2021.12.07 – 0341 – Vocal Proxemics Vocal Proxemics Associated with ‘Human Spacing’ are our vocal proxemics : the kind of voice we use in each Zone. The further away someone is, the louder and less personal your voice becomes. ‘Proxemics’ is a branch of linguistic science which describes the effects of nearness or distance in signalling attitudes. We all [1] have an inbuilt ‘virtual voice volume’ dial, which we use to adjust our loudness level depending on what we judge is needed. The brain auto...
Dec 07, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 341
2021.12.06 – 0340 – Your 12-Inch Voice Sometimes people refer to a “ 12-inch voice ”. But what is that? It is the volume required for you to be heard only up to a 12-inch radius around yourself (approx. 30 centimetres). 12 inches is certainly in the intimate zone! Audio recording script and show notes (c) 2021 Peter Stewart Through these around-5-minute episodes, you can build your confidence and competence with advice on breathing and reading, inflection and projection, the roles played by bett...
Dec 06, 2021•35 sec•Season 1Ep. 340
2021.12.05 – 0339 – Human Spacing And Its Part In Projection Theory Human Spacing What the barbecue has illustrated is Human Spacing, the ideas of anthropologist Edward T. Hall [1] from which we understand the projection needed to speak conversationally [2] . It’s because, as we have seen, there are very specific ‘social rules’ about this social distance [3] . The Public Zone This is generally over 3 metres. That is, when we are walking around town, we will try to keep at least this distance bet...
Dec 05, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 339
2021.12.04 – 0338 – The Anniversary Party Analysis VOCAL PROXEMICS AND THE FOUR VARIETIES OF VOCAL VOLUME Your natural volume We are not ‘prehistorically programmed’ to speak to people that we can’t see, let alone speak to millions of people all at once but supposedly in a friendly one-to-one conversational way. The two elements are in dichotomy. So, we try and manipulate our mind to create a false version of reality. Let’s take a step back, and consider what we do naturally. Picture this: your ...
Dec 04, 2021•6 min•Season 1Ep. 338
2021.12.03 – 0337 – Projection Advice to BBC Presenters On 2nd January 1928, 5XX (the forerunner of the BBC) broadcast its first ‘Daily Service’ from Savoy Hill in London, with The Rev H.R.L Sheppard C.H., D.D. A booklet “Hints For Preachers” was published for those who would be speaking on this new medium and were unsure how to ‘use it’. The advice: “Remember that your vast audience isn't a crowd or congregation, but various individuals to whom you are speaking in the intimacy of their homes.” ...
Dec 03, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 337
2021.12.02 – 0336 – The Feedback Loop – Part 2 When we are in a studio, we don’t have this verbal and non-verbal feedback loop because the audience is unseen: we can’t see their nods of agreement, or hear their “ uh-huhs ” of understanding, and so it’s tricky for us to adjust our mode of delivery, and therefore to sound natural. We need to create a construct of conversationality while reading a written text aloud. You know what it’s like when you’re talking to someone at a barbecue or business g...
Dec 02, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 336
2021.12.01 – 0335 – Mouth Open, Eyes Closed I once knew a man who spoke in a very loud voice. He commanded the conversation both with his volume and also with his body language, because when he spoke in his overbearing, bumptious tone… he’d close his eyes. What he was doing was shutting out all external signals that would have told him to cede the floor: he would not see someone stepping back, looking away, shaking their head and so on, which meant he could continue barking until he had finished...
Dec 01, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 335
2021.11.30 – 0334 – The Broken Feedback Loop In a face-to-face or even voice-to-voice conversation (such as a phone call), most people constantly monitor their role in relation to others: · taking turns so they don’t monopolise a conversation · the speaker adds verbal checks to confirm that the other person is listening and understanding (“ you know what I mean?”) · the listener adds verbal confirmations back to the speaker to show they are listening and understanding (“ Go on… ”, “ oh yeah? ”) ...
Nov 30, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 334
2021.11.29 – 0333 – The Big Projection Problem The big problem is that in our line of work - broadcasting, podcasting or voice-overing – we are in an ‘unnatural situation’. A million years ago, our prehistoric ancestors would talk, live, to a handful of people who were standing nearby. Then as communities grew, people would talk live to larger crowds standing in front of them. Today, we sit alone in a room, and talk to far greater numbers of people, who we can’t see but who are all listening alo...
Nov 29, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 333
2021.11.28 – 0332 – Presenting Projections on TV and Radio In television a conversational projection is more appropriate because the reader has an illusion of eye contact with the audience, and television audiences offer more of their undivided attention than do radio listeners. Radio presenters have to work harder to cut through distractions and background noise before reaching the listener, especially if you are being heard on somebody’s car radio or in a living room full of hyperactive two-ye...
Nov 28, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 332
2021.11.27 – 0331 – Interpretations of Projections Loud speakers can come over as assured and energetic - or aggressive or bumptious, full of themselves, larger than life, maybe a bit of a bully. They can’t or won’t monitor how their message is being received – and so don’t dial back from 11, and leave the listener feeling attacked and wanting to disengage from the message. Softer speakers can seem meek, mild and unsure of themselves or their content. A listener may consider they have less credi...
Nov 27, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 331
2021.11.26 – 0330 – Why Various Voice Volumes Are Vital Why ‘Various Voice Volumes Are Vital’ So why is cranking the dial up or down so useful both with scripts and adlibs? In natural English-presentation, more volume and projection are used: · to add emphasis to important content · when we are excited about the content · when we are speaking with a several people, or those who are further away · when we are angry · when we consider the listener doesn’t understand the message. In natural English...
Nov 26, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 330
2021.11.25 – 0329 – What Is ‘Energy’? Energy (or ‘presence’) This is slightly different from both volume and projection, but does have elements of those within it. ‘Energy’ is subtle and complex, and is a mix of various elements of your body and mind. So, an ‘energetic presentation’ might be a mix of varying degrees of: Your Body · Volume – but you’re not shouting · Projection – but you’re not too intense · Pace - but not like an action-packed livestock auctioneer · Resonance – from your foundat...
Nov 25, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 329
2021.11.24 – 0328 – The Shower Head Analogy Projection is ‘your voice with focus’. Think of the settings on a shower head: one may be a wide ‘rain shower’ spray, another a ‘full body’ spray covering a smaller area, and then a ‘intense jet’ that uses the same overall force of water but concentrates it in a smaller more-clearly targeted area. So, think of the soundwaves leaving your mouth as being more intense in their focus , but with little or no additional volume. Flick the setting and have the...
Nov 24, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 328
2021.11.23 – 0327 – What Is ‘Projection’? Projection – There is a subtle difference between ‘volume’ and ‘projection’, where the latter is a more nuanced way of ‘throwing one’s voice’ when speaking on mic in a studio to ‘reach out’ to those who you cannot see. Projection is more about the power of the voice rather than the volume. It suggests intensity and focused strength . Like a focused laser beam rather than a strong, wide torch beam. Yes, projection involves ‘loudness’ but it is less to do ...
Nov 23, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 327
2021.11.22 – 0326 – What Is ‘Volume’? DEFINITIONS Volume – is a basic degree in softness or loudness of your voice along the path from whispering to shouting (or ‘raising one’s voice’). Sound is measured in decibels (dB). A whisper is about 30 dB, normal conversation is about 60 dB (a motorcycle engine running is about 95 dB). Audio recording script and show notes (c) 2021 Peter Stewart Through these around-5-minute episodes, you can build your confidence and competence with advice on breathing ...
Nov 22, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 326
2021.11.21 – 0325 – How You Naturally Pump Up The Volume How You Naturally Pump Up The Volume As we saw many chapters ago, your voice is produced by air from the lungs moving over the vocal cords in the larynx in the throat. As the cords’ combination of muscle and cartilage contract and relax, the space between them increases or decreases, and the tone and pitch of the voice changes. But it’s the force and speed of air passing over them which changes the volume. Think about a shout: Don’t you na...
Nov 21, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 325
2021.11.20 – 0324 – A MIx Of Modulators Of course, volume and projection are part of the overall ‘mix of modulators’ which combine in varying degrees to give you your unique voice that you use in different situations. They are perhaps more closely related to ‘tone’ which we spoke about earlier, and that in itself is related to the content of a message: you rarely shout “ I love you ” but say it in a softer voice. Similarly, at a sports event you’re unlikely to whisper “ C’mon you Reds…”. And the...
Nov 20, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 324
2021.11.19 – 0323 – The Volume of Your Voice – plus a shout out to projection and energy “The mouth is a true index of character. It is through the mouth and eyes that all emotions are expressed” A.A. Milne In this chapter we’ll look at how loud you sound. There’s a section on vocal proxemics , the times you may use a softer or louder voice and a bit on mic technique too. Plus, your vocal health when it comes to both whispering and straining when projecting. Everything from intimate to ‘declamat...
Nov 19, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 323
2021.11.18 – 0322 – In Summary A common failing of script readers is banging out every, say, fifth word, like a beat on a drum. Or banging out unimportant words, the ‘grammar glue’ that simply link a sentence together, rather than the words which do the ‘heavy lifting’ and help explain the story. (Here I have underlined the correct ones to lift!) Having this kind of intonation gives the impression that you don’t understand the story – and of course it is your job to explain it. Intonation exists...
Nov 18, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 322
2021.11.17 – 0321 – Final Intonation Considerations Once you have pre-read and rehearsed and are confident in what the sense of the script is, don’t necessarily read it exactly the same way each and every time. To sound convincingly conversational, you need to ‘feel’ the words each time your eyes see them, as though the thoughts are just occurring to you. As long as it’s true to the intended meaning, each time should sound like it is the first time. Intonation is important: highlighting one diff...
Nov 17, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 321
2021.11.16 – 0320 – What Am I Talking About What am I talking about? “She is a miniature horse breeder and is married to an English professor.” Is she a horse breeder who is small in height, and married to a woman who is English and teaches science? Or does she breed miniature horses and married to a German who tutors in the subject of English? “The new solicitor was very concerned about his brief case and allegations about his clients’ milking machines.” Is he worried about his bag and the fate...
Nov 16, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 320
2021.11.15 – 0319 – Intonations In Different Languages INTONATIONS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES Each language has its intonation and some are more musical than others. In English, a wide range is used. In some instances, intonation carries the meaning of a phrase. For example, in question tags the intonation used can indicate whether the speaker is looking for agreement. It is important for speakers of other languages to be aware of intonation. If their language does not have the same range, they can ...
Nov 15, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 319
2021.11.14 – 0318 – Prick Up Your Ears This ‘skeleton script’ comprising of just the meaning-full words, are the ones which are lifted and if you only heard these ones perhaps on the radio in the car when the kids were chattering, you get a gist of what the story was. Like catching your name being said amongst the hubbub of a party, they are the ones which prick up your ears. It’s like, as a child, listening from the upstairs bannisters to your parents talking downstairs. You can’t get every wor...
Nov 14, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 318
2021.11.13 – 0317 – The Magic Skeleton You have to be careful with intonation of course: · If you lift the wrong words that you begin to sound like a bad robot and thus not conversational or natural · If you lift the wrong words, it can actually change the meaning of a sentence, and may even land you in trouble legally · If you lift too many words then the whole sentence or paragraph will be lifted, and be akin to a constant shout rather than a well-modulated, meaning-rich presentation. That for...
Nov 13, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 317
2021.11.12 – 0316 – Hearing Your Own Intonation It is difficult to be aware of the exact intonation of your own presentation, partly because of how we hear ourselves ‘inside ourselves’ through our own sound passages and vibrations. And also, it’s because we know our ‘intention of intonation’, and therefore it’s difficult to judge how exactly that message has been received. To put it another way, we hear what we said, not what others have heard and have understood by it. Those who speak in a mono...
Nov 12, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 316
2021.11.11 – 0315 – The ‘Question Intonation’ Those who have a ‘sing-songy’ voice which goes unnecessarily up-and-down in tone (the ‘sea-sick syndrome’), can come over as patronising. It may sound ‘up and bright’ to them but to the listener it sounds cheesy and as though the presenter is on ‘auto-pilot’ without a care for the content of the message. Other presenters go up at the end of every sentence? Like this? Whether it’s necessary or not? Are they really asking a question? Or have they got i...
Nov 11, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 315
2021.11.10 – 0314 – Circumflex Intonation But the human voice is capable of much more intonational gymnastics! Within some words we can go down … and then up and then down again. Or up, down, and up again. And these intonation alterations give additional clues to the listener as to what we mean. Down > up > down ( ) This is often a sneery tone, or used to signify uncertainty. · “I don’t think you doooo!” Up > down > up ( ) Suggests that we haven’t finished talking , or us used at the...
Nov 10, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 314
2021.11.09 – 0313 – The Flat Intonation And in some situations, I may just have an almost flat intonation (with a slight raise) on a word, to signpost a meaning to the listener. For example, if I am talking, it’s the way that I would say that I’m in the middle of my sentence, and I don’t want you to interrupt me yet because I’ve got more to say about this subject, but when I have finished what I’m saying, I’ll finish and go down. Let’s take a look back at that: “So, it’s the way that I would say...
Nov 09, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 313
2021.11.08 – 0312 – The Downward Circumflex Intonation Within A Word This is, unsurprisingly, a word said in a higher pitch followed by a lower one, and as you might expect often signifies closure, certainty, finality – and is what we often use at the end of a sentence, as well as: · Usually for straight questions expecting more straight answers – “Is the team playing today or tomorrow?” / “Tomorrow.” · “What will Professor Harris say?” · “Why is she so upset?” · “Why are you complaining?” · “Wh...
Nov 08, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 312
