I listened to a podcast recently that reminded me how little we play with our voice. The guest gave this example of his voice teacher: at their first session, she played one note on the piano for about two minutes, then asked how he felt. He said, “Not very good.” Then she played a beautiful piece on the piano and asked again how he felt. He said, “Well, I still feel weird from before, but I guess a little better now.”
That one example shows how the way you speak affects how people feel when they’re around you.
Why a Monotone Voice Drains Your Listeners
When you speak in a monotone, you are playing one note over and over. You’re forcing someone to listen to every single word—and that is exhausting. Your listeners may hear the words, but they won’t feel anything. They might zone out. They might forget what you said five minutes later. Because the brain wasn’t engaged—it was just processing sound.
How to Bring Your Voice to Life
I’ve recently started speaking with more range—higher tones, playful energy, slower pacing when I want to emphasize something, more expression when I want to spark emotion. I smile when I talk. I lift my eyebrows. I make it an experience, not just a transfer of information.
I slow my voice down so you slow your thoughts down with me. I catch your attention, and I bring you along on the journey rather than just lecturing at you.
Why Varied Vocal Tone Makes Conversations Memorable
Rather than forcing someone to have to listen and understand every single word that comes out of your mouth, make them feel something. People will remember how they felt when they were talking to you—not necessarily every detail of what you said.
If you’re talking about something you’re really passionate about, they’ll walk away thinking, “Wow, that person is really passionate about that. That must be important.” Your energy becomes contagious. Your enthusiasm becomes theirs.
How to Apply This in Everyday Conversation
You can have serious conversations and still use this skill. The goal isn’t to be performative—it’s to be intentional. To match your tone to the moment. To speed up when you’re excited, slow down when you want to land a point, and let your voice reflect what the words are actually about. That’s how you make sure people not only hear you, but remember you.
