[smith1012]

Hi,

I have a problem with my the way I talk. I recorded myself talking with someone and reading and it seems when I talk I have a very deep, MONOTONE voice. I talk like a robot. Is there anyway of changing that? I know it's a habit but I want to change the way I talk.

[valinors_sorrow]

Cultivate exaggeration! Its especially fun to talk to yourself or a pet that way LOL. Or take some voice lessons -- they'll have you doing scales to extend your range. How's your singing?

[Fr_Chuck]

The problem could be that you knew you were recording and were not normal in talking, while yes some people do talk that way, most have all sorts of emotion in their voice on a daily bais.

But if you do, you will have to practice, try using lound and soft tones to set moods, pauses and changes in pitch of your voice.

[smith1012]

The thing is people would say my voice is so low, thus I talk like some robot. I try to pitch my voice higher, but it is hard to stay at that pitch without going back to talking at a very low tone voice. I think I'm too focused about how I speak that I can't talk properly at all. I don't really sing:D.

[valinors_sorrow]

Hmmm, I don't think its an up and down the tonal scale thing. It's a can you emphasize some words over others to give it a little rhythm thing. LIke this: the RAIN is spain (tiny pause) fall MAINLY in the plain... (LOL sorry, I couldn't resist)

You should try singing... when you are alone. :o Never mind about carrying the tune, just to get some rhythm in the spoken lyrics. A kind of cut loose thing! I understand it helps stutterers too. Or attempt to imitate someone who is very expressive like Billy Crystal's you rook marrrrvolos! Or Jim Carey's alriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighty!

Remember too that deep voices are nice and monotone isn't the end of the world - Jimmy Stewart, while having a rather affected way of speaking, was pretty monotone too so its more important what you say than how you saying it! :p

[smith1012]

All right THANKS. I do get scared to say words because I can't say it properly with my voice, but I guess I need to practise by reading more.

[worthbeads]

Pretend you are the announcer for Fox or a TV station, telling people that "a dramatic new series is coming which is bound to be a breathtaking thriller."

[valinors_sorrow]

I understand about the restraint on your voice out of fear or even habit. I was raised in a very emotionally cool and subdued household as if any expression was vulgar and being overly dramatic was a cardinal sin. I can still remember the very first time I raised my voice at someone and it felt gooooooooooood! LOL It helped that at the time I was dating a very expressive hockey player who's mother was a war bride from Italy and boy, could she yell!!

[wizzkid89]

For me this question borderlins unfathomable, mainly because I do impressions, sing, and I make tones of jokes(meaning there is a lot of tone changes and dramatic changes), I would just advise you to watch movies I think... mainly because you want to talk like someone else(at the very least not as much monotone), and studying peoples emphasis's on words and tones is how people do the best impressions. Try Rocky's (Yo' ADRIAN!) or Arnolds( SNIPER GET DOWN!), anything just pick someone and try and talk like them. However, sometimes it's hard to turn off impressions. It's not like you won't talk normal, but there are times(very few) when it will "slip" out, i.e. One time I was talking to a british lady and accidentally started my british voice, she didn't like it. But to be perfectly honest, I think you shouldn't care, voices are unique and if you have a monotone one then rock on.

[gayle]

It sounds like you might have Asperger Syndrome. Practice imitating normal recorded phrases. Make sure you record yourself and then play it back until you get it to sound like you want it to sound. Check out this site too Prosody home

[nicespringgirl]

U can't start to fear about what other people think about your voice!
U need to talk to people, make friends, speak up and answer the phone!
Just take whatever you have, don't think too much.
There are lots of things we can't change, or it takes long long time to change.
Maybe when you grow old, it will change a little bit.
P.S. I always have an accent when I speak in english, but I am never afraid to express myself. Most everyone will accept who we are, and if they don't then that's their problem.

[nyfg14]

Yes smith I have the same problem with my voice. I'm not a shy person as people think I am. I'm real NY jokester and love to laugh.
I hate the way I sound and it affects me. Its even harder to order a drink in a loud bar, I rely on friends to help me. I will try some of the suggestions talked about. I'm glad I'm not the only person with this problem.
Thanks;)

[CrazyBirdLady]

I have the same problem with my voice and I'm a girl! People always ask me why I never talk and it's always because of how I'm monotone and also because I don't know how to make my voice louder. I want to talk to people but when I do my voice is always low, quit, and expresionless. How do I change?

[nyfg14]

We might be the perfect couple LOL

[nyfg14]

I have the same problem with my voice and im a girl! People always ask me why I never talk and it's always because of how im monotone and also because I don't know how to make my voice louder. I want to talk to people but when I do my voice is always low, quit, and expresionless. how do I change?

I work at a fast pace retail company, I have to yell out for a supervisor throughout the day and its so frustrating when I have to say things 4 or 5 times until someone hears me. Recently a customer purchased a garmin gps and I called it out and my co worker laughed and said sounded like you said norman. "Whos norman".
Ive learned to bite my tongue and not say anything because Ive come to the point that I'll be ignored or misunderstood.

[shelley 11]

I really empathise with you ! Ive had to take a drug called Lithium for years and it has made it feel like like my vocal cords have just collapsed my voice sounds dry expressionless weak and kind of patchy, to the point that very often people don't realise Im joking about something,it makes you want to scream, Im english but living in Wales where they have a very lively sing song accent, Ive found talking out loud in an exaggerated Welsh accent helps a lot ! Choose an appropriate accent n try it ? Hope this helps : )