Your Voice.
As a professional speaker, thought leader, author or entrepreneur, so much of your success relies on your capacity to give authentic “voice” to your brand and your message. Part of Voice is the pure musicality factor, or the “what it sounds like” as distinguished from the “what you’re saying” .
Because I am an audio editor, and also a musician, I’ve been conditioned over the years to pay particular attention not only the content of voices, but the modulation, intonation and phrasing of them. I’m sensitized to those aspects of content. In practice, and in the course of performing audio editing, I have developed a capacity to compartmentalize my listening into separate channels, meaning that I find when I am editing audio, I can filter out the meaning of the content, and focus on the speech patterns, rhythmic elements and unforced errors. Occasionally, an edit for continuity or idea sequencing is required, signaling a shift in my listening focus to meaning, and then back once that edit is complete.
All this to say that the SOUND of your voice is something separate from the meaning of what you say, and it matters. I like to broadly refer to all of this as the “musicality” of speech.
Speech musicality is essential to your audio brand persona. It’s role in engaging your audience is largely if not entirely an emotional one, as it helps them “decide” if they like you, trust you, and want more. The point of podcasting is to really move people who are on the receiving end of your message. OK, maybe you’re just seeking to entertain them, but in either case, you are looking to connect. And that connection is emotionally driven.
I’m interested in the musicality of speech and how it can help shape the soundscape of a podcast. And I love to talk about it with partners and clients. Feel free to reach out to me directly at smallbizamerica@gmail.com