Strive for Vocal Variety
Rather than operating separately, all the vocal elements described so far—volume, pitch, speaking rate, and pauses—work together to create vocal variety. Indeed, the real key to effective vocal delivery is to vary all these elements with a tone of enthusiasm. Vocal variety comes quite naturally when you are excited about what you are saying to an audience, when you feel it is important and want to share it with them.
Checklist: Practice Check for Vocal Effectiveness
1. As you practice, does your voice project authority?
2. Is your voice too loud? Too soft?
3. Do you avoid speaking in a monotone? Do you vary the stress or emphasis you place on words to clearly express your meaning?
4. Is your rate of speech comfortable for listeners?
5. Do you avoid unnecessary vocal fillers, such as “uh,” “hmm,” “you know,” and “I mean”?
6. Do you use silent pauses for strategic effect?
7. Does your voice reflect a variety of emotional expressions? Do you convey enthusiasm?