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kindofbluenote
Sea Gull
Joined: Jan 23, 2007
Posts: 229
Location: Oort Cloud
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 Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject: How can I improve my speech? |
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I was wondering if anybody has heard of a way to improve their speaking abilities. I'm very conscious of how I project myself, and I'm being given a lot more responsibility at work (which makes me happy!) but unfortunately it brings me into a lot of contact with people. IT's a business/professional environment, and I need to be able to project confidence.
I'm better at eye contact, and other things like that, but the problem is that I mumble a lot, and talk very quietly. How can I overcome this and sound like I know what I'm talking about? Are there any exercises or practice suggestions?
Thanks
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Sopho
Emu Egg
Joined: Apr 04, 2007
Posts: 13905
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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My counsellor suggested I try signing because my throat is to closed.
But I can't sing. |
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JakeG
G/Ker(f) ~ Im(f)
Joined: Mar 29, 2007
Posts: 1295
Location: England
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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I think one thing that would be really helpful would be if you could film yourself doing a talk or presentation and then watch it afterwards to see if you can spot anything which needs improving. Then, repeat the exercise but make a concious effort to avoid repeating the same problems. You can do this in front of a mirror but I think it is better if you can film it as if you are able to watch it after the event, so to speak, you can devote your full concentration on observing rather than performing.
| Sopho wrote: | My counsellor suggested I try signing because my throat is to closed.
But I can't sing. |
But you can learn to sing. The voice is like any other instrument; one can improve with correct practice. I couldn't play guitar before I had practiced it but now after 6 years, I can play a little.
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Neuromancer
Phoenix
Joined: Apr 11, 2007
Posts: 1008
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| JakeG suggestion seems very good. I believe even if you only record your own voice and then listen to it and practice doing this will be good, but, notice: the first time you here your own voice will be bad, it happens to all. |
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anbuend
Oak-Type Autie
Joined: Jul 06, 2004
Posts: 3320
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 11:46 pm Post subject: |
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Someone I know basically listened to other people making speeches and emulated the sound in their voices.
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Anna4077
Blue Jay
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 88
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| Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:40 am Post subject: |
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I have a terrible tendency to talk too fast and trip over my words.
I find that ...speaking...slowly...really...helps. 
It gives me more time to organise my thoughts and forces people to listen to me too,which is pretty cool.
But this is nothing new. Watch an old Marlon Brando film if you want to see how it's really done. |
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kclark
Velociraptor
Joined: May 11, 2007
Age: 27
Posts: 461
Location: NE Illinois
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| Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:13 am Post subject: |
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I had trouble with talking loudly, so I sang at the top of my lungs in my car. This helped me to get used to the feeling of loud speech.
I also took a speech class at the college. It was very hard at first, but I developed almost an entirely different voice when I need to speak to a group of people or to strangers. Coming from my diaphram and much deeper than my normal voice it carries quite well and is easy to get more volume out of. I think the fact that I don't use my normal voice also helps a bit when doing things like speeches as I kinda feel like it isn't me that people are listening to, but the speech me.
Of course my speech teacher totally embarrassed me during one speech. She used to work on the radio and said that I have a great voice. Then just before I was about to start my speech she said to the entire class. "Ok ladies, just close your eyes and enjoy."  I nearly forgot what my speech was about. It did really help me not worry about how I sounded to others though. |
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MrMacPhisto
Phoenix
Joined: May 21, 2007
Age: 22
Posts: 1026
Location: Lost On A Silent Planet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:17 am Post subject: |
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I improved by watching a video of myself I didn't like my voice so I started to talk quieter it helped me alot
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