Voice Development: A Kaleidoscope Of Messages

By Carolyn Franklin M.A.

Confused, my student said, “In a meeting, no one listens to me - they talk over me like I wasn’t there.” Another student says, “I want to change my voice, be more assertive, but I’m afraid that will turn people off.” Another student murmurs, “People say they can’t hear me...” and another says, “I get cut off in my ideas...”

One frustrated student, a neurologist at Stanford lamented, “When I give lectures, they’re dry - people say I’m not amusing.” I replied, “Well, you wouldn’t be, would you? You’re a neurologist, not a stand-up.”

He laughed! Imagine - a neurologist with a sense of humor!

As a Communication Instructor for over 40 years, I have discovered your voice is a vital key to success and self-esteem. Unknowingly you may send out a kaleidoscope of vocal messages that are splash of colors, words, that betray your fears and needs rather than your strengths and intentions - reds of fear or anger; blues tell of confusion; green speaks of personal strengths - colors signify words of emotions, some purposeful designs, some a meaningless smear.

Rhetoric, defined as “the art of speaking”, is the underlying “secret” message in communication. The base message in your communication, rhetoric, requires an understanding of the sound of your voice, as well as your deliberate use of words. Speaking well is intentional, an art form enhanced by a well-developed voice.

The sound, in itself, may send out a negative message, that can damage your soul, your perception of self. Do you sound, afraid, worried, low self esteem... Most voice problems may be intentionally healed by understanding how voice development may open your world to a new level of self perception and successful communication.

Words, in themselves are not necessarily the key to success. “Speaking” is verbal and non-verbal; “paralanguage” is the delivery of the words, the sound of the words, that’s the true message, the subconscious message we send!

This book will guide you to voice-speech improvement, an understanding of the intentional healing for increased focus on vocal control and self-confidence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carolyn Franklin M.A.
• Release date: Dec 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463442715

Carolyn Franklin M.A.

M. A. Communication StudiesM. A. EducationB. A. Psychology30 years voice training (San Francisco Opera)Voice/Speech improvement CoachContact Carolyn - [e-mail]

Book preview

Voice Development -

A Kaleidoscope Of Messages

The ultimate guide to voice skills and communication

Carolyn Franklin M. A.

[e-mail]

Copyright Carolyn Franklin M. A. 2019

All rights reserved

Table of Contents

THE BACKSTORY

RHETORIC - THE CRITICAL SECRET OF SPEECH

VOICE INFLUENCES

PARALANGUAGE

PERVASIVE DELUSION - WE’RE ALL ALIKE

WE ARE NOT ALL ALIKE. WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME

YOUR SOUND SYSTEM - THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR VOICE

BASIC VOICE TRAINING

THE LESSONS - STEPS FOR VOICE TRAINING

VOWEL AND CONSONANT SOUNDS

LOWERED THE PITCH OF HER VOICE

BE INTERESTING - THE NARRATIVE FORM

TELLING STORIES, ANECDOTES, JOKES, INCIDENT

FINISH YOUR SENTENCES - GOOD TO THE LAST DROP

CULTURAL ACCENTS

COMMUNICATION TRICKS

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE!

SIGNS OF INSECURITY

PEOPLE ONLY HAVE THE POWER OVER YOU THAT YOU GIVE THEM

CONFLICT RESOLUTION - PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL

VOICE TRAINING MAY ELIMINATE FEAR - INSECURITY

CASE STUDIES

SPEECH APPREHENSION

THE SAMURAI

PLEASE DON’T

SUNDRY SUGGESTIONS

NEW, MIND-DEADENING PILLS FOR KIDS

DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND THE MONEY WILL FOLLOW

THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF THE UNIVERSE

HERE IS A NOTE WRITTEN ESPECIALLY FOR YOU FROM MY BEAUTIFUL GRANDDAUGHTER, MICHELLE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PUBLICATIONS BY CAROLYN FRANKLIN M. A.

THE BACKSTORY

Perhaps if I explain some of my life experiences and their effect on my teaching, that would help to explain the value of voice training.

At this point in time I consider myself a crone, an old lady who has experienced the vicissitudes of Life, many very good experiences and others better forgotten. But, each one had value in it. No experience is lost, nothing is to despair over. Every Life lesson, happy or painful, is a gift to grow on. We can learn easier what to notice, what to understand, expect and utilize on our daily path from the gifts.

From Life’s lessons and years of working with voices, sounds and accents, I can now listen to someone talk, and actually feel their happiness, despair, insecurity, lying, ridicule, trust, love, boredom, fear - those feelings that seep through inner thoughts to form a pattern of sounds that subconsciously resonate with the listener.

As an only child with a dog and a teddy bear as friends, I walked the path of Life alone, occasionally falling into a mud-hole and other times stepping into a meadow of brown-eyed Susans.

The times were gentle then, 1931. No drugs, no TV, no immediate gratification. When I wanted companionship there was radio, movies and books. The mirror and films provided me with an alter ego. I studied the mannerisms, voice patterns, affectations and accents of the various characters in the show. Then I’d reproduce the act in the mirror and note the accuracy of my role.

I became adept at reading facial expressions, vocal sounds and body movements.

In 1934, when I was 3, I saw Claudia Muzio in a movie, Tales of the Vienna Woods where she sang the aria of that name. She was so beautiful. Her dress was a dream of ruffles and ribbons with a matching hat of floating ostrich feathers. At that moment I decided to be an opera singer.

I was. As a young woman I sang opera taught by a highly dramatic Italian tenor, Antonio Rovano, who compared me to Claudia Muzio for quality and sound! A happy time for me, full of music and like-minded friends.

Then, Reality hit, and hit hard. My life made a nose-dive into Life experiences that crushed my hat of floating ostrich feathers.

But, the lessons were valuable; the hours I had spent conjuring up facial expressions and vocal messages were put to good use in this dark time. I could read the feelings, hopes, jealousies, the anger and fears of those around me. I found I could feel their motives and thoughts through the sound of their voice.

From the way they said the words, slowly, high-pitched, sarcastic, annoyed, loud, fast - the music of the sounds, opened up a new horizon of understanding in the message and motivation of people. I could reach past their thoughts, into their heart and understand them.

For me - the music of their speech became the music of their soul, the person they truly were - Pagliacci, or, Siegfried?

I listened closely, marveling at how inept people were at ex-pressing themselves. At times what they meant and what they said were planets apart. Many women, in particular, have a weak, placating, high-pitched sound that is not attractive. I’d ask myself, Why are they doing that?

Then, I had the AHA! moment when I realized they didn’t know they were doing that! Suddenly, it occurred to me, people were not making those sounds on purpose! Communication was haphazard - snarled! Confusion reigned! What someone said sent one message, but the way they said it was, obviously another level of the message - an unconscious, unintentional message that often damaged the meaning that was intended. Here you have the ability to heal the damage - it’s in your hands.

RHETORIC - THE CRITICAL SECRET OF SPEECH

To begin healing your voice, control and focus in communication, it is essential you understand the concept of rhetoric.

The words you use, the way you say them, your facial expression, eye contact, are all a part of rhetoric. Rhetoric is the total message of communication in a very big nutshell. Because it is so encompassing in interaction, it can be confusing, but, critical to understand.

Rhetoric is defined as, The art of speaking, which is meaningless. This definition is nebulous and confusing - but basic and essential to absorb and interpret.

The definition should be: Rhetoric is the art of communication.

There are many ways to speak.

This art of speaking, rhetoric, is based on the way we say our words - and the environment around them. It’s what we say, or don’t say! It’s our gestures, how we space our breathing. It’s our volume or no volume, our hesitancy to offer ideas, our lack of eye contact or too much eye contact.

It includes our talking - the sound - our actual voice is based largely on music, rhythm, nuance of tone, and, at times, silence. Talking is a form of singing. If you are tone deaf you can be uninteresting to your listener. Singing is a form of entertaining your audience, any person to whom you’re speaking.

Musicians calculate each sound and form it according to the needs of the song’s message. Every breath, every syllable, every pause is carefully constructed for a specific effect. Otherwise you have chaos.

Rhetoric also includes the way you walk, up straight, hunched over, long strides or small steps? Do you dress casually, wear a sport coat, sweat shirt and ripped jeans? Do you wear subdued colors, hide in a corner, or wear a wild array of sunshine and happiness and float through a room?

It’s all a way of sending