The dynamics of speaking
Sheet music with dynamics highlighted

Recently in feedback on a speech, an evaluator likened vocal variety to horse riding.  How changes in speed can be thought of as galloping, cantering, trotting.  I appreciated the analogy as a way of making a concept more lifelike and understandable.  It made me think about vocal variety further throughout my daily activities.  I don’t […]

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Controlling nervousness
You can make the butterflies in your stomach when you speak fly in formation

One of the questions most frequently asked about public speaking is how to overcome nervousness.  A quote I really connect with I read in a book by Paul McGee, The SUMO Guy, a favourite speaker and author of mine.  It goes “you can’t get rid of the butterflies, but you can teach them to fly […]

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