There is a commercial in which an announcer is looking for a speaker who has a big voice. What is unnerving about this commercial is that the terminology regarding the voice is wrong. As the commercial plays, you hear someone saying the lines in a progressively deeper voice. So what is the difference? A big voice refers to volume. A deep voice refers to the pitch of the voice – not to be confused with volume. Vin Diesel has a deep voice which also happens to be big. Fran Drescher has a big voice, on the other hand, but it is not deep. In fact, her sound is nasal and high-pitched.
When even those in broadcasting do not understand phonation – the production of voiced sound – or its terminology, it is not surprising that most people are unaware that they have a deeper voice inside. Powered by your chest, the largest of the resonators. your ‘real' voice is a richer, warmer, resonant sound.
Once you discover your ‘real' voice, you will feel your chest do your talking. By making this change in the placement of your voice, the pitch of your voice will be deeper, your sound will be broader, and you will discover a wonderful control over what comes out of your mouth. It is a tremendous asset to have this control.
You will also find that it is easier speaking in this manner than before when your voice was being pushed from your throat. And, if you have been suffering from vocal abuse, that abuse will end because you will feel as if you are going over your larynx in speaking. It is an amazing difference in quality of sound, production of sound, and ease of sound.
You do not need to live with a high-pitched, whiny voice. Everyone has a better voice inside just waiting to come out and you do too. If you are soft-spoken, you will notice an increase in your volume naturally as well. If you speak too loudly, on the other hand, the change in the placement of your voice will soften your volume. It will take away the edges or the shrillness, producing a warm quality that can only be achieved with good voice training.
If you want a better voice, the techniques are simple and basic. And, once you make your ‘real' voice a habit, you will find it improving with age. Imagine sounding more mature and having a deeper resonant voice that is heard comfortably by your listeners.
No, the radio announcer was not looking for a bigger voice – just a deeper one.
