Have you ever noticed that great speakers sound interesting right from the start? Top speakers will have you captivated from the moment they introduce themselves. How do they do this with a simple hello and introduction? I’ll tell you. It’s their perfect pitch. The definition of pitch is the position of the sound of your voice on a musical scale. Using your natural pitch is always great advice, but what people don’t know is that when you tense up under pressure, your voice will automatically speak in a higher tone—leading to a timid sound, and a timid speech. Whether you are speaking in a business setting or giving a big presentation, here is the secret to beginning with the perfect pitch.
Simply say to yourself the affirmative slang “Mm-hmm” as naturally as you would in standard conversation. You can also clear your throat to get the same effect. Now continue the exercise with “Mm—hmm, hello…Mm-Hmm, Hello my name is…”
Listen for how you sound and realize that this is your natural pitch. For some people this pitch sounds a bit lower than usual. This is completely normal, and you will realize in no time that this is the professional voice you’ve been missing! This tone will be known as your “Home Base” and you can return there whenever you are speaking in a neutral tone throughout your speech. Radio personalities always find their correct pitch and sound great. That is why they are radio personalities.
It’s important to begin all of your speeches at your home base so you have the ability to add vocal variety later in the speech. If you begin too high or low, you’re your exciting phrases will also sound either too high or too low. Vocal variety will be key for adding excitement to your speech, and we will learn more about this later in the course. So make sure to use this trick and you’ll start off right every time.
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