TYPES OF VOICE

TYPES OF VOICE

Several notable types of voices are:
 Baby voices
 Pleasing voices
 Firm voices
 Unattractive voice

(1) Baby voices

The moment a baby is borne, it starts communicating. A newly born baby expresses itself through „gurgling sounds‟. Mothers can make it out soon. Experienced mothers can guess very accurately from the sounds a baby makes, whether it is hungry or has wetted the bed or is just missing the presence of someone.
Equally, even babies, at very early stage, are able to distinguish between tones of its parents - whether it is endearing, playful or unpleasant.
Pet dogs respond to the tones of their masters very faithfully – they go by the way some thing is said rather than understand the verbal command. It is surprising how accurate they are in their interpretation of their masters‟ commands. For example:
 Pet animals obey promptly the „stern voice‟ of their masters
 Pet dogs start wagging their tails to a „loving voice‟
 Pet dogs can start jumping to a playful tone of their masters‟ voice
At other times, they start licking the master.

(2) Pleasing voice

A pleasing voice is the first requirement of a „charming speech‟. The students must cultivate it assiduously.
It is said that the voice of a perfect lady „ravishes all senses‟. She can wield a great deal of influence on her listeners!

(3) Firm voice

A firm but quiet voice is an asset to a speaker. Cultivating a firm but quiet voice is an art. You have to practise hard to achieve a certain level of expertise. It pays rich dividends to the possessor of such a voice. It makes ones‟ utterances very persuasive. Speakers with this voice quality command greater attention as people like listening to them.

(4) Unattractive voice

Unattractive voice can drive people away from them. Shrill voice gets on people‟s nerves. Swan is beautiful to look at and has a graceful body but it possesses a shrill voice. A loud woman sounds very derogatory – audience would not like her speech either. The unattractive voice can be further classified as below:
(i) Harsh voice
It may arise from the tension in the throat muscles. Practice deep breathing and other exercises to relax throat muscles. Try and practice speaking at a low pitch. Speakers should open mouth just enough for throwing the voice to the audience.
(ii) Shrill voice
If the voice is shrill, it is difficult to overcome the deficiency without the help of a speech therapist.
(iii) Nasal voice
A nasal twang can spoil ones‟ voice and make it unpleasant to listen to. The persons with nasal voice should pay attention to improve quality of their voice. In no case should one become self-conscious. Please remember that a natural flow and smoothness of words is the best.