Learning Objectives

• Vocal Delivery Tips {audio & video examples}
• Script Marking for Vocal Inflection
• Warm Up Exercises Before Voicing

Chapter 7: Voicing Tips, Exercises, Script Marking

Most people don’t love the sound of their own recorded voice.

Recordings often seem higher-pitched or thinner than what we think we sound like. That’s because we hear ourselves in two ways: through sound waves in the air and through internal vibrations traveling through the bones of the skull. Those internal vibrations create a richer, lower tone—one no microphone ever captures.

Keys to Successful Voicing

The good news: you can strengthen and improve your vocal delivery. Start with abdominal diaphragmatic breathing—“belly breathing”—which helps you draw air deeper into the lungs for a fuller, more controlled voice.

Standing while recording can also expand your breathing capacity and reduce abdominal compression.

Even more important than voice tone is voice style. This chapter walks through relaxation techniques, vocal warm-ups, and script marking tools to help you sound natural, confident, and conversational. You don’t need broadcaster-style “golden pipes.” Speech clarity, pacing, and inflection matter far more.

WARM-UPS Before Voice Work

Do warm-up exercises to pump blood into tissues to stretch and relax the muscles by getting them to work more efficiently. Vocal warmups help prevent injury to your delicate vocal cords.

They also help you center yourself mentally before an interview, speech, or podcast taping. They may seem simple, but with consistent practice they build agility and confidence.

Basic Warm-Up Sequence

• Start standing. Yawn—big, wide, and repeated several times—to naturally stretch the vocal tract.
• Stand tall, raise both arms overhead, inhale deeply, and release with a long sigh.

Vocal Warm-Up Exercises: {Audio & Video Examples}

Script MARKING To Help Vocal Delivery

Before recording, read your script aloud to spot where you should pause, breathe, or emphasize key phrases.

• Indicate pauses with ellipses (…) or slashes (/).
• Mark emphasis by underlining, italicizing, or using ALL CAPS.
• Use ↑ or ↓ arrows to note pitch shifts—typically rising at questions and falling at statements.

Vocal Tip: Countdown To Calm Down

Public-speaking anxiety is incredibly common.

Mentally prepare for voice work by doing the “countdown to calm down”: say “Five, four, three,” then silently count to zero. By zero, your voice should settle into its natural pitch rather than launching too high from nerves.

Vocal Tip: Vocal Inflection

We naturally vary our inflection when talking with friends, yet many people flatten their delivery when a microphone appears. Use your voice to convey emotion—joy, concern, excitement—without editorializing, especially in journalism-based podcasts. Keep it authentic and conversational.

Reading your script aloud as you write can also create a more natural flow.

Vocal Tip: Pace & Articulation

Slow down slightly when speaking on mic. Without visual cues, listeners depend entirely on your pacing. Speaking too quickly can cause dropped syllables and muddled articulation. Clarity always wins..        

Vocal Tip: Avoid Poor Speaking Patterns

If your pitch goes up at the end of every sentence, it’s called “valley-girl speak” or “uptalking.”

The other irritating speech pattern to avoid is “vocal fry,” a low growl sound at the end of a sentence. Some people blame the phenomenon on Kim Kardashian and those who want to imitate her. CBS News Sunday Morning contributor Faith Salie explains the phenomenon with a fun tongue-in-cheek look at creaky young women.

Vocal Tip: Speak Conversationally; High Energy

Try to be your authentic self rather than a carbon copy of someone else. You want to be conversational and avoid stilted language to establish rapport with your guest and audience.

But remember that you are hosting a show for others so you need to be energetic and to have excitement in your voice rather than sounding flat.

Beyond that, keep a consistent speaking level rather than being up-and-down with volume levels that are too loud or too soft.

Vocal Tip: Avoid Popping P’s & T’s {Audio examples}

When speaking into a microphone, there’s sometimes a strong breath of air that seems to explode into the microphone. These plosives are worse on words with p’s and b’s.

Tips to reduce plosives:

• Angle the mic slightly to the side of your mouth.
• Step back a few inches.
• Use a pop filter or windscreen.

POPPING P’s:

NO Popping P’s:

Angle the microphone to the side of your mouth rather than speaking directly into it.

For more mic-handling guidance, see advice from the podcast hosting company Buzzsprout.

Vocal Tip: Don’t Let Your Voice Trail Off

Many people develop an unconscious pattern of letting their voice trail off at the end of a sentence, almost like they have run out of energy. Stay focused and avoid long, meandering monologues that drain momentum.

Before Recording: What NOT To Do

• Avoid eating dairy products just before recording because it increases mucus.
• Avoid nuts and snack foods that irritate the throat.
• Limit caffeine or alcohol, which dehyrate, prompt coughing and heighten anxiety.

Before Recording: What TO DO

• Manage anxiety with warm-up and breathing exercises.
• Keep room temperature water nearby.
• Sip warm water with lemon and honey or green or herbal teas especially if congested.