Anaelia Ovalle Voice Analysis

Recording 1 is set in my own dorm and I am calmly conversing with my roommate. It’s past dark and we are discussing the assignments that need to be done for the next day. In contrast, in recording 2 I am giving a formal proposal regarding an abstract concept to a board of investors. At the time, I felt the pressure to perform and maintain a formal tone, as that is what is expected within a proposal to a potential investor. Due to the scrutiny that coincides with formal conduct, I felt tense, began to perspire, and my voice pitch increased. My average pitch was measured at 64.6 and my average loudness at -26.9. In comparison, speaking with my roommate in a less stressful environment yielded different results with an average pitch at 61.6 and average loudness at -25.8. My roommate, on the other hand, gave an average pitch of 66.3 and an average loudness of -27.4.

I also notice a couple interesting points in both recordings. For example, I sounded a lot more assertive and dominant in the first recording than the second. Apart from the given context, this may be due to fact that I was proposing solutions in a logical way, possibly causing my voice pitch to decrease. I also recall in the second recording that I sound as if I’m attempting to be assertive, but there is an underlying insecurity in the way I speak. Evidence to support this is the decrease in loudness(-26.9) compared to when I speak to a companion(-25.8), which I may associate with being assertive and confident. In this piece I sound a bit all over the place and unfocused because I’m extremely nervous. When acknowledging power dynamic, the board of investors holds the power (and money) to invest in my product so I’m in a position where I must impress and appease. Also, a woman I may feel the need to inflect my voice more often to catch the audience’s attention.  

In order to deliver a more effective speech, I need to be able to firstly acknowledge the context of the speech, the power dynamics involved, how I create a particular affective environment, and how expectations may play a role in how I speak. Although I may feel overwhelmed when I think about this, I need to consider that I can use these factors to my advantage and establish a firm standpoint where I can deliver a very effective speech that corresponds to my audience.