your voice.

But speaking too loudly in normal, everyday conversation is unnecessary and can give the wrong
impression.
2
Slow down. Speaking too quickly is a bad habit and it can be difficult for people to keep up with you or
even understand what you're saying. This makes it easy for them to tune out and stop listening.
Therefore, it's important to slow down your speech by saying your words more slowly and

pausing between sentences - this helps to add emphasis to what you're saying and gives you a chance to
take a breath!
On the other hand, it's a good idea not to speak too slowly. Speaking too slowly can be

monotonous for your listeners, so they may become impatient and just tune out.
The ideal speaking rate is somewhere between 120 and 160 words per minute. However,

if you're giving a speech, it's a good idea to alter the speed at which you speak - speaking slowly can help
to emphasize a point, while speaking more quickly can give the impression of passion and enthusiasm. [1]
3
Enunciate. Speaking clearly is possibly the most important aspect of developing a good speaking voice.
You need to pay close attention to each and every word you say - pronouncing it fully and correctly.
o

Make sure to open your mouth, loosen your lips and keep your tongue and teeth in the
correct position as you speak. This may also help eliminate or disguise a lisp, if you have one. It might feel
odd at first, but if you consistently make the effort to pronounce your words correctly, it will soon come
naturally to you.[1]

4
Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing is essential for a full, rich speaking voice. The majority of
people breathe too quickly and shallowly when they speak, which results in a more unnatural, nasal tone.
Your breath should come from your diaphragm, not from your chest. To figure out if you're

breathing correctly, place your fist on your abdomen, just below your last rib - you should feel your
stomach expand and see your shoulders rise and fall as you breathe.
Practice your breathing by inhaling deeply, allowing the air to fill your belly. Breathe in for

a count of 5 seconds, then exhale for another 5. Get used to this method of breathing, then try to work it
into your everyday speech.
Remember that sitting or standing up straight, with your chin up and your shoulders back,

will help you to breathe deeper and project your voice more easily. It will also give you an air of confidence
as you speak.
Try to breathe at the end of every sentence - if you use the deep breathing method, you

should have enough air to get through the next sentence without having to pause for breath. This will also
give your listeners a chance to absorb what you're saying.

5
Vary your pitch. The pitch of your voice can have a real impact on the quality of your speech and the
impact it makes on your listeners. In general, speaking in a shaky or unsteady pitch gives the impression
of nervousness, while an even voice is more calming and persuasive. [2]
Although you shouldn't try to change the natural pitch of your voice (no Darth Vader

impressions, please), you should make an effort to control it. Don't let your nerves get the better of you
and aim to achieve a fuller, smoother pitch.
You can practice controlling your pitch by humming a tune, or simply by reading a piece

of text aloud to yourself. Keep in mind that it's not necessary to maintain a steady pitch at all times - some
words should be voiced in a higher pitch in order to add emphasis. [3]
Part2
Practicing Your Speech
1
Do some vocal exercises. Practicing vocal exercises can be a good way to develop your natural
speaking voice. Practicing while looking in the mirror is the most effective way to achieve this, as are
some of these ways:

Try to loosen your mouth and relax your vocal cords. You can do this by yawning widely,

wiggling your jaw from side to side, humming a tune, and gently massaging your throat muscles with your
fingers.
Increase your breathing capacity and volume by fully exhaling until all of the air is

completely expelled from your lungs, then take a deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds before exhaling
again.
Work on your pitch by singing the sound "ah", first at your normal pitch, then getting

progressively lower. You can also do this with each of the letters of the alphabet. [1]
Repeat tongue twisters like:

Red leather, yellow leather.

She sells seashells by the seashore.

Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

2
Practice reading aloud. In order to work on pronunciation, pace and volume, it is a good idea to practice
reading aloud.
Pick a passage from a book or magazine, or better yet, find a transcript of a

famous speech (such as one by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) and read it aloud to yourself.
Remember to stand up straight, breathe deeply and open your mouth fully when

you speak. Stand in front of a mirror if it helps.

Keep practicing until you are happy with what you hear. Then try to employ the

same techniques as part of your everyday speech.

3
Record yourself. Even though most people don't like listening to the sound of their own voices, it's a
good idea to record yourself speaking.
This can help you to pick up on any faults that you wouldn't normally pick up on,

such as mispronunciations and speed or pitch problems.

Nowadays, most phones will have a recording option that you can use to listen to

yourself. You could also use a video camera (which could be helpful to check your posture, eye contact
and mouth movement).

See a voice coach. If you're really worried about improving your speaking voice - for something like a
debate, speech or presentation - then it might be a good idea to book an appointment with a voice coach.
They can identify your individual speech issues and help you to correct them.
A voice coach is also a good idea if you have a native or very colloquial accent

that you're trying to minimize or eliminate. Getting rid of an accent is a difficult thing to do, so seeing a
professional can really help.
If seeing a voice coach seems a little extreme, then consider practising in front of

a particularly articulate friend or family member. They may be able to pick up on any issues and give you
some helpful pointers. This will also help you to feel more confident about speaking in front of others. [4]
5
Smile as you speak. People will judge you and the content of your speech more favorably if you use an
open, friendly, encouraging tone (as opposed to an aggressive, sarcastic or bored one).
A good way to make your tone more friendly and warm is to smile while you

speak. Not a crazed grin, mind you, but even a slight upturn of the corners of your mouth can make the
sound of your voice more appealing - even over the phone.
Of course, smiling isn't always appropriate, especially if you're discussing a

serious issue. But just remember that inserting emotion into your voice (whatever emotion it may be) can
do wonders.[5]
Community Q&A

How can I smile and speak without looking ridiculous?

Keep it simple and small. Soft and subtle smiles are the best choice because they look
natural even when you are nervous. You don't need to smile the whole time, especially when you're
talking about something serious.

What should I do if I am not able to speak properly?

See a voice coach. If you are unable to do that, try watching videos of people talking
online and copy how they speak. Try saying one syllable at a time. Once you've perfected that, put every
syllable together and perfect that. Do this with every word you have trouble pronouncing. Record yourself
speaking and see how it measures up against the speakers you've been copying.

How about speaking softly? Is this considered "perfect"?

Speaking softly can be ideal for some personalities, suggesting that you're a kind and
sweet person. If this is the style of voice that suits you, then yes, it's perfect too.

Is it bad to drink cold or hot water?

What do you mean by "bad"? If it's bad for health, yes. Water that is either hot or too cold

can cause injures to your throat. Warm water is fine and room temperature or normal chilled water too. It's
about your preference.

Tips
If possible, perform these exercises in a closed room without carpet so that you can hear yourself

better.

Try different singing exercises, as it is a great way to learn proper breathing and vocal technique.

Make sure you develop good posture, as it is essential to a good voice.

When your vocal cords create sound, you should feel vibration in your chest, back, neck and
head. This vibration will create resonance and give your voice a full, delicious sound. This is what you are
trying to achieve, so spend a lot of time on relaxing these areas.

Your jaw and lips are the most important parts to relax because they form your resonating
chamber, like the sound hole in a guitar. If your mouth is too closed, you must exert more effort to achieve
the same volume. Having your jaw and lips relaxed and free-moving will make your voice sound more
natural and less strained or muffled.

Don't stress if you're still not satisfied with your voice. Some of the most recognizable voices
range from high to low and everything in between.

Vocal Exercises for Better Public Speaking

Does your voice get tired from public speaking? Do you need to boost your vocal energy and endurance?
The Public Speaker has exercises to get your voice into tip-top shape.
By
Lisa B. Marshall,
The Public Speaker
October 10, 2014
Episode #268
I want to welcome you to todays exercise class. Dont worry, you dont need a yoga mat or a heart rate
monitor. Were going to work on training our voices. .
Although I have improved my vocal energy and endurance over the years, I still have a long way to go!
This is one of the most difficult areas of public speaking for me personally.

If your vocal muscles are out of shape, youll tire more easily. You wont have the energy you need to
provide an engaging experience for your listeners. Today I'm going to share some exercises that will help
you get your voice in public speaking shape.
Oh, and you may want to try these is a place where no one can hear you. You'll sound a bit silly.
Basic Vocal Warm-Ups
You wouldnt run a long distance race without warming up your muscles first, right? In the same way, you
should warm up your vocal muscles before speaking in public. Here are 4 quick exercises you can do to
warm up:
1.

Hum your favorite tune. I use a silly one like "If You're Happy and Your Know It"

2.

Run through some scales (do re mi fa so la ti do).

3.

Pretend like youre chewing gum or eating a soft cookie using your upper and lower muscles.
Chew slowly and gently to loosen your jaw.

4.

Swish your tongue around your mouth. Tension sometimes mounts in the back of your tongue
and this exercise will loosen and relax it.

Breathing exercises
Proper breathing is an important part of vocal training. You need to fill your lungs all the way to your
abdomen with air. Practice these 4 steps in order:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Stand up, shoulders back, and hands on your stomach. Let your stomach muscles relax.
Breathe in through your nose and fill up your abdomen first (you should feel and see it expand),
then your ribs, and all the way up to your chin.
Hold this breath and count to 10.
Now exhale slowly. As you exhale, keep your ribs expanded and tighten your abdomen. The lower
abdominal muscles should come in first as though you were rolling up a tube of toothpaste.

While you are breathing, check your shoulders and stomach. Your shoulders should not be going up and
your stomach should be going out.
Voice Relaxation Exercises
If your voice is tense, it will sound harsh to your audience. It might even sound like youre squeezing the
words out. A relaxed voice sounds more confident and controlled. Here's how to relax your voice:
1.

Stand up and place your hand lightly on your throat muscles and speak in a normal tone. Note the
tenseness of the throat muscles and the tightness of your jaw.

2.

Yawn. Open your mouth wide. Finish the yawn with a hummmm, prolonging the mmm for
several seconds. Drop your jaw as far as you can without stress.

3.

Waggle the jaw from side to side and continue humming with the lips closed and jaw loose.

4.

Repeat the yawning and humming.

Notice your throat muscles have loosened and become relaxed.

Volume Exercises
Here are 4 exercises to help you increase your volume without straining your vocal cords:
1.

Breathe deeply and exhale with a hisssssssing sound. Repeat 10 times.

2.

Vary the loudness of your voice using the sound Mmm-mmm. Start with a soft sound, then
middle, then loud. Repeat, starting with the loud sound until the soft. Repeat again soft - loud - soft loud - soft - loud. Do this for several seconds.

3.

Repeat exercise 2 using a vowel (for example, ah): soft - middle - loud; loud - middle - soft; soft
- loud - soft; loud - soft - loud. Do this for several seconds

4.

Repeat the exercise using a number of your choice.

If you want to keep your voice in good shape for public speaking, repeat these
exercises daily. I prefer to do them in my closet so no one can hear, but I've done
them at my desk too. You may even consider doing them in your bathroom in
front of the mirror (to be sure youre not breathing with the shoulders). You can
also try them laying down in bed. This will help you isolate your abdominal
muscles. Just be careful - your family may mistake you for being sick!
It wont be long before you starting noticing results from your hard work!

Tip 10 Ways To Stop Boring Your Listeners (How to use

Vocal Variety)
By Nat Robinson on February 18, 2010
Heres the problem and its remedy is vocal variety.
You are giving a speech or presentation and, although the content is excellent and matches
your audiences expectation and needs, nobody is
listening.
Vocal variety can cure your bored audience.
Instead you are looking at blank, disinterested faces.
Someone is checking their watch, another is doodling,
and that person in the front row is struggling to stay
awake.
Your voice is turning ears off. To put it bluntly, it is
boring.
The cure for deaf by monotone, (mono-speed, mono-pitch or any other one way or no way),
is vocal variety. You need it if you want to be actively heard.
Vocal variety is achieved through varying your voice pitch, tone, volume and speaking rate.
Its the combination of these elements that gives a voice its vocal signature. Lack of variety
in any one of them can make you boring to listen to.
To understand pitch think of music. It has high and low notes as do peoples voices.
Everyones voice has a natural pitch and a womens voice is generally higher than a mans.

In addition, everyone has a pitch range, the number of notes they habitually use. When that
range is very small the effect is monotonous to listen to.
Tone refers to the emotional content carried by our voices. It is not the words themselves but
how we say them. To speak expressively is to fill or energise our words appropriately. For
example, a person who puts very little energy into their speech no matter what they are
talking about is often described as being flat. By contrast someone who fills their speech to
overflowing with energy is described as exuberant, enthusiastic or passionate. If you
think of a word as a basket to carry its meaning, youll get the idea. Some people put very
little in their word baskets. Others stuff them to overflowing.
Volume is how loudly or quietly you speak. If you are either habitually loud or quiet, you
need to learn how to consciously turn down or up the volume.
Speaking rate refers to the rate words come out of your mouth: how fast or slow you speak.
Your goal as a speaker is to have people listen. To achieve that you need to use the most
appropriate expression or vocal delivery, matching both your content and your audiences
needs.
Banish boring monotony with these 10 vocal variety tips.
1. Try this experiment for Pitch
Say the sentences below in your high, middle and low pitch range. Note what happens to the
intensity and the way you perceive their emotional content when you alter the pitch. There
will be a distinct variation between each.
Her Grandmother died yesterday.
I want a new car.
This dinner is delicious.
People should love their neighbors as themselves.
2. The Tone Ham Sandwich Exercise:
Repeat the words Ham Sandwich in as many varying ways as you can. For example say it
angrily, happily, sadly, lovingly, despairingly, laughingly, importantly, slyly, snidely, shyly
This is a fantastic exercise to share with a partner. Take turn about giving each other the way
to say the phrase. Repeat until you run out of variations. NB. Listen for emotional truth or
believability!
3. Telephone Book Readings for Improving Tone:
Open the telephone book at any page. Select a style* or emotion and read aloud whatever is
there. Sustain each feeling state for at least a minute. This gives you time to get into it.
Listen to yourself to make sure you are filling those words with the appropriate emotion.
*Style? For fun and variation read your page in the style of a newsreader, a race
commentator, a preacher, Marilyn Munroe
4. Reading Childrens Stories:
Take a familiar story and read it aloud. As you do make sure your voice carries the meaning
of the words. If a scary voice is asked for, use one. If somebody is bossy, sound bossy. If
someone is teasing, put a teasing tone in your voice. If theres a beat to the words, go with
it. Find and emphasize it.
This a great exercise to record. When you listen to yourself, be alert for areas to improve.
Record it again with the changes. And remember to try out your new improved reading skills

with a child. Their feedback is direct and honest. Youll soon know whether they enjoy the
story or not!
5. Listen to Recordings of Novels,Short Stories, Autobiographies
Many of these are read by highly skilled actors. Apart from enjoying the story, you will learn
a great deal about expression. You can find audio tapes or CDs at your local library or
download them from the net. Many are free!
6. For Volume:
Use the following exercises to learn to project your voice naturally.
The skill involved with getting louder (or softer) is to maintain tone and pitch while altering
the sound level. Many people lose them both, particularly when they get louder. Shouting
may guarantee you get heard but it doesnt usually mean heard with pleasure. And the other
down-side to shouting is straining your voice. Good breath control is one of major keys to
upping the volume while maintaining tone and pitch.
Practice Breathing Using your Diaphragm:
Stand in front of a mirror. Make sure your feet are a comfortable shoulder width apart. Pull
yourself up straight and let your head sit square on your neck. Place one hand on your
stomach. Breathe in. You should feel your stomach rising and then breathe out. This time
your stomach falls. Watch your shoulders. If they rise and fall noticeably you are most likely
breathing off the top of your lungs. Try until you can see and feel a definite rise and fall of
your stomach while staying relaxed.
7. Distancing Technique for Volume Projection
Maintain the breathing technique outlined above and add voice. While watching yourself in
the mirror to check for tension, (tightening of muscles), practice greeting yourself at ever
increasing distances from the mirror. The first Hello Susan, Bob (insert your name) is right
up close. Then take two steps back and repeat. Now step back another two steps and greet
yourself again.
(If your room is small, do the exercise outside and imagine the mirror! It remains in the same
place all the time.)
If you feel any tension in your throat or chest from forcing the sound, stop. Breathe and
begin again. It helps to imagine the sound arcing through the air, in a concentrated focused
stream to reach its target. The further away you get the more control you need to have over
the outflow of air carrying your words.
8, When you think you have a neutral Hello Bob mastered, add emotional color. Say Hello
Bob nastily, lovingly, sweetly etc. while remaining relaxed.
9. Laugh Out-loud
Stand in front of your mirror breathing easily. On your out breath begin a series of Ha-ha-hahas until all your breath is used. Take an in breath and start again. Vary your laughter.
Make it louder, make it quiet and then build it up again. Repeat until you are laughing loudly
and easily without any strain.
10. Read Out-loud
Make sure your stance and breathing is good. Pin point a place at the far end of your room to
talk to and now read aloud from a book, making sure you maintain your relaxed state while
using as much vocal variety as you can.
A good way to test youre working as you should is to do this exercise with a partner. Have
them stand at the far end of the room youre practicing in. Give instructions to give you
feedback on clarity, variety and pitch.

If you find yourself rising in pitch, check your breathing. When we tense, we strain the throat
and when that happens our vocal chords are restricted. The result is we force the pitch up
and limit the range or color we can put into our words. If you are straining will feel it in your
upper chest and throat. In addition your shoulders will lift and you will run yourself out of
breath easily.
To color and control your voice the way you want to, practice and then practice some more.
Play. Experiment. Exaggerate, have fun and you will make them listen.
Have you got the power of the pause? Silence in the right place speaks louder than any
word can ever do. How is your articulation and pronunciation? Is it clear? Can people
understand you? Are you a motor-mouth? If so, can you put the brakes on?
The Multimedia Agency
May 30, 2014 @ 2:31 pm
I appreciate this point: The cure for deaf by monotone, (mono-speed, mono-pitch or any
other one way or no way), is vocal variety. You need it if you want to be actively heard.
Same is true for multimedia pillar content. People are tuning out (not reading your content)
because they are bored. The curegive them a variety of multimedia to break up the text.
That will help you to be heard over the usual content noise.

Basic Voice Improvement Techniques

Your voice includes several characteristics, including: tone, volume, pitch, cadence, speed, voice inflection
(word emphasis), emotion, and enunciation.
Many of these characteristics can be learned and controlled with practice.
This article has some simple techniques that I teach my students in an Introduction to Public Speaking
class at Wilberforce University in the USA.
Many of these methods could be helpful for anyone who needs to warm up their voice.
Tone Most of us need to work on our tone from time to time. Some people are not aware of the tone of
voice they use when speaking. They talk loudly with a tone of irritation, regardless of who they are talking
with.
Volume This is an especially important variation to practise and can quickly influence how you are
perceived by the interviewer. Try to work up and down the alphabet raising and lowering your voice. Be
aware of how others react to you when you are having a casual conversation. Often their non-verbal
signals will let you know that you are talking too soft or loud.
Voice inflection Here is a simple exercise you can try. Take a sentence and emphasise different parts:
WHY are you late for the appointment? Why ARE you late for the appointment? Why are YOU late for the
appointment? Why are you LATE for the appointment? Why are you late for the APPOINTMENT?
Enunciate distinctly Make sure to pronounce the final syllable in every word. Emphasise key
concepts with your voice: punch out the important ideas that you want the audience to remember.

Mannerisms This might include such things as repeating the same phrase over and over again,
laughing at your own jokes, using filler words (uhmmm, er), etc. Ask friends if they notice any annoying
vocal mannerisms and try to eliminate them.
Speed Ask friends for feedback about whether you are speaking at an average speaking rate (around
120 words per minute). Be aware of when you speed up or slow down during a normal conversation. This
is not necessarily bad as long as you have some control over it.
Contrast Use your voice to create contrast: high and low, loud and soft, excited and reserved. Be in
charge of the emotion that you are projecting.
Emotion This includes whether you have the ability to communicate how you feel and express the
appropriate emotions. As mentioned earlier, some untrained speakers maintain a similar tone that
conveys only one emotion (such as irritation). This will tend to give your audience a bad impression.
Digitally record your voice, and listen objectively Experiment with different tone, pitch,
emphasis, speed, volume and pronunciation. Also listen for common vocal problems such as nasal tone,
unnaturally high or low pitch, mumbling, breathlessness. To help overcome these problems, buy a tape of
a well-known actor reading selections from literary works.
Next, record yourself reading those same selections and compare your vocal quality. Also listen for
sincerity, intensity, volume, inflection, pronunciation, drama. Continually practise your control over what
you are projecting. Many people hear their own voice on a recorder and cant believe that it is them. With
enough practice, you get comfortable with the sound of your own voice, even when it does sound slightly
different when recorded.
Being able to relax your voice is essential for good speaking. You cannot produce a fine, resonant, pleasing
tone when your throat muscles are pinched, tense, or strained. By doing some of these vocal workouts
before your talk, you will have more confidence. Combine this with an awareness of your throat muscles
and make a genuine effort to relax them.
Also, be sure to take care of your voice, rest it when possible.
According to Your Speaking Voice, a Toastmasters publication, when you speak, your voice reflects your
psychological and emotional state of mind.
You cannot hope to persuade or influence others or even get them to listen in a positive way if your
tones are harsh and unfriendly. Such a voice can repel even when the speaker wishes to attract. The
quality of friendliness is a requirement for a good speaking voice. It is largely a matter of habit, as is the
unfriendly tone.
Practise tongue twisters until you master them. Below is a vocal warm-up exercise that we do in the
Introduction to Public Speaking class. These are a variety of unintentional and intentional tongue-twisters
from actors exercises, corporate media ads, and elsewhere.

She sells sea shells by the seashore, and the shells she sells are sea shells.
A twenty-two point two cubic foot frost-free refrigerator-freezer.
A central ice crystals six similar sides determine a snowflakes six-way similarity.
Withdraw five millilitres from the top of the pallet-poor plasma.

A lower-cost alternative to traditional plans.

Double Bubble gum for that just-brushed freshness.
High roller, low roller, lower roller.
I need a box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits, and a biscuit mixer.
He thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
The jolly collie swallowed a lollipop.
Fridays five fresh fish specials.
Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary
menagerie.
The least of the police dismisseth us.
Red leather, yellow leather.
The sixth Sikh Sheiks sixth sheeps sick.
Three free thugs set three thugs free.
Charles deftly switched straight flange strips.
Gwen glowered and grimaced at Glens gleaming greens.
Fancy that fascinating character Harry McCann married Anne Hammond.
Lot lost his hot chocolate at the loft.
Snoring Norris was marring the aria.
Eleven benevolent elephants.
Girl gargoyle, guy gargoyle.
Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
She stood on the balcony inexplicably mimicking him hiccupping and amicably
welcoming him in.
Six sick slick slim sycamore saplings.
Unique New York.
Toy boat (repeat three times)
Lemon liniment.
Three free throws.
Blue black bugs blood.
Red lorry, yellow lorry.
Giggle gaggle gurgle.
Have fun with these ideas, but stay determined to improve your vocal technique, including: tone, quality,
volume, pitch, cadence, speed, voice inflection, emotion, sincerity and enunciation of your voice for your
next job interview.