Daniel Vocal Analysis

Context: For the voice recording, I was in my own home, talking to my housemate who I've known for years, with no one else in the room. This was a very comfortable context for me and those things that I experience in a formal setting such as a faster heart rate, shaky hands, etc. were not a factor. For the speech, I was in a room full of mostly strangers, presenting a formal speech that I was being graded on; a speech that I didn't know by heart and couldn't just BS.

Power Dynamics: My housemate is very much a good friend and our relationship is level so there was no position of authority or subordination involved. Quite honestly, the person I was speaking to was speaking to in the room was the instructor, who gets to decide my grade, which has an impact on whether or not I get into medical school, so there was quite the power dynamic there.

Affective environment: Emotion is definitely present in our voices because we're talking about a sensitive issue, problems with our families, specifically our sisters. For the speech, I felt that I created an affective environment with establishing a hypothetical situation where I'm in a room full of family. With that context, and the fact that it was my Mom's hypothetical birthday I was able to show emotion towards my mom and my family. You could totally tell it was still formal though.

Social Expectations/Norms: There were social expectations within the content of our conversation which definitely had an effect on our emotion and pitch. We both identify similarly in regards to class and culture, so there was an expectation that we would be in agreement about fundamental views and values that we derive from those identities such as the importance of providing for our parents who have provided for us our entire lives. In our culture, this is much more important as opposed to mainstream American culture where individualism is the social expectation.

Stats:

Speech

Average pitch: 62.8 (Lower)

Average Loudness: -25.72 (Lower)

Average Noisiness: 0.662 (Lower)

Conversation

Average Pitch: 66.60 (Higher)

Average Loudness: -24.36 (Higher)

Average Noisiness: 0.696 (Higher)

So for my recording, I actually didn't record the other person and am unable to compare my voice to theirs. When comparing the two recordings, the numbers say that the conversation was louder, but I attribute this to the recording device used (my phone) and the fact that it was much closer to me than the laptop was during my presentation. I perceived that my speech had (relatively) higher audio levels in regards to pitch, loudness, and noisiness. This makes sense because I was speaking to an entire room and group of people whereas with my conversation it was just one person.

Subjective Qualities: In my conversation, it's MUCH more informal. I use the filler word "like" quite a bit, I used a mocking tone when I am quoting my sister. I talk a lot faster, but also have these pauses that I embrace because I know there is no one grading me. In my speech, I use the filler word "umm" several times. I also do the same thing with matching the tone of my mom when I quote her which I guess is a conversational thing.

Critical Analysis: In comparison to the conversation, my speech had a good volume level, it matched the conversational component in the sense that I matched the person's tone that I was quoting, and it was appropriate for the context.

Technical Suggestions: Use filler words less. Continue using a loud voice and pitch to keep audience engaged.