14 Voice Manipulation Techniques to be More Attractive

“There are two kinds of speakers: those that are nervous, and those that are liars.”

Mark Twain

Love is blind.

Or so 2020’s hottest reality show claimed. In each episode, daters spoke behind closed doors and chose a partner based solely on conversations. But not just content of the conversation, but the voice itself were found to be decisive factors of the attractive development.

The way you speak can make a huge difference in how attractive and engaging you come across. Voice manipulation is a powerful tool that you can use to improve your communication skills, build your confidence, and create a positive impression on those around you. In this article, we'll explore some key techniques and exercises for manipulating your voice to make it more attractive and appealing. Whether you're looking to improve your public speaking, ace a job interview, or simply have better conversations with friends and colleagues, the tips and tricks we'll cover here can help you take your speaking game to the next level.

Anatomy of the Vocal Tract and How It Affects Your Voice

The sound of your voice is created by vibrations in your vocal cords, which are located in your larynx, or voice box. The shape of your vocal tract, including your throat, mouth, and nose, plays a significant role in determining the quality and tone of your voice. By manipulating the shape of your vocal tract, you can produce a wide variety of sounds, from deep and resonant to high-pitched and nasal.

How Different Types of Voices are Perceived in Society

Different types of voices are perceived differently in society, and certain qualities are generally more attractive than others. For example, people with deeper, more resonant voices are often perceived as more confident, trustworthy, and attractive. In contrast, people with high-pitched, nasal voices may be perceived as less confident and less attractive. However, it’s important to note that these perceptions can vary depending on cultural and personal preferences. Definitely, that is a well-known reference to the Western Society, while other cultures may have completely different perspectives on the matter. That was reviewed in the previous post Voice Attractiveness – Cultural Perspectives

Techniques for Improving Your Speaking Voice

1. Proper Posture for Better Voice Projection

Your posture plays a significant role in your voice projection and overall sound. To project your voice more effectively, stand up straight with your shoulders back and your chin level. This position allows your vocal cords to fully expand, allowing for better resonance and clarity.

2. Speak from the diaphragm

People judge how trustworthy you are a half a second after your very first “hello.” But if that first hello sounds breathy and labored, then the listener perceives you as anxious. When you speak from your diaphragm, your voice sounds smooth and relaxed. This is because you exert less effort breathing from your diaphragm than your mouth. To practice speaking more from your diaphragm, voice coaches recommend lying on your back with your knees slightly bent. Next, place your hands on your ribcage and breathe in through your nose. You should feel your stomach push against your hand. As you exhale, your stomach moves downward. This exercise will teach you to breathe from your diaphragm. And when you breathe from your diaphragm, you also speak from your diaphragm.

Another trick to engage your diaphragm is to laugh with a deep belly laugh. This will engage your diaphragm and make your voice resonate with sex appeal. So, before that big interview or phone date, laugh like a madman.

3. Find your maximum resonance point.

Your maximum resonance point is the ideal vocal range that makes you sound the most attractive. Women tend to force their voice in a slightly higher range to sound more appealing, while men tend to speak slightly lower. But forcing your pitch an octave higher or lower makes your voice sound unnatural. To find your maximum resonance point, you can steal a trick from opera singers — a lip drill. Inhale through your nose and then exhale through closed lips like you are blowing a raspberry. Repeat a few times. These lips drills force you to relax your vocal cords.

4. Don’t punch your words.

Singers are taught to never “punch” their words. Word punching happens when the speaker runs out of oxygen, so their words come out choppy. Punched words make you sound anxious and weak because our lizard brains do not like to hear someone gasping for air. You want your words to flow off your breath and not stop your airflow. You can avoid punching your words by engaging your diaphragm more.

5. Clear your throat.

It sounds simplistic but clearing your throat eliminates guttural sounds caused by phlegm. Just don’t clear your throat too aggressively because vocal cords are delicate and damage easily. One way to gently clear your throat is to drink water. Lack of hydration will cause your vocal cords to swell. It’s why singers constantly drink water.

6. Using Voice Inflection to Increase Appeal

Inflection refers to the variations in tone and pitch that we use to emphasize certain words or phrases. It's an essential tool for communicating emotions and ideas effectively. Here are some techniques to use inflection to make your voice more appealing. Using inflection in your speech makes you sound more engaging, interesting, and confident. It shows that you're comfortable with yourself and the message you're communicating. Inflection also makes it easier for your listeners to understand your message by highlighting the most important parts of your speech.

One technique to use inflection in your speech is by emphasizing certain words. Try elongating a word or phrase to add emphasis, or raising or lowering your voice at the end of a sentence to convey a question or uncertainty. Remember to experiment with different tones and pitches to find the inflection that works best for you.

Some people make statements with an inflection at the end too. This communicates doubt and makes you sound less confident. Instead, keep your tone steady unless you are asking a question.

7. Control your volume.

Typically, our natural volume is dictated by whom we are speaking to and our environment. Someone who is soft-spoken, may be really unnerved by loud talkers. Screaming or talking loud triggers a fight or flight stress response in the listener. So, try to make a conscious effort to speak slightly below your normal volume.

8. Remember to pause.

Speaking without pausing becomes monotonous and is sure to put your listener to sleep. Pausing creates suspense. Voice coaches recommend you pause with transition words — but, and, because, then, when. And try to limit these dramatic pauses, or you risk sounding affected.

9. Slow down your tempo.

One of the most common mistakes people make when nervous is speaking too fast. Listeners often tune out fast talkers because their brains must work harder to keep up. Fast talkers also come off as more self-centered because speeding through communication does not build rapport. Therefore, you may consider to train yourself to speak slower. One trick is to focus on articulating every word. Another trick is to stretch out your vowel sounds while keeping your words connected. It might feel awkward at first but will become effortless in time.

Voice coaches also recommend you practice reading out loud to train yourself to speak slower. Try reading poetry. The line breaks naturally force you to slow down.

10. Smile

Author Vanessa van Edwards’ research on voice attractiveness found how aggressive your voice sounds also affects your likeability. In one experiment, when people answered the phone while smiling, listeners rated those voices as more likable. Surprisingly, a happy voice was even preferred over an assertive sounding hello in both genders. So, before you pick up the phone…smile. If you speak face-to-face, the positive effect of smiling will not vanish.

11. Articulation and Enunciation Techniques

Clear, crisp articulation is essential for effective communication. To improve your articulation, practice enunciating words clearly and slowly, focusing on each sound. Exercises like tongue twisters and lip trills can also help you develop better control over your tongue and mouth muscles.

12. Resonance and Vocal Clarity Exercises

To improve your vocal resonance and clarity, practice breathing exercises that expand your lung capacity and strengthen your diaphragm. Exercises like humming and lip trills can also help you develop better vocal control and resonance.

13. Controlling Tone and Pitch

To control your tone and pitch, it's crucial to practice breathing and vocal exercises regularly. Some techniques to try include yoga-style breathing, humming, and vocal warm-ups. These exercises will help you control your breathing, improve your vocal range, and keep your voice healthy.

14. Practice Importance of Confidence and Authenticity in Voice Manipulation

Confidence and authenticity are essential for making people listen to you. If you speak with confidence and authenticity, people will perceive you as more trustworthy and attractive. Authenticity also helps you build connections with your listeners and keeps them engaged.

The key to developing confidence and authenticity in your speaking voice is practice. The more you practice speaking, the more comfortable and confident you'll become. Also, be mindful of your body language, facial expressions, and speech patterns. Authenticity comes from being yourself and speaking from your personal experiences and emotions. So, don't be afraid to be vulnerable and let your true self shine through in your speech. Incorporating these voice manipulation techniques into your daily life may take time and practice, but the end result will be well worth the effort. By improving your speaking voice, you'll be able to connect with people on a deeper level, build stronger relationships, and boost your personal and professional success. So, start practicing today and see how a few simple changes to your voice can make a big difference in your life.