Anybody have tips on how to change and modulate tonal inflections in voice?

[Metalhead]

This is something I am very uncomfortable with - my speaking voice.

Many people assume I live with a severe intellectual disability the first time they hear me speak. And I hate that.

I cannot afford regular speech therapy sessions, so how the hell can I improve this on my own, I wonder?

 

[tree]

Could you read out loud, to yourself ?
Maybe song lyrics, to begin with.
Other things that are meaningful to you....

What are you mostly concerned about:
your pronunciation? or the tone of voice?
Or what?

 

[Metalhead]

Could you read out loud, to yourself ?
Maybe song lyrics, to begin with.
Other things that are meaningful to you....

What are you mostly concerned about:
your pronunciation? or the tone of voice?
Or what?

Some people describe my voice as monotone and having too little variety in modulation.

 

[tree]

When you see actors and singers, is it
easier for you to recognize them by their
faces or their voices?

 

[Metalhead]

Faces with actors, voices with singers. I have been told I can sing well. Which is odd because I also have been told my method of speaking normally could use some work.

 

[tree]

Some people who stutter when they talk, don't when they sing.
Maybe it is similar.

 

[Metalhead]

Some people who stutter when they talk, don't when they sing.
Maybe it is similar.

Therefore I shall treat my life like my personal rock opera.

Not sure if my boss would approve.

 

[tree]

How to Develop a Warmer and More Pleasant Voice

Want to be a successful business speaker? Discover these 5 ways of developing a warmer and more pleasant voice to persuade stakeholders.

www.genardmethod.com

Something that isn't for people recovering from a stroke
(the main result I got when I searched for *DIY speech therapy*)

I changed my search term to 'how to achieve a pleasant voice' and got this.

 

[Fino]

I'm guessing you've already tried imitating other people. I recently made a child angry and he demanded that I apologize. I apologized, and he said I didn't say it right. I asked him to show me how to say it. He said it, and I copied him, and then he was happy.

 

[GypsyMoth]

Some people who stutter when they talk, don't when they sing.
Maybe it is similar.

That is really interesting.

(Explanation. Grandson has a terrible stutter. Even after years of speech therapy, he still has the same terrible stutter. I doubt anyone has tried/thought of giving him voice lessons. I might suggest that to step-daughter. Someday. When she likes me again. [yes, I'm being melodramatic.])

 

[Luca]

I could use ways to *tone down* the enthusiasm in my voice. People often tell me it sounds like I'm shouting, or I'm too "hyper." I also have a loud and obnoxious high-pitched laugh.
This makes me the life of the party at social gatherings, but a huge pain in the behind everywhere else.

 

[Outdated]

I was given lessons as a small child, by a bishop no less and I'm not religious.

A lot of it was exactly the same as learning anything else - repetition, practice. Work.

I'd suggest putting a voice recording app on your phone. Then you can practice speaking and play it back to yourself to hear what it sounds like. Practice by reading stories out loud. Deliberately exaggerate emotions in your reading as a way of learning, then with more practice you can tone it down a bit and make it sound more natural.

Voice is a very powerful tool for influencing other people.

 

[Nervous Rex]

I used to get hostile reactions to what I thought were very harmless or innocent remarks. I realized that my monotone voice must sound angry or negative.

Now I put a lot of work into sounding cheerful - I try to raise my pitch into the "happy" register when I talk. I would listen to people that got good reactions and try to mimic their tone or make it my own. It has helped a lot - people now perceive me as a friendly and cheerful person.

I have noticed that the more I am focused on the details and information of the conversation, the more I slip back into a monotone.

My best advice is to find someone who you think has a good tone and try to imitate them. Be careful in choosing who to copy - don't use exaggerated TV personalities as examples. Instead, look for "average" and "down to earth" types. Also, don't just copy one person - try to observe and learn from multiple people, so it doesn't look like you're trying to become one specific person.

 

[Judge]

I have a bit of a monotone voice as well. When it changes it usually means I'm either very excited or very mad. A point where I also tend to switch dialects....LOL.

I've always had the impression that people get uncomfortable with my monotone mostly because they cannot get a clear impression of my emotions, or lack thereof. Makes them nervous.

Kirk: "Spock, are you sure you aren't angry with me?"
Spock: "Yes, Captain."
Kirk: "Then would you mind taking your hand off my shoulder?"
Spock: "Let me think about that, Jim."
Kirk: "Grrrrr."
Spock: "Captain, was that your impression of a Klingon? Reasonably authentic."
Kirk: "Never mind, Spock."

 

[Metalhead]

Well, the clerk at the convenience store next to where I work asked me if I came from Australia because of my accent. I’ll take that misconception over intellectual disability any time of the day.

 

[Gracey]

I am going to suggest mimicry like others have.

My natural tone comes across as 'bored'
On agreeing with someone my "yeh"
sounds sarcastic due to my 'bored' tone.

On being given the news one of my daughters were expecting (a baby)
my "that's wonderful news" sounded sarcastic.

To date I've observed others saying exactly what I want to say in such a way there is no ambiguity over meaning,
then I copy and practise that.

The more I've used a script with intonation, inflection etc, the easier it is to recall and use in those rapid fire conversations.

Do your research. Find someone who moves you through what they say. Break their delivery down and use the components to enhance your own delivery

 

[Metalhead]

Maybe I should imitate Jules from Pulp Fiction in my speaking style.

He sounds confident enough.

Ok, that’s enough with the terrible ideas in this thread.