Speaking range is as important to a presentation as musical range is to performance. Actors refer to the combination of body and voice as an “instrument.” A piano has an eight-octave range of pitch, and the piano was originally named “pianoforte”—Italian for “loud-soft”—due to the power it gave musicians to change the volume—the dynamics—by pressing the keys harder or softer. Keyboard instruments that preceded it—like the harpsichord—plucked the strings at a consistent volume regardless of how much pressure was applied. The way you use your speaking range determines whether you are a harpsichord or a pianoforte.
Consider the following speech excerpt (Spoken lines are in black. Stage directions are underlined in gray text):
Knock three times (clap hands or rap on the microphone or lectern to emulate a knock)
A knock on the door…!
And I'm alone…
Who could it be at this hour?
Put your finger to your lips. Stay silent.
Knock again
Count to three before responding tentatively
Hello…
Three more knocks – louder and faster
Speak with a higher pitch
Hello … Who is it?
Three more knocks – louder and faster
Speak with an even higher pitch
Uh … there's nobody here
Three more knocks – louder and faster
Speak with an even higher pitch
Hands on heart
I'm busy … could you come back tomorrow?
Pauses, pitch, and gestures grow the tension in this simple, comic narrative. Though the speaking part is timid and soft, the knocking grows steadily louder. The voice gets higher with each response, indicating growing fear. Something is about to happen and the audience will lean forward in their seats to find out what it is. Speaking range—not speechwriting—is the secret to engagement here.
When you craft your next presentation, look for opportunities to shift the dynamics. Whisper. Shout. Speak softly. Grow emphatic. Combine authoritative bass with trepidatious treble. Use your full speaking range to transform your audience.
Watch NSA Hall of Fame speaker, Jason Hewlett leverage the power of his incredible range in this short video. Aside from a great message, he moves from loud to soft, from fast to slow, from screaming to dreaming, from mild to wild. The performance “landscape” is constantly changing. The audience's attention never drifts.
“People from technology don't understand the creative process … companies go through to make their…
Everyone thinks they know what good customer service is. We’ve all had bad customer…
What of M&Ms, rock stars, and divas? The rock band Van Halen had an…
Every sailor runs aground sooner or later! How do you know if a speaker…
13.7-billion years ago, the universe expanded from a single point. Some of the light we…
The best speakers tell stories about YOU! A speaker walked onto the platform wearing a…
This website uses cookies.