Expert insights. Personalized for you.
Human speech and music seem to share an “acoustic code” when it comes to conveying sadness , according to an intriguing new study by Tufts University psychologists. That shark did seem a little peeved…) Curtis says intervals are only one part of the “enormous range of acoustic cues” that speakers can use to communicate emotion, including loudness, pitch, and the “texture” or timbre of a voice. MORE
I’ve performed open air theatre a few times and unless the set is specifically designed for adequate acoustics , then you haven’t got a hope in hell of people hearing you. “…the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture in San Diego are encouraging interdisciplinary research into how a planned environment influences the mind…&# Scientific American Mind, April 09. It’s interesting that research is being done into how the architecture of buildings affects mental ability. MORE
Arrive early and check out the acoustics, especially if you are speaking to a large audience. Prepare thoroughly. Santa spends most of the year getting ready for his one big night. When he takes off in his sleigh, there’s no turning back. Similarly, when you step on that stage, be sure that you know your material. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sure, on Christmas Eve Santa is the main attraction, but the Big Man can’t do it all by himself. MORE
From an acoustical perspective, music is an overstructured language, which the brain invented and which the brain loves to hear.” In today's New York Times , science writer Natalie Angier probes the problem faced by many a speaker, impromptu or planned: Why can't you remember jokes when you need to retell them? She starts with what our brains can remember: patterns, as in music. MORE
We speak not very well into people who simply aren''t listening in an environment that''s all about noise and bad acoustics" Julian says in closing. In this simple but informative TED Talk , Julian Treasure offers up seven things that effective communicators must exclude from speech. This list of seven is a kind of "bad habits to avoid" list. They are not the only elements that can derail effective communication, but it is a good list from which to start. "I MORE
Electric or acoustic?" Now for the fun stuff! There were several speakers at TEDxSB who knocked my socks off, and I want to talk about what made them effective and successful at rousing the crowd. Read here for part 1 and part 2 of my TEDxSB experience. In order of appearance, let's begin with Santa Barbara's Poet Laureate David Starkey. I'm not a big fan of poetry. Most of the time, poetry is too abstract or esoteric for me. And hearing poetry is even harder. MORE
Electric or acoustic?" Now for the fun stuff! There were several speakers at TEDxSB who knocked my socks off, and I want to talk about what made them effective and successful at rousing the crowd. Read here for part 1 and part 2 of my TEDxSB experience. In order of appearance, let's begin with Santa Barbara's Poet Laureate David Starkey. I'm not a big fan of poetry. Most of the time, poetry is too abstract or esoteric for me. And hearing poetry is even harder. MORE
I’ve performed open air theatre a few times and unless the set is specifically designed for adequate acoustics , then you haven’t got a hope in hell of people hearing you. “…the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture in San Diego are encouraging interdisciplinary research into how a planned environment influences the mind…&# Scientific American Mind, April 09. It’s interesting that research is being done into how the architecture of buildings affects mental ability. MORE
In this clip from a lecture by Melvyn Bragg marking Darwin's bicentenary at the Natural History Museum (where the acoustics sound remarkably similar to Wells Cathedral), the pauses are so infrequent and so short that his rate of delivery is just over 161 words per minute - i.e. much closer to conversational/broadcasting speeds than to the ideal for effective public speaking (longer version HERE In his autobiography , the late Professor A.J. MORE
This means a sound-check beforehand to try out the acoustics. In a little more than a month’s time, I will fly to Lisbon, Portugal for the Toastmasters District 59 Spring Conference. It promises to be a fabulous time and I am looking forward to seeing many friends from across Europe. The organization for the conference has been superb. João De Mendonça, Rui Henriques and the rest of the team have been attending to details for months. MORE
British author Virginia Woolf''s "A Room of One''s Own" lectures took place at Cambridge University in 1928 in an "acoustically dreadful" setting. I''m giving the closing keynote at this year''s spring conference of the UK Speechwriters'' Guild and European Speechwriter Network in London in May (and readers of The Eloquent Woman get 10 percent off the registration price with the code "EloquentWoman"). MORE
What was your favorite movie? What made it so memorable? Recently I was asking a few Duartians at work what sound in a movie was most memorable to them? I got a great response from the crew. The variety was interesting because some people most remembered the orchestral sound score of a film. Audio pieces like the Superman theme, or Star Wars, came up in the list. There was even a mention of Harry Potter and the Pink Panther. MORE
Test the acoustics. For all sorts of reasons, speakers will decide not to use a microphone. They are not confident that they know how to use it, they believe their audience will be able to hear them, they consider that they have projection skills, they have spoken in the venue before … and more. For all sorts of reasons, though, a microphone can enhance a speaker’s success. Here are three…. It is very easy to take our voices for granted. MORE
hunch is that Woolf's speech – given in 1928 in the acoustically dreadful setting of Newnham College's hall (it's hard to make yourself heard today even with a microphone) – would have sounded quirky and tremulous, and probably scarcely audible to any but the very front rows , no matter what a tremendous classic of feminism the written version has rightly become. MORE
The room has bad acoustics. There are more than 40 people in the room. The speakers before you used the microphone. You are speaking for more than five minutes. It is a large room. You are soft spoken. You have something important to say. You want to play with your vocal nuances. If any of the above scenarios is true - Use the Microphone. Your audience will hear you better. Forget the macho “I don’t need a microphone” stuff. Use the Microphone. Your audience will hear you better. MORE
U2, who know a thing or two about connecting with an audience, use a ‘B-stage’, a small, catwalk-style stage extension that takes them out into the middle of the audience when it’s time to play something acoustic and intimate. This one is as much for meeting managers as it is for presenters, because the distance between stage and audience is usually out of the control of the speaker. MORE
The music varied from a quite acoustic duo, through to a full four-piece rock band, with Mike on lead guitar, and Richard on drums. Hi Friends. You have been asking us when we are going to play next, so now you have an answer, next month! I hope that you will be able to join us (more details below the advert). Craig. Lois and Craig Strachan will be playing a selection of covers and their own songs. Saturday 25 April. 1st Pinelands Scout Hall. St Stephens Road, Pinelands. MORE
If the room has bad acoustics. Executive Speech Coach - Business Presentations Business presentations tips for executives, sales presenters, managers, technical experts and professionals from the "Speech Coach for Executives" George Torok. Transform your business presentations into effective conversations. George Torok is a Toronto based presentation coach and presentation skills trainer. MORE
The music varied from a quite acoustic duo, through to a full four-piece rock band. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact Person: Craig Strachan. Company Name: The John Whiffen Golden City Memorial Trust. Phone Number: 082 789 3899. FAX Number: 021 788 3884. Email Address: craig@johnwhiffen.co.za. Website URL: www.johnwhiffen.co.za. MORE
Check out these acoustically friendly and unfriendly spaces at Voice Academy for ideas. "In the boom, in the 80s, of comedy clubs, all these entrepreneurs were putting together these rooms with these high ceilings and 'Hey, look at this great comedy room!' It's like, 'You dummy -- it's supposed to be a little box, like this, with a low ceiling. The laughs don't go up in the air. MORE
Check out these acoustically friendly and unfriendly spaces at Voice Academy for ideas. "In the boom, in the 80s, of comedy clubs, all these entrepreneurs were putting together these rooms with these high ceilings and 'Hey, look at this great comedy room!' It's like, 'You dummy -- it's supposed to be a little box, like this, with a low ceiling. The laughs don't go up in the air. MORE
Case in point: I predicted for Leah that I wouldn't be able to handle a dreadnought, the largest acoustic guitar, but it's what I own now. "You can't stop when you make a mistake," he said. You're pausing to think what you did wrong and how to fix it. But you've got to keep going. The pros make mistakes all the time, but they keep going." Call it my once-a-week professional development if you want to. MORE
As a speaker – poor acoustics and listener questions that veer into detailed and extensive individual questions for me – looking for consultation about their child or client – even after I have tried to move back into the broader topic and flow of the talk. ( Editor''s note: Inside Voice is a new interview series on The Eloquent Woman, in which we''ll ask speakers, speechwriters, and storytellers to share their insights. MORE
Voice care #3: Acoustics. Last Thursday, I did something really stupid. The five hours of coaching wasn't stupid, but I could feel my voice getting tired by the end of it. Having dinner with two good friends wasn't stupid, but talking for two hours over the noise in a busy restaurant probably wasn't the best idea. MORE
Lighting, access to lighting controls, colors, layout of seating, age of the facility, speaker quality, acoustics, stage vs. floor space, parking lots, distance from parking to venue, accuracy of maps and signage, bathroom access - the list of factors is long and not always in our control. MORE
I’ve performed open air theatre a few times and unless the set is specifically designed for adequate acoustics , then you haven’t got a hope in hell of people hearing you. “…the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture in San Diego are encouraging interdisciplinary research into how a planned environment influences the mind…&# Scientific American Mind, April 09. It’s interesting that research is being done into how the architecture of buildings affects mental ability. MORE
Arrive early and check out the acoustics, especially if you are speaking to a large audience. Prepare thoroughly. Santa spends most of the year getting ready for his one big night. When he takes off in his sleigh, there’s no turning back. Similarly, when you step on that stage, be sure that you know your material. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sure, on Christmas Eve Santa is the main attraction, but the Big Man can’t do it all by himself. MORE
Have you ever thought about the acoustics in a room where you're speaking? Some issues are out of our control, like floor, wall and ceiling surfaces, but knowing about the bad acoustics in the room in advance will allow you to prepare better. Visit the acoustically friendly and unfriendly rooms at the Voice Academy to learn more! More from the Voice Academy ! MORE
Voice care #3: Acoustics. Last Thursday, I did something really stupid. The five hours of coaching wasn't stupid, but I could feel my voice getting tired by the end of it. Having dinner with two good friends wasn't stupid, but talking for two hours over the noise in a busy restaurant probably wasn't the best idea. MORE
Where you ended up more familiar with the number of acoustic tiles in the ceiling than the number of points in the outline of the speech? “The only reason to give a speech is to change the world.” An old friend of mine, a speechwriter, used to say that to me. He meant it as a challenge. It was his way of saying that, if you’re going to take all the trouble to prepare and deliver a speech, make it worthwhile. Change the world. Otherwise, why bother? MORE
So there is no acoustic barrier at all. TEDxKyoto has emerged as one of the premiere TEDx events in the world. I've attended every one of the Kyoto events (and spoken at two), and I am blown away by the outstanding job they have done. Superbly organized, professional, and inspiring. TEDxKyoto was founded in 2011 by Jay Klaphake, a TEDster and Professor at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. MORE
Last week, I made a pilgrimage to the Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania--as thousands do each year--to see firsthand how these revered acoustic guitars are made. Could you talk me through your workplace? Meet your customers--your most avid customers--face-to-face and handle their random questions? Asking employees to serve as tour guides, particularly in factory tours, is a trend that's opening up public speaking opportunities for women. MORE
Arrive early and check out the acoustics, especially if you are speaking to a large audience. Prepare thoroughly. Santa spends most of the year getting ready for his one big night. When he takes off in his sleigh, there’s no turning back. Similarly, when you step on that stage, be sure that you know your material. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sure, on Christmas Eve Santa is the main attraction, but the Big Man can’t do it all by himself. MORE
My main question is this: how can this not have awful acoustics? I’ve given lectures in some strange places, but this venue is a new one. Scott Hanselman has this photo from a sports arena converted into a lecture hall. Hanselman explains what you’re seeing here: They’ve used curtains to build up a “room&# on the bleachers of this part of the stadium. MORE
Acoustic Related Topics Speak Schmeak
JANUARY 5, 2008
Have you ever thought about the acoustics in a room where you're speaking? Some issues are out of our control, like floor, wall and ceiling surfaces, but knowing about the bad acoustics in the room in advance will allow you to prepare better. Visit the acoustically friendly and unfriendly rooms at the Voice Academy to learn more! More from the Voice Academy !
Manner of Speaking
DECEMBER 24, 2011
Arrive early and check out the acoustics, especially if you are speaking to a large audience. Prepare thoroughly. Santa spends most of the year getting ready for his one big night. When he takes off in his sleigh, there’s no turning back. Similarly, when you step on that stage, be sure that you know your material. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sure, on Christmas Eve Santa is the main attraction, but the Big Man can’t do it all by himself.
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Manner of Speaking
DECEMBER 24, 2011
Arrive early and check out the acoustics, especially if you are speaking to a large audience. Prepare thoroughly. Santa spends most of the year getting ready for his one big night. When he takes off in his sleigh, there’s no turning back. Similarly, when you step on that stage, be sure that you know your material. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sure, on Christmas Eve Santa is the main attraction, but the Big Man can’t do it all by himself.
The Eloquent Woman
JULY 15, 2010
Human speech and music seem to share an “acoustic code” when it comes to conveying sadness , according to an intriguing new study by Tufts University psychologists. That shark did seem a little peeved…) Curtis says intervals are only one part of the “enormous range of acoustic cues” that speakers can use to communicate emotion, including loudness, pitch, and the “texture” or timbre of a voice.
Manner of Speaking
APRIL 11, 2011
This means a sound-check beforehand to try out the acoustics. In a little more than a month’s time, I will fly to Lisbon, Portugal for the Toastmasters District 59 Spring Conference. It promises to be a fabulous time and I am looking forward to seeing many friends from across Europe. The organization for the conference has been superb. João De Mendonça, Rui Henriques and the rest of the team have been attending to details for months.
Craig Strachan - Keep Talking!
MARCH 29, 2009
The music varied from a quite acoustic duo, through to a full four-piece rock band, with Mike on lead guitar, and Richard on drums. Hi Friends. You have been asking us when we are going to play next, so now you have an answer, next month! I hope that you will be able to join us (more details below the advert). Craig. Lois and Craig Strachan will be playing a selection of covers and their own songs. Saturday 25 April. 1st Pinelands Scout Hall. St Stephens Road, Pinelands.
Manner of Speaking
DECEMBER 24, 2011
Arrive early and check out the acoustics, especially if you are speaking to a large audience. Prepare thoroughly. Santa spends most of the year getting ready for his one big night. When he takes off in his sleigh, there’s no turning back. Similarly, when you step on that stage, be sure that you know your material. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sure, on Christmas Eve Santa is the main attraction, but the Big Man can’t do it all by himself.
Craig Strachan - Keep Talking!
MARCH 23, 2009
The music varied from a quite acoustic duo, through to a full four-piece rock band. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact Person: Craig Strachan. Company Name: The John Whiffen Golden City Memorial Trust. Phone Number: 082 789 3899. FAX Number: 021 788 3884. Email Address: craig@johnwhiffen.co.za. Website URL: www.johnwhiffen.co.za.
Presentation Zen
APRIL 24, 2015
So there is no acoustic barrier at all. TEDxKyoto has emerged as one of the premiere TEDx events in the world. I've attended every one of the Kyoto events (and spoken at two), and I am blown away by the outstanding job they have done. Superbly organized, professional, and inspiring. TEDxKyoto was founded in 2011 by Jay Klaphake, a TEDster and Professor at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies.
Speak Schmeak
MAY 12, 2010
Voice care #3: Acoustics. Last Thursday, I did something really stupid. The five hours of coaching wasn't stupid, but I could feel my voice getting tired by the end of it. Having dinner with two good friends wasn't stupid, but talking for two hours over the noise in a busy restaurant probably wasn't the best idea.
Pivotal Public Speaking
JUNE 8, 2012
Test the acoustics. For all sorts of reasons, speakers will decide not to use a microphone. They are not confident that they know how to use it, they believe their audience will be able to hear them, they consider that they have projection skills, they have spoken in the venue before … and more. For all sorts of reasons, though, a microphone can enhance a speaker’s success. Here are three…. It is very easy to take our voices for granted.
Presentation Zen
JULY 9, 2014
We speak not very well into people who simply aren''t listening in an environment that''s all about noise and bad acoustics" Julian says in closing. In this simple but informative TED Talk , Julian Treasure offers up seven things that effective communicators must exclude from speech. This list of seven is a kind of "bad habits to avoid" list. They are not the only elements that can derail effective communication, but it is a good list from which to start. "I
Speaker Confessions
JUNE 18, 2009
My main question is this: how can this not have awful acoustics? I’ve given lectures in some strange places, but this venue is a new one. Scott Hanselman has this photo from a sports arena converted into a lecture hall. Hanselman explains what you’re seeing here: They’ve used curtains to build up a “room&# on the bleachers of this part of the stadium.
Speak Schmeak
MAY 12, 2010
Voice care #3: Acoustics. Last Thursday, I did something really stupid. The five hours of coaching wasn't stupid, but I could feel my voice getting tired by the end of it. Having dinner with two good friends wasn't stupid, but talking for two hours over the noise in a busy restaurant probably wasn't the best idea.
Speak Schmeak
SEPTEMBER 15, 2010
Check out these acoustically friendly and unfriendly spaces at Voice Academy for ideas. "In the boom, in the 80s, of comedy clubs, all these entrepreneurs were putting together these rooms with these high ceilings and 'Hey, look at this great comedy room!' It's like, 'You dummy -- it's supposed to be a little box, like this, with a low ceiling. The laughs don't go up in the air.
Executive Speech Coach
OCTOBER 5, 2006
The room has bad acoustics. There are more than 40 people in the room. The speakers before you used the microphone. You are speaking for more than five minutes. It is a large room. You are soft spoken. You have something important to say. You want to play with your vocal nuances. If any of the above scenarios is true - Use the Microphone. Your audience will hear you better. Forget the macho “I don’t need a microphone” stuff. Use the Microphone. Your audience will hear you better.
Pro Humorist
JUNE 3, 2009
I’ve performed open air theatre a few times and unless the set is specifically designed for adequate acoustics , then you haven’t got a hope in hell of people hearing you. “…the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture in San Diego are encouraging interdisciplinary research into how a planned environment influences the mind…&# Scientific American Mind, April 09. It’s interesting that research is being done into how the architecture of buildings affects mental ability.
Pro Humorist
JUNE 3, 2009
I’ve performed open air theatre a few times and unless the set is specifically designed for adequate acoustics , then you haven’t got a hope in hell of people hearing you. “…the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture in San Diego are encouraging interdisciplinary research into how a planned environment influences the mind…&# Scientific American Mind, April 09. It’s interesting that research is being done into how the architecture of buildings affects mental ability.
Pro Humorist
JUNE 3, 2009
I’ve performed open air theatre a few times and unless the set is specifically designed for adequate acoustics , then you haven’t got a hope in hell of people hearing you. “…the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture in San Diego are encouraging interdisciplinary research into how a planned environment influences the mind…&# Scientific American Mind, April 09. It’s interesting that research is being done into how the architecture of buildings affects mental ability.
The Eloquent Woman
JULY 3, 2009
From an acoustical perspective, music is an overstructured language, which the brain invented and which the brain loves to hear.” In today's New York Times , science writer Natalie Angier probes the problem faced by many a speaker, impromptu or planned: Why can't you remember jokes when you need to retell them? She starts with what our brains can remember: patterns, as in music.
Max Atkinson
OCTOBER 21, 2011
In this clip from a lecture by Melvyn Bragg marking Darwin's bicentenary at the Natural History Museum (where the acoustics sound remarkably similar to Wells Cathedral), the pauses are so infrequent and so short that his rate of delivery is just over 161 words per minute - i.e. much closer to conversational/broadcasting speeds than to the ideal for effective public speaking (longer version HERE In his autobiography , the late Professor A.J.
Speak Schmeak
APRIL 22, 2010
Electric or acoustic?" Now for the fun stuff! There were several speakers at TEDxSB who knocked my socks off, and I want to talk about what made them effective and successful at rousing the crowd. Read here for part 1 and part 2 of my TEDxSB experience. In order of appearance, let's begin with Santa Barbara's Poet Laureate David Starkey. I'm not a big fan of poetry. Most of the time, poetry is too abstract or esoteric for me. And hearing poetry is even harder.
Speak Schmeak
SEPTEMBER 15, 2010
Check out these acoustically friendly and unfriendly spaces at Voice Academy for ideas. "In the boom, in the 80s, of comedy clubs, all these entrepreneurs were putting together these rooms with these high ceilings and 'Hey, look at this great comedy room!' It's like, 'You dummy -- it's supposed to be a little box, like this, with a low ceiling. The laughs don't go up in the air.
Can You Hear Me Up the Back?
JULY 9, 2009
U2, who know a thing or two about connecting with an audience, use a ‘B-stage’, a small, catwalk-style stage extension that takes them out into the middle of the audience when it’s time to play something acoustic and intimate. This one is as much for meeting managers as it is for presenters, because the distance between stage and audience is usually out of the control of the speaker.
Speak Schmeak
APRIL 22, 2010
Electric or acoustic?" Now for the fun stuff! There were several speakers at TEDxSB who knocked my socks off, and I want to talk about what made them effective and successful at rousing the crowd. Read here for part 1 and part 2 of my TEDxSB experience. In order of appearance, let's begin with Santa Barbara's Poet Laureate David Starkey. I'm not a big fan of poetry. Most of the time, poetry is too abstract or esoteric for me. And hearing poetry is even harder.
The Eloquent Woman
APRIL 5, 2013
British author Virginia Woolf''s "A Room of One''s Own" lectures took place at Cambridge University in 1928 in an "acoustically dreadful" setting. I''m giving the closing keynote at this year''s spring conference of the UK Speechwriters'' Guild and European Speechwriter Network in London in May (and readers of The Eloquent Woman get 10 percent off the registration price with the code "EloquentWoman").
The Eloquent Woman
MAY 26, 2010
Case in point: I predicted for Leah that I wouldn't be able to handle a dreadnought, the largest acoustic guitar, but it's what I own now. "You can't stop when you make a mistake," he said. You're pausing to think what you did wrong and how to fix it. But you've got to keep going. The pros make mistakes all the time, but they keep going." Call it my once-a-week professional development if you want to.
Duarte Blog
AUGUST 4, 2009
What was your favorite movie? What made it so memorable? Recently I was asking a few Duartians at work what sound in a movie was most memorable to them? I got a great response from the crew. The variety was interesting because some people most remembered the orchestral sound score of a film. Audio pieces like the Superman theme, or Star Wars, came up in the list. There was even a mention of Harry Potter and the Pink Panther.
The Eloquent Woman
JANUARY 8, 2014
As a speaker – poor acoustics and listener questions that veer into detailed and extensive individual questions for me – looking for consultation about their child or client – even after I have tried to move back into the broader topic and flow of the talk. ( Editor''s note: Inside Voice is a new interview series on The Eloquent Woman, in which we''ll ask speakers, speechwriters, and storytellers to share their insights.
Public Speaking Advice and Commentary
DECEMBER 30, 2010
Where you ended up more familiar with the number of acoustic tiles in the ceiling than the number of points in the outline of the speech? “The only reason to give a speech is to change the world.” An old friend of mine, a speechwriter, used to say that to me. He meant it as a challenge. It was his way of saying that, if you’re going to take all the trouble to prepare and deliver a speech, make it worthwhile. Change the world. Otherwise, why bother?
The Eloquent Woman
MARCH 11, 2011
hunch is that Woolf's speech – given in 1928 in the acoustically dreadful setting of Newnham College's hall (it's hard to make yourself heard today even with a microphone) – would have sounded quirky and tremulous, and probably scarcely audible to any but the very front rows , no matter what a tremendous classic of feminism the written version has rightly become.
The Eloquent Woman
JUNE 17, 2009
Last week, I made a pilgrimage to the Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania--as thousands do each year--to see firsthand how these revered acoustic guitars are made. Could you talk me through your workplace? Meet your customers--your most avid customers--face-to-face and handle their random questions? Asking employees to serve as tour guides, particularly in factory tours, is a trend that's opening up public speaking opportunities for women.
Speak and Deliver
SEPTEMBER 14, 2010
Lighting, access to lighting controls, colors, layout of seating, age of the facility, speaker quality, acoustics, stage vs. floor space, parking lots, distance from parking to venue, accuracy of maps and signage, bathroom access - the list of factors is long and not always in our control.
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