This article was co-authored by How.com.vn staff writer, Sophie Burkholder, BA. Sophie Burkholder graduated from Boston University in 2020 with dual degrees in Spanish and Modern Foreign Language Education. For three years, Sophie worked as a classroom teacher and strived to foster a love of learning and self-empowerment in her students. With that same purpose but a new audience, she now writes for the content team at How.com.vn. She's passionate about giving readers the tools they need for any goal, big or small.
There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 4,477 times.
Learn more...
Bueller? Bueller? Anyone…who can hear that voice knows what a monotone voice sounds like. But even if you recognize the low, flat, and unchanging notes we associate with a monotone voice, can you recognize them in yourself? We'll show you how to do just that and provide all the best tips on improving your inflection in this comprehensive guide to monotone voices.
What is a Monotone Voice?
Someone with a monotone voice maintains the same level of pitch, tone, volume, and speed while they're speaking. They may sound dull to others because they convey no emotion or mood. Improve vocal tone by exaggerating the pitch of your voice or emphasizing words with hand motions.
Steps
How to Improve Vocal Tone
- Practice changing your pitch. Say each of the sentences below using your high, middle, and low ranges. Observe the change in intensity and emotion for each sentence and change in pitch. Consider how you can change your pitch to convey certain emotions.[4]
- “Her aunt is very ill.”
- “I want to go on vacation.”
- “This cake is delicious.”
- Practice changing your tone. Choose a silly phrase, like “bubble bath” or “cheese sandwich.” Say your phrase in as many ways as you can — happily, angrily, sadly, lovingly, fearfully, etc. Experiment with different emotions and how they affect your voice.[5]
- Analyze recordings of your speech. Record yourself talking about something you love, like a favorite hobby or movie. Imagine different emotions as you speak, and let them change your speech. Listen to the playback and find problem areas to improve, like changing speed or adding pauses.[6]
- Read out loud from a book. Change your pitch in each sentence. For instance, make the first sentence higher and the next sentence lower. Continue reading and changing your pitch with this see-saw method. Re-read the passage and experiment with pitch until it feels natural![7]
- Or, read children’s books using different voices for each character. Change your voice based on emotion, like shaking your voice when a character is afraid or speeding up when they're excited.[8]
- Get more practice by imitating movie characters, especially ones with exaggerated voices and emotions.
- Use body language and breath control to add nuance. Communicate with body language by using gestures and facial expressions to communicate with more than your voice. Do breathing exercises to support your voice from your diaphragm. Connect with your inner voice by doing mental and deep listening exercises.[9]
- Practice and prepare for public speaking events. Prepare your speech or presentation and highlight the key points. Emphasize these points with dramatic pauses, lower pitch, or emotion.[10]
- Record your speech or ask a friend to listen. Identify places in your speech where important points or emotions are unclear. Practice again with these changes in mind.[11]
- Watch videos of famous speeches and observe how those speakers talk. Mimic their voice patterns or pauses in your speech.
- Warm up your voice to give it more range and depth.
- Show emotion in your voice. Rehearse your speech with exaggerated emotions for practice. Let your personality shine through!
- Take care of your voice and keep it healthy. A healthy voice has more range and nuance. Drink water and limit cold medicine to keep your vocal cords hydrated. Use a humidifier in your home. Avoid activities like smoking and vaping that can impact your vocal cords.[12]
- Get sufficient sleep and let your voice rest throughout the day, especially if you have a job that requires lots of speaking.
- Seek outside support and coaching as needed. Join a class or club focused on speaking skills. Clubs focused on communication skills give you more practice and feedback. Alternatively, work with a professional vocal coach to improve your pitch and tone.[13]
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.physicianleaders.org/articles/more-than-words-can-say-how-delivery-affects-the-message
- ↑ https://en.unesco.org/courier/2020-1/voice-you-cant-see
- ↑ https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/characters/stats/388/
- ↑ https://communicationcenter.gmu.edu/communication-resources/vocal-variety
- ↑ https://communicationcenter.gmu.edu/communication-resources/vocal-variety
- ↑ https://communicationcenter.gmu.edu/communication-resources/vocal-variety
- ↑ https://communicationcenter.gmu.edu/communication-resources/vocal-variety
- ↑ https://lithub.com/how-to-read-to-children-tip-always-do-the-voices/
- ↑ https://communicationcenter.gmu.edu/communication-resources/vocal-variety
- ↑ https://www.speechcoachforexecutives.com/7-tips-to-emphasize-your-key-presentation-points/
- ↑ https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/19102/22119
- ↑ https://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/ear-nose-throat/maintaining-vocal-health
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2023/05/16/business-leaders-nine-tips-for-becoming-a-more-engaging-public-speaker/?sh=4b8ba37666e6
- ↑ https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180612-the-reasons-why-womens-voices-are-deeper-today
- ↑ https://www.16personalities.com/articles/bueller-and-batman-monotone-voices-and-personality-type
- ↑ https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/speech-patterns
- ↑ https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=what-is-autism-spectrum-disorder-160-23
- ↑ https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/jslhr.4205.1148
- ↑ https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1993-41234-001
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6304053/
- ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/four-tones-of-mandarin-2279480
- ↑ https://communicationcenter.gmu.edu/communication-resources/vocal-variety
About This Article
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.