TEDx Talks - How you say it matters | Luke Steinhauer | TEDxCUNY
The speaker, a vocal coach with extensive experience, argues that vocal training is crucial for everyone, not just singers. They explain that communication is largely about how you say things, with 38% of communication being about sound and only 7% about the actual words. The speaker introduces four vocal skills for success: engaging through pitch control, exciting through loudness, empathizing through clarity, and enticing through speech rate. Practical exercises are provided to demonstrate how varying pitch, loudness, and clarity can convey different messages and emotions. The speaker shares personal experiences and family background in music to underline the importance of vocal expression. They conclude by encouraging everyone to embrace their vocal potential, emphasizing that everyone has a beautiful voice and can achieve vocal success through knowledge and practice.
Key Points:
- Vocal training is essential for effective communication, focusing on how you say things rather than just what you say.
- Four key vocal skills: engage with pitch, excite with loudness, empathize with clarity, and entice with speech rate.
- Practical exercises show how pitch and loudness affect listener engagement and perception.
- Vocal knowledge empowers individuals, enhancing confidence and communication skills.
- Everyone has a beautiful voice and can improve with practice and awareness.
Details:
1. 🎤 Discovering the Power of Your Voice
- Only a small percentage of the audience has taken formal voice lessons, indicating a gap in structured vocal training.
- A larger portion of the audience has participated in communications courses, suggesting more exposure to structured communication development.
- The universal acknowledgment of having a voice underscores the potential for everyone to enhance their vocal and communication skills.
- Voice and communication skills are essential for personal and professional development, indicating the need for increased access to formal training and practice.
- Examples of successful voice training highlight improvements in clarity, confidence, and engagement in communication.
2. 🔍 Understanding Your Vocal Instrument
- The voice is described as the most powerful instrument for survival and success, located in the throat, specifically the Adam's apple or thyroid notch.
- The voice is versatile, capable of speaking, singing, laughing, crying, emphasizing, encouraging, and yelling.
- Voice training has traditionally been reserved for singers, but effective speakers across various fields demonstrate the importance of voice control.
- Albert Moravian's research highlights that communication is 55% visual (how you look), 38% vocal (how you sound), and only 7% verbal (what you say), emphasizing that how you say something is more important than the content itself.
- Traditional voice and speech instruction often emphasizes what to say rather than how to say it, despite the significant impact of vocal delivery on communication.
3. 👩🎤 A Journey in Voice Training
- The speaker has been a voice teacher and vocal coach for almost 15 years, indicating significant experience in the field.
- The speaker's background in a family of musicians and educators contributed to their early understanding of vocal expression.
- Voice training was not pursued by chance; it was influenced by the speaker's mother, who taught voice from a young age and empowered students across various backgrounds.
- The speaker's mother, a prominent figure in the field, worked internationally with professionals, illustrating the global reach and impact of their teaching philosophy.
4. 🎭 From Stage to Strategic Communication
- The speaker works with Broadway actors and pop singers to enhance performance sustainability and power, indicating a cross-disciplinary approach to vocal training.
- Mentorship extends to voice teachers to improve vocal brilliance in their students, showcasing a focus on teaching and skill development.
- The speaker also trains tech executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to use their voice effectively, highlighting the importance of vocal skills in leadership and communication.
- The importance of strategic communication is emphasized, focusing not only on content but also on delivery, demonstrating a holistic approach to communication skills.
5. 🎯 Four Essential Vocal Skills
- Vocal Skill 1: Engage by controlling pitch to make your voice sing, helping convey different messages and engage listeners.
- Experimentation with pitch: Practicing speaking in low, high, and varied pitch ranges to understand the effects on listener perception.
- Low pitch conveys confidence, authority, and maturity; high pitch conveys warmth, friendliness, and excitement; varied pitch engages the listener.
- Practical exercise: Use phrases like "let me share my screen" in different pitch ranges to observe variations in impact and engagement.
- Theoretical insight: Controlling pitch allows speakers to convey distinct messages and foster listener engagement effectively.
6. 📣 Harnessing Volume and Clarity
6.1. Vocal Skill: Volume Control
6.2. Vocal Skill: Clarity and Empathy
6.3. Vocal Skill: Rate of Speech
7. 🗝️ Mastering Vocal Techniques
7.1. Vocal Control and Engagement
7.2. Practical Application
8. 🌟 Embracing Your Unique Vocal Potential
- The most powerful instrument you possess is your voice, which resides inside your throat.
- Show love and appreciation for your voice, reinforcing a positive relationship with it.
- Recognize that everyone has a beautiful voice, and believing in this can unlock new possibilities.
- Trusting in your vocal potential can empower you to dream and achieve anything.