Lower the Volume for Emphasis

Many people do not know that a person can lower the volume of their voice without actually lowering the tone or pitch. When one lowers the volume of their voice, they will speak more softly. This is often done to keep someone from hearing what one is saying. It is also used to maintain authority and control during a discussion or meeting, as it will usually cause someone to lean in closer in order to hear you better. To lower the volume of your voice, simply use a softer tone and don't yell.

The lowering of the volume of your voice can actually be used to gain more attention or to express a particular emotion. If you are in a meeting, for example, and you do not want people to listen to what you are saying then speak louder. This will often create more interest and make people lean forward in their chairs or to the side so they can hear what you are saying better. On the other hand, if you have something important that needs to be said and someone is making it difficult for you to get their attention then lowering your volume will usually get them to listen.

Here is an exercise that can help you lower your volume without yelling.

Step 1: Say the word "happy" as clearly and powerfully as possible.

Step 2: Now say the word "happy" in a softer voice. You will notice that your volume has lowered considerably, but your tone is still very clear.

Step 3: Repeat step 2 with each of the following words: "amazing", "pretty", and "tearful". Notice how you speak each word more slowly if you are using a soft voice instead of yelling it.

The next time you are in an important meeting, choose something that you want to discuss but don't want to be overheard (e.g., an upcoming event). Use your voice to speak quietly. You will be surprised at how effective this is at getting the attention of others and at keeping them focused on what is being said.

In another example, imagine that you are in a conversation with a friend and you want to get their full attention. Using a soft voice instead of yelling this time will usually work. This can even be used as a way to soften up a person who is engaging in negative behavior, such as snapping at someone or being overly critical or harsh. By speaking softly, you are letting them know that they are making you uncomfortable and need to stop doing that. A softer voice can also help a person be more sensitive to another person's feelings and needs.

There is another way to use your voice to gain attention or show emotion, which is a little easier to do then lowering the volume of your voice. This way is called vocal dramatization or ventriloquism. This is when one uses their voice in such a way that it affects the way they sound and make them appear a different person or like they have an imaginary friend talking out loud.

For example, if you want to sound officious and authoritative, you can do one of two things: it's either raise your voice a little bit or speak in short clipped sentences. But there is another way you can do this. Instead of raising your voice or speaking short sentences, try speaking with a slightly slower pace than usual and don't use inflection when you speak. You will notice that instead of sounding like a coach talking to his team, you now sound like a British government official giving out orders.

You can also do the opposite by lowering your voice to create an unemotional effect; however, they fail to give emphasis where needed. This may have a little more subtle effect in gaining attention and control, but can be extremely effective in the workplace. You may even find that people often lean in closer to hear you over the speaker on your right or left.

To do this effectively, simply lower your volume of speech just a little bit, but not as much as you would with lowering your voice. Think of it like whispering rather than speaking quietly. Plus, use softer inflections and fewer pauses between phrases instead of using shorter sentences with no breaks.

In any case it is important that you are able to distinguish between the two techniques. Using a softer volume and speaking more slowly will help you to maintain authority and control, but using a lower volume without changing your tone of voice or inflection will give the impression that you are unemotional or disinterested.

The main difference between lowering the volume of your voice and using vocal dramatization is that while the former is used to gain attention, the latter is used to maintain authority.

Journal Article on Vocal Dramatization http://www.amazon.com/Talking-Yourself-Right-Thinking/dp/1579483576

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Lower-Your-Voice

Lower the Volume for Emphasis

Lower the Volume for Emphasis

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