In this StorySpark session (Day 36, Week 7 – Vocal Mastery), the instructor (Speaker A) leads participants Venkat and Dr. Alka through a series of vocal emphasis exercises. The session begins by explaining why emphasizing the right words is crucial for storytelling, then moves into three practical drills where the same sentence is spoken with different words highlighted, showing how emphasis shifts meaning. After each drill, the facilitator provides feedback, noting how emphasis changes perception. The debrief highlights the power of keyword emphasis, warns against unintentionally stressing filler words, and recommends conscious, repeated practice (20‑40 days) with recordings to internalize proper emphasis. The instructor also outlines the four core dimensions of vocal variation—pitch, pace, tone, and volume—briefly defining each and noting typical gender‑related pitch tendencies. Participants are encouraged to continue practicing, share voice notes, and stay out of their comfort zones for the next session (Day 37).
Chapters
Okay, so welcome everyone to day 36 of StorySpark session, and we are into week 7, which is all about vocal mastery. So this week is all about practicing different vocal exercises, different techniques in becoming a master speaker. So today I've picked a very important topic, which is emphasizing. So when you are speaking or telling a story, it's very, very important that you emphasize on the right words, because if you emphasize, it can highlight the very important thing, ideas and emotions, and it can keep your audience engaged, right? So what do you understand, Venkat, when we talk about emphasis in vocal variation? Why, Dr. Alka?
Yes, emphasis in vocal variation is one of the very important part. Like body language and other components, emphasize the word is also important, actually.
Yeah, so yes, Dr. Alka, we are going to do an exercise on emphasis when we are speaking. So this is the exercise. So what we are going to do is, um, I'm gonna ask you to alternate between, and I'll give my own example.
So we'll take—
we have— I've got 3 different sentences. So in the first exercise, we'll take the same sentence and you will see one part of the sentence or one word of the sentence highlighted. And when you see that, I want you to emphasize. So I'll give an example. I couldn't believe it when they said it was possible. Did you see? I focused on I, right? So next, I want Venkat to observe which word is highlighted and speak accordingly.
I couldn't believe it when they said it was possible.
Nice. Yes, Dr. Alka.
I couldn't believe it when they said it was possible.
Yeah, I couldn't believe it when they said it was possible.
Go ahead, Dr.
I couldn't believe it when they said it was possible.
Nice. Do you see by just changing the emphasis how the perception changes, right? So in the first one, it is about myself. In the second one, I couldn't believe— couldn't is the important— and then the third one is the belief, right? And then it was about them, and then it was about possibility. So let's do the second exercise again. Let's start with Venkat and alternate between Venkat and Dr. Alka. Let's start.
This is the best opportunity of my life.
Try once again and focus only on the word 'this,' not the whole sentence.
This is the best opportunity of my life.
Yeah, much better.
This is the best opportunity of my life.
Nice. And you can be even little bit dramatic, that's not a problem. Because when you are— my mentor says that when you overdo something while practicing, it actually feels normal when you are speaking. But when you do under even in practicing, then it doesn't happen. So even if you feel like you're doing over, it's generally not over. Okay.
Blanket. This is the best opportunity of my life.
Yes, Dr. Alka.
One minute, somebody is calling me. And this is the best opportunity of my life.
Nice. Okay, so let's go to the third and final exercise, and then we will debrief. So exercise 3, okay. Start with— this time we'll start with Dr. Alka and alternate between you and Venkat.
She really deserves the credit for this achievement.
She really deserves the credit for this achievement.
Much better, much better, Venkat.
She really deserves the credit for this achievement.
Nice.
She really deserves the credit for this achievement.
Yes, last one, Dr. Alka.
She really deserves the credit for this achievement.
Nice, nice. All right, so did you see? So let's debrief. First of all, both of you can write SPTY— Story Power To You. Both of you did excellent job, and this is the power of showing up. So if you're watching on video, I want you to again practice this by emphasizing on different parts of the sentence, different words in the sentence. So let's debrief. What did you notice and what did you learn? Let's start with Venkat.
Yes, emphasis the word makes power of the sentence for the perspective, what we, what way we respect. So that is the emphasis of the words.
Absolutely.
The sentence.
Absolutely.
Yes, Dr. Alka.
I think this is really useful tool because especially for people like me who have so many messages to give. During the storytelling only we can highlight this emphasis on certain words. So half the message is already given at that time, and in the end we're left with just one message. So this emphasis, I think we have to consciously do it. Consciously we have to do it and we have to practice it more and more.
Correct.
Because if you don't do it consciously, what you may be doing unconsciously is emphasizing on the wrong part, which you don't want to. And this is where you can actually look at any of your previous recording and you will see that, okay, I may be emphasizing on words or phrases which are not even useful. Like if you emphasize on in, is, are, not useful. But if you have a keyword, then it has to be given a key emphasis as well, right? Just like I said, if you have a keyword, then you have to give a key emphasis on that. So that is how when you start doing it consciously, it becomes part of you, but it doesn't happen overnight. So that is why you have to consciously practice it at least for 20, 30, 40 days. That's when it becomes part of you. Okay?
Yeah.
Awesome. So that was a quick exercise for today, and we'll meet again tomorrow. So if you are watching it on recording, don't get away. You can create a voice note and share in the group., or you can just practice it on your own. And as I say every time, until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep going out of your comfort zone. I'll see you tomorrow for day 37 of StorySpark session. Have a great day.
And Haritosh Srivastav, yesterday, uh, the points that you told, it was about voice variation.
Yes.
I was trying to recall at night.
I will share the recording and everything later today.
I'm not recording, I'm just asking you, when is the voice goes up and down? Voice modulation, right?
Voice modulation. So there are many things. One is pitch. I'll show you quickly. Maybe I will stop. Okay.
Recording.
Let me go on the recording as well.
Stop the recording.
No, it's all right. So there are— okay, I'll show you. So when it comes to vocal variation, there are these things. Number 1 is the pitch, how high or low pitch is there. Then we did the exercise. Then next one is the pace, the speed. Are you speaking fast or speaking really slow? Then third one is tone. What is the tone of your voice, right? Friendly, encouraging, disrespectful. So that is what. And the next one is the volume. Are you speaking loudly or speaking at low volume? So those are some of the things.
Pitch.
So pitch, pace, tone, and volume. It's pitch, pace, tone, and volume.
Which is the shrillness of the voice? How shrill?
It's high pitch. Like typically men have low pitch and women have Typically high pitch. Again, this is typical, so it's a generalization. It can differ also for person to person, but you will really find that, no, when you hear somebody who is a man and is having a high pitch, you, you will feel, okay, it's little different. So you notice that, right? So typically, yeah, low pitch versus high pitch. Thank you. Awesome. So we'll see you all tomorrow for day 30. 8. And yeah, enjoy and have a great day.
