VOICE CULTURE
Dr. Raparla Janardana Rao
Voice may be said as the
index of the mind. The old adage ‘face is the index of the mind’ doesn’t hold
good now a days. Cosmetic surgery has made inroads into the original structure
of the face of man. But human voice by far reveals the age, sex, mood, health
and his nativity.
Voice culture is gaining
importance in modern times as it occupies a major role in communication skills.
In oral articulation voice is the prime vehicle. While talking “direct to a person,
in conversation or talking through telephone or giving a speech through public
address system, our voice should be trained to the required purpose.
What is Voice Culture is
the essential question we have to address ourselves. To put it simply, voice culture
is training the innate or original voice giving it the touch of self effort of
improving it. We have our natural voice. But in modem times we have to give
training which is to be called culture. One may ask ‘What’s there to improve
our original voice? Where’s the need for voice culture?’ Let’s answer these
questions.
We have people with feeble
voice, some have hoarse voice, some have indistinct and lisping voice with
speech impediments. If we understand the physiological aspect of a speech, we
have to know that our vocal cords, tongue, lips, soft palate, jaw, teeth ridge
play a major role on our voice or speech.
But our mind or emotions
play a greater role influencing our voice. When one is in extreme pleasure with
great surprise, the voice comes out loud; in sorrow or sickness the voice is feeble,
in anger the sound reaches a high pitch, in nervousness the speech becomes ‘muttering’.
These different states of mind produce different types of voices in our
communication.
The question is where’s the
need? Yes, there is. The primitive man’s fig leaf has evolved into the modern
jeans. The hair styles and footwear designs are being changed from time to
time. The answer is, as man is evolving in several ways, his voice too is to be
trained or culture a suited to the civilized world. The farmer shouts to his
counterpart at a distance in a loud volume. But in a city, a person has to
speak with a low voice to be called a cultured person. One is called a boor if
one talks in a loud voice in the cities, or airports, or airplanes. Here the
voice becomes the barometer of one’s culture as revealed. In trains and buses
we find passengers talking with high pitched voice though they sit close to
each other. This practise is a painful experience to fellow passengers. English
men often speak in hushed voice as though whispering a secret. Of course, sorry
to say, most of our Indians bawl out to others. And this is a case
for-improving our voice culture.
I once asked my London
trained English lecturer why he speaks in such a low tone. He said he was
trained by his British mentors for long and he too remained in that way. Yes.
In super star hotels, super specialty hospitals, in airplanes the first aspect
of ‘Volume control’ in voice culture acquires significance. Our voice
should be neither high nor low but of the required pitch.
While cautioning about high volume of voice, we have to be careful about the other extremity, feebleness in voice. We hear some people talking on phone not heard properly by the person at the other end. The defect lies in his low voice. And the other person is forced to say ‘Excuse me, would you speak a little louder?’ Here low voice creates the problem.
In the interviews the candidates reply to the questions in a low voice. This may be due to the nervousness on the part of the job seeker. Through voice culture he has to be trained to raise his voice to a particular level to be selected as a successful candidate for his self-confidence. In interviews, voice should carry a note of confidence. In speech, or oral articulation we should sound distinct to the other party. It is a matter of tone as pronunciation.
In the selection of posts for a Business Manager, for a college teacher, a reception officer, a personal secretary or even, say a priest for the pulpit, or a purohit to chant hymns or Mantras, a person with distinct voice is always preferred to others. Here voice culture plays a pivotal role.
It is the habit of some people to speak too quickly. This causes difficulty to others to understand the point. Sometimes such speakers labour under the false notion that it would come under fluency in talking. Alas! this is but a misnomer. All distinguished speakers, statesmen, interviewers, or TV anchors use their voice with words in slow pace and welltimed pauses. They never reel out their words as in a torrent.
We should also consider voice tuned to distinctive and controlled pace or speed with pauses brought in. We should also consider the aspect of an emotional ring in the voice. While conversing on phone, while greeting others in social circles, while making a polite request to others for help, our voice should be blended with a pleasant and happy note. When on phone you have to make a request to extend a favour to another person, your voice should be tuned or cultured to make the request ‘Excuse me, could I contact Mr. Prasad by any chance, I would be on the line” or “Excuse me is that 222817 please”. If it is at a dinner table, “Would you pass on the salt dish?” On the railway platform “Excuse me, is this the train leaving for Machilipatnam?” Words should ooze politeness when we utter them.
Voice culture exhorts you to modulate your voice bringing politeness in your requests. Our voice should not be stale and bland but should carry the human ring, of love, respect humility and politeness.
Next comes our way of extending greetings to others. For example when we say ‘Good Morning’ it is stale and technical. And when we want to show our warmth say “Good Morning” with the required tone and musical cadence. When you are helped and when we generally say ‘Thank you’. It is but mechanical expression. But when you respond with a ring of gratitude and say ‘Thank you’ with a human ring. Even the oft used expression “Excuse me” if a person blocks your way you have to say in a low voice ‘Excuse me’ splitting the word excuse into two syllables.
Resonance in our voice: Our voice is our nearest and best vehicle in our communication. It should be considered as a precious gift of nature. In the beginning it may be a crude diamond but it should be cut and polished. Resonance in voice or controlled voice is called modulation and it is a must in plays and film dialogues.
Voice
culture in telephone talks: People think that to talk in a telephone is the
easiest thing. But it is not. Several times we hear a voice which is indistinct, lisping and too speedy and the listener is forced
to request the party to repeat. Cell phone numbers are given very quickly
giving no time to the listener to record the numbers. The fundamental principle
of voice culture is when we speak the listener should understand our message
without any ambiguity. If we are irritated, we should gain control over our
temper and speak with a cultured tone hiding our temper. When a happy news is
heard through phone our voice should be tuned expressing joy and pleasantness.
Finally let us consider
the steps to be taken to improve voice culture as a tool for communication.
1. One has to listen to
the AIR and BBC broadcasts.
2. Interviews, talk shows
are to be followed carefully.
3. One has to avoid eating
or drinking substances that affect our voice.
In conclusion, let me
convey one instance from our epic Ramayana that voice culture is not new to
India. Anjeneya was sent by Sugriva, his king, to Rama and Lakshmana bearing
bows and arrows as an ambassador. And Anjaneya spoke with great lucidity and
in a cultured way about the loving hand extended by Sugriva on mutual help
basis. Sri Rama was impressed by his style of communication involving voice
culture, diction etc., He called his brother closer and said “Lakshmana! See!
how chaste he speaks. The master who employs him would be successful in all his
attempts” (hinting the future events to come about.) The voice and communication
skill were thus given significance even in the days of Ramayana.
The Vedic hymn at the
initiation ceremony of giving solid food to the child called ‘Anna Prasana’
states ‘Madhu Vagbhava’. Let your speech be sweet. Voice culture aims at it.
*
I asked a student “Who is the greater of the two, mother or teacher?” The expected answer is ‘mother’. But he said ‘teacher’. In surprise I asked him ‘Why’. His answer was “A mother can send to sleep one child at a time, but the teacher can send to sleep hundred children at a time.”
No wonder. The British government is sending its teachers
for voice training.
-Editor