From Dull to Dynamic: Improve Your Speaking Voice with These Proven Tips

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever found yourself cringing at the sound of your own voice, whether in a voicemail or a video recording? You’re not alone. Many people experience discomfort or even embarrassment when they hear their voice played back to them. That initial reaction—"Do I really sound like that?"—is common. Unfortunately, the answer is often yes; that is how others actually hear you.

But there’s no need to panic. The sound of your speaking voice is not set in stone. With the right techniques and a bit of practice, you can improve your voice's quality, clarity, and confidence. As a holistic voice coach with over 35 years of experience, I’ve helped countless individuals transform their speaking voices, allowing them to present themselves more confidently and effectively for any type of speaking or performing.?

In this article, I'll guide you through three essential exercises that can help you improve the sound of your voice. These techniques are simple, yet powerful, and can make a significant difference in how you perceive your own voice and how others hear you.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HEARING YOUR OWN VOICE

Before diving into the exercises, it’s important to understand why your voice sounds different to you on a recording. When you speak, you hear your voice in two ways: through air conduction and bone conduction. Air conduction is how others hear you—sound waves travel through the air and into your ears. Bone conduction, however, is unique to you. It’s the sound of your voice vibrating through your skull and bones, giving it a deeper, richer tone. When you hear a recording of your voice, you’re only hearing the air-conducted sound, which can feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

This dissonance between what you expect and what you hear can lead to self-criticism and avoidance of activities that require speaking, such as public speaking, recording videos, or even leaving a voicemail. However, by working on the technical aspects of your voice, you can align your perception of your voice with reality and develop a sound that you’re proud to share with others.

Exercise 1: Record and Analyze

The first step to improving your voice is to understand how you currently sound. This involves recording your voice and then analyzing it critically. Here’s how to do it:

1. Record a Reading Passage: Start by reading a passage from a book into your phone’s voice recorder for about one minute. Listen to the playback and take notes. Pay attention to whether your voice sounds raspy, croaky, weak, airy, or if the pitch is too low or too throaty. Is your speech clear, or is it difficult to understand?
2. Record an Off-the-Cuff Speech: Next, record yourself speaking freely for one minute about any topic that comes to mind. Listen to this recording as well, focusing on different aspects such as the use of filler words like "um" and "ah," whether you rambled, and whether your speech was clear and engaging.
3. Analyze the Recordings: Write down your observations from both recordings. If possible, ask a friend or colleague for their feedback as well. Having an outside perspective can help you identify areas for improvement that you might overlook.

This exercise helps you become more aware of your vocal habits, both good and bad and sets a baseline for your progress.

Exercise 2: Playing Opposites

Our voices are like musical instruments, capable of producing a wide range of tones and pitches. However, many people fall into the habit of using only a narrow range of their vocal capabilities, which can make their speech sound monotonous or unengaging. By consciously playing with vocal opposites, you can explore the full range of your voice and discover new ways to express yourself.

1. Experiment with Pitch: If your recording revealed that your voice was too high-pitched, practice speaking in a lower pitch. Conversely, if your voice is too low, try raising it. The goal is to find a pitch that feels comfortable and sounds natural.
2. Adjust Airflow: If your voice sounds tight or squeezed, try adding more airflow to your speech. This will help relax your vocal folds to allow more air to escape between them and make the voice sound more relaxed and pleasing to the ear.? On the other hand, if your voice is too airy, practice tightening your vocal folds slightly to create a stronger, more focused sound using energy and power.?
3. Tackle Nasality: If your voice sounds nasal, work on shifting the resonance from your nose to your mouth. Practice speaking with more oral resonance by focusing on the feeling of the sound vibrating in your mouth rather than your nasal passages.

Playing with these opposites allows you to break free from vocal habits that may be limiting your expressiveness. It also helps you develop a more versatile voice that can adapt to different speaking situations.

Exercise 3: Goldilocks Airflow

Just like Goldilocks in the classic children’s story, who found one bowl of porridge too hot, another too cold, and the third juuuuuuuust right…your voice also requires a balanced approach. Specifically, the amount of airflow you use while speaking can greatly impact the sound and quality of your voice.

1. Understand Airflow: Airflow is the breath that supports and powers your vocal sound. Too little airflow can make your voice sound tight and constricted, while too much airflow can make it sound breathy and weak. Finding the right balance—what I call "Goldilocks Airflow"—is key to producing a voice that is both strong and pleasant to listen to.
2. Practice Balanced Airflow: To find your Goldilocks Airflow, start by practicing with exaggerated extremes. First, speak with minimal airflow, noting how tight and strained your voice sounds. Then, speak with excessive airflow, noticing how breathy and weak it becomes. Finally, find the middle ground—a steady, controlled airflow that allows your voice to resonate fully and freely.

Balanced airflow not only improves the quality of your voice but also makes speaking less effortful. With practice, you’ll find that you can maintain this balance naturally, leading to a more confident and compelling vocal presence.

CONCLUSION

Improving the sound of your voice is a journey, but it can yield significant rewards. By recording and analyzing your voice, experimenting with vocal opposites, and mastering your airflow, you can develop a speaking voice that not only sounds better to others but also feels more comfortable and authentic to you.

Remember, your voice is a powerful tool. It’s a reflection of who you are and how you present yourself to the world. With the right techniques and practice, you can ensure that your voice truly represents you—confident, competent, and ready to make an impact.

If you're ready to take the next step in your vocal journey, I invite you to join The Voice Club, our monthly membership program where you’ll receive ongoing support, training, and feedback to continue developing your voice and public speaking skills. Together, we’ll help you find your authentic voice and use it to inspire and lead others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elisa James is a qualified executive voice & public speaking coach and the founder of The Voice of Confidence TV. With a background in performance and communication and over 35 years of experience on stages and cameras around the world, Elisa now focuses on helping individuals find their authentic voice and speak up with confidence. She works with aspiring speakers, coaches, and trainers to develop their voice & public speaking skills and to become outstanding leaders in their field. Elisa’s approach is holistic, focusing on both the technical aspects of speaking and the mindset needed to excel. Join her in The Voice Club monthly membership to start your journey towards confident & competent communication skills. See the link below for more information.?