Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
Voice charm is 'a subtle magnetism that is delightfully contagious,' rooted not chiefly in technique but in joy. The chapter distinguishes the sadness sometimes associated with quiet beauty from the bright, exuberant joy that actually produces charm in a voice, and argues that musical, joyous tones come from cultivating an attitude of pleasure, since under pleasure 'the body expands, the tone passages open... and all the primary conditions for good tone are established.' Nasal resonance, developed through humming exercises on sounds like 'ng,' produces the bright, bell-like tones of charm, and reading joyous lyric poetry aloud — as Longfellow advised the actress Mary Anderson — cultivates this brightness. The chapter also describes 'elastic touch,' a vivacious, decisive striking of emphatic ideas with the tongue, contrasted with the thick, lifeless speech of the intoxicated man. Finally, and most importantly, the chapter insists that voice reveals character: 'the voice always... proclaims the man,' and no one can counterfeit charm while harboring selfish or unloving thoughts. Genuine, deep sympathy for others is the real root of a charming voice — 'as a man thinketh in his heart so is his voice.'
Key points
- Voice charm is a magnetic, contagious quality rooted chiefly in joy rather than in technical trick alone.
- An attitude of joy physically opens the body and vocal passages, producing better tone.
- Nasal resonance, developed through humming exercises, produces the bright 'bell-tones' of charm.
- 'Elastic touch' — vivacious, decisive emphasis using the tongue — adds vivacity to speech.
- Voice reveals character; genuine sympathy for others, not technique alone, is the true source of charm.
Key texts
- Proverbs 15:13
- Proverbs 4:23
- Nehemiah 8:10
- Psalm 100:1-2
From the book
Chapter XIII — Voice Charm · Open the reader
- “Musical, joyous tones constitute voice charm, a subtle magnetism that is delightfully contagious.”
- “The Voice with the Smile Wins.”
- “As a man thinketh in his heart so is his voice.”
Put it into practice
- Practice reading joyous lyric poetry aloud daily to cultivate bright, musical tone.
- Deliberately adopt an attitude of joy before speaking, since pleasure physically opens the tone passages.
- Cultivate genuine sympathy for others, since a selfish heart cannot produce a truly charming voice.
- Comprehension
1. How does the chapter define what constitutes voice charm?
- Scripture
2. What advice did Longfellow give the actress Mary Anderson to improve her voice, and what does this teach?
- Comprehension
3. What physical effect does the chapter say pleasure has on the body, and how does that relate to tone?
- Doctrinal Clarity
4. What is 'elastic touch,' and what illustration does the chapter use to show its absence?
- Contrast
5. Contrast the voices of children playing in the street with the voices heard in hospital halls, as the chapter describes.
- Doctrinal Clarity
6. According to the chapter, what does the voice reveal about a person, and why can it not be entirely disguised?
- Comprehension
7. What method does the chapter suggest for developing nasal resonance, the source of 'bell-tones'?
- Doctrinal Clarity
8. What does Emerson's quotation, cited in the chapter, say about the connection between living with God and one's voice?
- Application
9. Reflect honestly: does your own voice, in ordinary conversation, reflect joy and sympathy, or something else? What would change if you cultivated the joy the chapter describes?
- Application
10. Choose a short joyous poem or passage and read it aloud daily this week. What differences do you notice in your voice by the end of the week?