2021.10.08 – 0281 – Emma’s Story If you understand the sense of the story, why it is relevant and interesting, then you stand a better chance of making it compelling when you read it. Put yourself in the place where the story happened, see it as you read it to add to your conviction… – like Emma, the travel reporter… I was called in by the manager of a radio station to train his travel news presenter, let’s call her Emma Leven. He was at a loss to know what to do. She had a great voice and perso...
Oct 07, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 281
2021.10.07 – 0280 – - How to Sound Like You Know What You’re Talking About. - How to sound like you know what you’re talking about. You can do this by actually knowing what you’re talking about. (You can’t fake sincerity.) If you don’t know the meaning of what you’re reading, then how will you will be able to convey the meaning to your audience? Good comprehension leads to good intonation. If you are not interested, your viewer and listener won’t be. You don’t want one (or more) of them to think...
Oct 06, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 280
2021.10.06 – 0279 – The Bus Driver Analogy If you have ‘randomisation of intonation’ then it’s like travelling on a bus with a driver who keeps clipping the curb. You get so caught up with hanging on to the seat that you’re not ‘hanging onto their every word’. Your listeners have to be reassured where you are going with a script, so they can ‘enjoy the view’ of the message. That way they forget about the driver, and just enjoy the journey. Audio recording script and show notes (c) 2021 Peter Ste...
Oct 05, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 279
2021.10.05 – 0278 – Intonation Is Easier If… ‘Read intonation’ becomes easier if you: · Understand the message of the script or story · Realise its significance – if you are interested you will sound interesting · Know who the intended listener is · And their ‘desired response’ 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 ...
Oct 04, 2021•55 sec•Season 1Ep. 278
2021.10.04 – 0277 – Nervous Newbies This person is a beginner in reading, perhaps live on air. Their problem is that they start their read not on their ‘home pitch’ but one or two octaves higher, which means that when they need to intonate a word using a slightly higher pitch there’s little head room to move in to. It can sound painful for humans to hear – although dogs may be able to! As well as internal and external stress contributing to a higher register, the style and content of some presen...
Oct 03, 2021•6 min•Season 1Ep. 277
2021.10.03 – 0276 – The ‘Grand Old Duke Of York’ Readers These are the presenters who rise in pitch as the sentence goes on, then pause three words from the end of it before completing it on… [1] a [2] downward [3] inflection. They are in effect, marching their words to the top of the hill… and then down again. (Say those two previous sentences with a rising intonation on each word up to the ellipses, and then drop it … word by word.) You may have heard people like this: they’re often on the mic...
Oct 02, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 276
2021.10.02 – 0275 – ‘Intonation Stew’ Readers Sometimes I hear a script that sounds like an ‘intonation stew’, with intonations rising and falling for no apparent reason, and emphasis either in all the wrong places. It’s always hard to listen to that kind of read, because it’s completely un-natural. That is, it doesn’t mimic the way we speak in conversation, which is one of the skills you need for successful voice acting. It sounds like a really poor ‘robotic’ voice you hear on kids’ games form ...
Oct 01, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 275
2021.10.01 – 0274 – Action Intonators I have also read advice to “ stress every verb, because they’re action-words ”. That is simply wrong! There may be some sense in colouring (not ‘stress’ please!) some action words (as long as they are keys to the sense of the script (see below) such as run, fight, punch, jump and so on. They are certainly ‘action verbs’. But what about other verbs? Sleep, cry, collapse…? Verbs simply do not always express action. So such advice is ‘intonational nonsense’. Au...
Sep 30, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 274
2021.09.30 – 0273 – Plonking “Just a little tip, you don’t underline every third word for emphasis because it sounds really unnatural” that’s what Ira Glass the host and producer of the radio and television series ‘This American Life’ is quoted as saying. [1] Similarly, NPR says: “ You should give certain words a little punch, but in a way that doesn’t just mean you scream every fourth word and whisper all the others .” [2] Plonking in intonation on every ‘however-many-words’, shows you have a c...
Sep 29, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 273
2021.09.29 – 0272 – Intonation Constipation This is when there is barely any intonation at all – your presentation style is as flat as Ian McDonald on diazepam. [1] With such a delivery, all the ‘story signposts’ are at the same level. Low. And even though the delivery may be unemotional – good on occasion – it may also be considered uninvolving or uncaring, or rude and does little to help lead a listener through the lanes of learning. Rather than get a full understanding, they’re more likely to...
Sep 28, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 272
2021.09.28 – 0271 – The Stale Story Read Another close relation, The Stale Story read is also the style of the 24-hour news channel presenter, who is reading the same script for the umpteenth hour and forgets to inject an element of understanding into it. It’s the style of the autocue automaton who forgets that someone is hearing this information for the very first time and to them it should be presented as ‘fresh facts’ and ‘new news’ and an intonation that will help signpost its significance. ...
Sep 27, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 271
2021.09.27 – 0270 – The News Channel Read This is the style of intonation in which every story is read in a similar style. It takes its name from the ’24-hour news’ style, where presenters don’t have time to read new stories off air before they do so on air. They get into a ‘reading rut’, a muscle-memory delivery that has the same pattern and intonation, rise and fall. Such a delivery is usually not very wrong, but not completely right either. It’s a basic non-committal, neutral safe style that ...
Sep 26, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 270
2021.09.26 – 0269 – Sing-Song Reads Here then is my ‘Reading Rogue’s Gallery’ – ‘criminal intonations’ committed by newbies who haven’t been trained properly, and old hands who’re stuck in a rut. Sing-song reads These are scripts read with a repetitive rhythm, with a similar rise and fall in one sentence as another. This kind of delivery shows that rather than intoning the correct words, you’re merely intoning the ones that appear in the same place in each sentence. Each sentence should come acr...
Sep 25, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 269
2021.09.25 – 0268 – When Wrong Words Are Intoned If the wrong words are ‘intoned’, you are not achieving the main part of your job: effective communication. · the listener may not be able to follow · you may lose their attention entirely · they may become annoyed as they struggle to understand the sense of the story · you may give the impression that you are biased for or against the story you are reading · or imply that you have little confidence in the importance of the story or the interest o...
Sep 24, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 268
2021.09.24 – 0267 – When Intonation Goes Wrong When Intonation Goes Wrong Later we will look at intonation, the lift or suppression of individual words and phrases to indicate significance. Mis-emphasis destroys the authority and believability of your delivery. Intonation is greatly misunderstood and badly taught – if at all. While researching content for this book to add to my extensive notes and experiences, I came across a company offering training in ‘how to speak like a broadcaster’. For $5...
Sep 23, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 267
2021.09.23 – 0266 – Un-Colouring Words And the counterbalance to colouring or lifting a word or phrase, is ‘un-colouring’ or dropping a word or phrase. It’s part of ‘throwing away’ unimportant information, and is just as important as highlighting the ‘best bits’. Without one, there would not be the other. People do not process every word you utter in their heads - they listen only for key words that unlock the meaning of the sentence, and they interpret words that you leave alone (or un-stress o...
Sep 22, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 266
2021.09.22 – 0265 – The Intonation Colour Chart Intonational ‘colour chart’; There are four basic levels: Level 4 - Special Stress – more energy emphasis Level 3 - Primary Lift - slightly raised in range Level 2 - Home Base – your natural resting ‘mono-tone’ Level 1 - Finality - low pitch This is how that framework can be used: [1] · Statements of fact/command: “Now tell him” 2-3-1 · Interrogative sentence: “Is he ready?” 2-2-3 · Questions with interrogative words: “Where is it?” 2-3-1 · Fright ...
Sep 21, 2021•9 min•Season 1Ep. 265
2021.09.21 – 0264 – Graduations of Intonations Intonation Gradations Intonation requires you to give the correct degree of colour to ‘key’ words or phrases in a sentence, to show which of several possible meanings is intended. ‘Colour’ is a nuanced combination of: · Pitch – when we change the inflection or tone of the word by lifting it (this happens most frequently in intonation) · Projection – pushing the word more forcibly · Volume – making the word louder · Speed – saying a word slower than ...
Sep 20, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 264
2021.09.20 – 0263 – The Intonation Code So you will see by now that your intonation can greatly influence the meaning of the message and you have to select the weight of your intonation carefully to ensure that the correct information is communicated to your audience. Intonation is the code we have to unlock the meaning of what people ‘really’ mean – without them having to explain it all for us. And that is all great when we are adlibbing, discoursing and generally being gabby conversationalists...
Sep 19, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 263
2021.09.19 – 0262 – An Intonation Exercise You want another example? Try this: “He lost the point”. But depending how it is ‘intoned’ it could mean: · “He lost the point” – everyone else tried really hard, but that point loss? It was down to him. · “He lost the point” – we had all hoped that the point was going to be won, it was down to the wire, on a knife edge, and against the clock, but in the end, yep, he lost it. · “He lost the point” – Yep he lost the point, but k’know what, we won the gam...
Sep 18, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 262
2021.09.18 – 0261 – The Red Hat Mystery Those examples were with a single word, so now let’s try a similar exercise with the basic sentence “I didn’t say Roger took the red hat”. How we say each of those words, in relation to the others, helps explain more of meaning behind the statement than the actual words themselves. I didn’t say Roger took the red hat I didn’t say that – but Maddy did. I didn’t say Roger took the red hat I said nothing of the sort. Everything you say is false. I didn’t say ...
Sep 17, 2021•7 min•Season 1Ep. 261
2021.09.17 – 0260 – “Hello…” Intonation is what we all use naturally every day in our conversational speech. As native speakers of whatever language, we have the rhythms and flows, the up and downlifts, the speed, projections and pauses, all in-built. That’s because we have heard the lilt of the language from inside the womb and every day since. And it’s the same when we hear people too: if your partner calls you on the phone you can tell immediately what kind of day they’re having – not so much...
Sep 16, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 260
2021.09.16 – 0259 – Intonation Illustrations Intonation illustrations Intonation is the ‘punctuation of the spoken word’ used to signpost meaning when we’re talking. Of course, in the written word there are various devices that can be used instead: “When did you get here?” Susan snapped, sarcastically. “SHUT UP!” he replied. To help the reader, the author and printer have worked together to tell the reader what’s going on: · Italicisation – draws attention to the key word in a sentence. By putti...
Sep 15, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 159
2021.09.15 – 0258 – The Goldilocks Rules Of Intonation Nuanced and natural The first thing to stress (!) is that intonation is usually a subtle blend of various vocal elements, nuanced and natural. It is usually not ‘stressing’, ‘emphasising’, ‘barking’ or ‘shouting’, all of which are the vocal equivalent of a thump on the table. And although we use CAPITALISATIONS to or underlining to mark our scripts and where to lift, we do so for practicalities’ sake. But in your mind, instead of emboldened ...
Sep 14, 2021•2 min•Season 1Ep. 258
2021.09.14 – 0257 – My Guide To Reading Out Loud, Naturally Here is my guide on ‘how to read out loud naturally’ [1] which I developed as a BBC news presenter and then went on to use while train colleagues in national and local stations across the UK. It’s a framework on how to vocalise various constructions of grammar, punctuation and logic which make up most news stories and scripts. Note I did not say ‘rules’, because although some sentences can only be read in one way, most can be read in a ...
Sep 13, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 257
2021.09.13 – 0256 - Weight And Pitch in Intonation An Introduction to Intonation Intonation is, then, the weight and pitch one puts on individual words or phrases that draw attention to their significance and thereby communicate the overall message. Correct intonation leads a listener through a story, with the reader an interpreter or trusted guide of the facts about what ‘makes the story, a story’. The reader of a newspaper is led around the printed page by its layout. Television approaches thi...
Sep 12, 2021•3 min•Season 1Ep. 256
2021.09.12-0255 – Intonation Definitions Intonation – is the subtle combination of tone, pitch and volume that you give to individual words or phrases as part of your overall musicality of inflection – and that’s the point of this chapter. Therefore, I will refer to intonation rather than inflection as the way to read conversationally and with meaning. I shall be careful not to use ‘ stress ’ as the word can also be used to mean ‘physical or mental stress’ (causing tension in the body and leadin...
Sep 11, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 255
0254 – Inflection Definitions INFLECTION AND INTONATION DEFINITIONS Definitions for words surrounding different parts of speaking are many, varied and often interchangeable. For clarity I shall use: Inflection – the overall sound of a language. Listen to someone speaking in a language that you do not understand and the overall rise and fall of their sound, its musicality, is the inflection. ‘Cadence’ or ‘prosody’ could be considered other words for ‘inflection’. Inflection is the ‘sum of all the...
Sep 10, 2021•5 min•Season 1Ep. 254
0253 – An Introduction To Intonation In this Intonation Section · How to recognize the principles of intonation used naturally in everyday speech · How to apply these principles in ‘unnatural’ scripted words, written by someone else · How to communicate the meaning of the reading – even with complicated content · How to speak naturally · How to make the written word sound unforced and natural In short, how to give meaning to your reading Audio recording script and show notes (c) 2021 Peter Stewa...
Sep 09, 2021•1 min•Season 1Ep. 253
0252 – Non-Word Sounds It’s not just words that are requested in voice overs and voice acting. As we just saw, there are sighs gasps and screams too. Here are a few more sounds which are often requested at sessions, and which might be worth you practicing: · burping · cheering · crying · drinking · gasping · laughing · sneezing / blowing nose Also common ones in games: · climbing and lifting oneself up · jumping up, landing down and falling impacts · punching and being punched · kicking and bein...
Sep 08, 2021•4 min•Season 1Ep. 252
