Control of vocal frequency is the key to charismatic speaking

BBC : The ability to control vocal frequency and to apply other effects determined by cultural influences appears to be the technique used by the most effective speakers. In a new study, UCLA’s Rosario Signorello and colleagues modified the vocal frequencies of recorded speeches from several male politicians. They asked 250 volunteers to categorize the speeches by choosing from 67 adjectives, such as attractive, convincing, dishonest, dynamic, fair, and scary. The volunteers were also asked which voices they preferred. The researchers found that the best speakers were able to adjust their voices to convey a range of different characteristics as needed. The ability to reach deeper tones, which can be considered authoritative or sexy, is partially inherent in speakers with larger voice boxes and vocal folds. But much of what determined charisma depended on the audience: French listeners preferred moderate frequencies, which they said sounded prudent and fair, while Italian listeners preferred lower-pitched voices, which they perceived as authoritarian and menacing.