Monotone is Monotonous: How to Fix a Lackluster Voice
Who among us hasn’t had a teacher who “snored” us to death by lecturing in a flatline monotone? It could have been the most interesting subject on the planet, but absent any variance in pitch, intonation and meter, we may as well have been listening to a voice synthesizer embedded in a robot or digital assistant. It’s the dull predictability of the delivery that lulls listeners into a coma and causes anything that is of interest to trickle into the ether. Why would any human want to embrace such lack of engagement with a voice that is lifeless and mind-numbingly boring? And why would any droid not opt to be given a plucky British accent like C-3PO so as to emulate the ebb and flow of natural conversation?
If anyone has ever told you that you speak in a monotone, it’s unlikely they’re referring to how you sound in a conversation. In conversations, we’re required to listen, to think, to reflect, to respond. In contrast, memorized/read speeches and theatrical dialogue can segue into Dullsville Flats if you’re not attaching meaning to what you’re saying.
Here are some tips on how to make your voice one that others will want to listen to.
Give Your Vocal Chords More Practice
For starters, it’s harder to speak in a straight monotone than it is to break out of it and become exciting. I’m guessing you’re reading this article silently to yourself. Since no sound is forthcoming, the voice in your head can be anything you want. High. Low. Fast. Slow. Let’s go back and read the first paragraph out loud. Which syllables and words did you emphasize? Where did you insert pauses? Did you vary the pitch? Now go back and read it a second time. Pinch your nostrils and read it with every word given exactly the same weight. Imagine, if you can, that all of the words are run together into one; i.e. whoamongushasn’thadateacher.
How does this compare to a rudimentary text-to-speech program? While computers have the capability to convert written words to phonemic representation and then to waveforms that can be output to actual sound, they’re not programmed to think about what they’re saying and, accordingly, to ascribe complementary emotions. Such is the case with screenwriting software such as Final Draft in which you can assign “voices” to read your script. This virtual cast, however, won’t lend any zip or vitality to the material because the lines are read in—you guessed it—a monotone.
If you want to train your voice to encompass more variety, commit to reading aloud for at least 20 minutes a day. It can be a newspaper, a book, or even emails. The objective is to exercise muscles that are otherwise dormant when you’re reading silently.
What A Difference A Punch Can Make
How would you deliver the following sentence: “I don’t have your money.”
You’re now going to repeat this sentence five times but emphasizing a different word in each round:
“I don’t have your money.”
“I don’t have your money.”
“I don’t have your money.”
“I don’t have your money.”
“I don’t have your money.”
Notice how the intention changes depending on the emphasis. Let’s try a few more: “I said this was a bad idea;” “Can I get some help here?”; “I think I know why you’re lying;” “I’ve never done this before;” “I’d like another room.”
Mood Swings
When you’re happy/positive, your voice is going to sound different than when you’re sad/negative. Record yourself saying the following sentence—“The votes are in and ready to be counted”—in each of the following moods: (1) ecstatic, (2) angry, (3) anxious, (4) devastated, (5) sarcastic, (6) indifferent, (7) boastful, (8) suspicious.
Repeat this exercise in front of a mirror. Is your jaw relaxed or tense? Are you moving your head? And what are those eyebrows doing? As any actor will tell you, facial expressions and physicality engage all of your senses and, thus, free your voice and generate the kinetic energy to modulate the speed and rhythm at which you speak. Watch that posture, too. If you’re slumped over, your ribcage won’t be aligned, making it more challenging to take in enough breath to support your delivery of words.
Keeping Time
A metronome can be a useful tool in learning how to vary the cadence of your voice. The audible click at regular intervals allows musicians to understand the beats per minute at which a piece should be played; i.e., 2/4, 3/4, 4/4. There’s a nifty metronome online here which allows you to define the tempo you want and regulate the speed. Start with children’s stories or poetry and practice reading as if this were sheet music. Reading fast vs. reading slow will also hone your breathing skills. Keep in mind that quick, shallow breaths (usually brought on by nervousness) cause your voice to lose its resonance. Practice doing a slow inhale to the count of five and a slow exhale to the count of 10.
Taking A Page From The King’s Speech
Controlled breathing and singing were just a part of speech therapist Lionel Logue’s strategy to address King George VI’s stutter in the 2010 film directed by Tom Hooper. When it came time for Bertie to deliver his most critical speech to a country on the precipice of war, Logue employed another successful device that anyone who has to make a presentation can easily apply; specifically, marking up the text to show which words should be emphasized and where to insert pauses. It’s the latter that can make a dramatic difference in holding an audience’s attention, in causing them to think, “Something important is about to be said.” (Contrast this to all those monotone teachers you’ve had who rambled on through and never paused for anything.) Your assignment: The transcript of Bertie’s speech can be found here. Print it out, mark it up in your own fashion, and record it.
Presentation Prep
It was noted earlier that it’s hard for anyone to talk in a monotone when in conversation with another person. When you’re looking down at a page, though, it becomes too easy to talk to the paper and let all your words go flat. In addition to marking up your “script” as you did in the previous exercise, it’s critical to practice it enough that you can look up at your live listeners. Terrifying as this might seem at the outset, you are actually having a conversation with all of them at the same time. Pick out 3-5 individuals throughout the room and commit to making eye contact with them. Use their smiles and nods as nonverbal responses. Instead of talking at them, you are talking to them and using their reactions as the reinforcement to stay interesting.
A Final Note
Suffice it to say, males are more prone to monotones than females and there’s a very simple reason for this. Males are typically taught to embrace the economy of expression. This translates to fewer syllables and shorter sentences. Females are encouraged to do the opposite.
For example, if you ask a male, “How was your day?” his response will be along the lines of, “It was fine.” Pose this same question to a female and her response will be, “My day? Seriously??? It. Was. Unreal. You know how I said I was going to get up early and so I reset my alarm? Five instead of seven, right? Except for the alarm didn’t go off, can you believe it? And then I was going to wear my favorite suit for my interview—the blue one, you know which one?—but then I looked in the closet and—oh, before I forget, you need to call your brother about the whatsahoosit on Saturday. Or is it Sunday? Anyway, I couldn’t find it anywhere and then—did you remember to feed the cat?—I realized it was still at the dry cleaners and so….”
Well, you get the picture.
Meet the Author, Christina Hamlett
Former actress and theatre director Christina Hamlett is an award-winning author whose credits to date include 43 books, 209 stage plays, and squillions of articles and interviews. She is also a script consultant for stage and screen and a professional ghostwriter.