Let us look at vocal variety in these sentences.
“I walk the fields of this great nation and see beautiful scenery stretching before me in every direction. I see rubbish, plastic bags, tin cans, drink bottles and paper waste struggling to grasp hold of the fences it clings to, filling our streams and open spaces. I feel for the earth and all it has to offer as mankind spoils it with throwaway garbage.”
That is said without any emphasis and is read directly from the page. Interesting words yet a boring delivery.
Now let us use emphasis and vocal variety to enhance the message.
“I walk the fields of this great nation and see beautiful scenery stretching before me in every direction. I see rubbish, plastic bags, tin cans, drink bottles and paper waste struggling to grasp hold of the fences it clings to, filling our streams and open spaces. I feel for the earth and all it has to offer as mankind spoils it with throwaway garbage.”
The Green section is said with delight in the voice and wonderment, The Purple section is said with disappointment and hurt, the heavy black section is said with anger and frustration.
See how when vocal variety can add to the flavour of a speech and look at how you can add value to your speeches. As vocal variation adds the colour to the pictures being delivered to the audience and lets us use our minds to connect to the scenes.
Remember to use pause and lots of facial and hands gestures so that we can visually see what you are describing to us.
Now let us put the vocal variation in different parts of the speech to create a different meaning and feeling with the audience.
“I walk the fields of this great nation and see beautiful scenery stretching before me in every direction. I see rubbish, plastic bags, tin cans, drink bottles and paper waste struggling to grasp hold of the fences it clings to, filling our streams and open spaces. I feel for the earth and all it has to offer as mankind spoils it with throwaway garbage.”
See how this is very different from that above.
A speaker can also can further impact with photographs projected onto the wall using powerpoint or they could discard bags of the garbage onto a large plastic sheet onto the floor so we can see the waste.
Remember when we speak to an audience it is not about us – it has to be about the audience enjoying what you are saying and being moved by you.
The next time you give a presentation, see how you can make it better by using pause and vocal variation.
