Better Without the Sound

I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a video playing, without the sound.  At first I thought it was a late night host doing a monologue. It looked like Jimmy Fallon or Jimmy Kimmel standing in front of one of their brightly colored sets.  The hand gestures and body mannerisms were confident and casual.  Like a performer. 

I did a double take.  It was actually Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking in front of the crowd gathered at the opening of the 2017 Invictus Games.

I clicked on it so that I could hear the sound.  And I didn't like what I heard.  He was speaking in English when the sound came on and his voice sounded high pitched and thin.  Or maybe it just sounded artificial to me - like he was trying to rev up the crowd by speaking more loudly.  I'm used to listening to Trudeau speak to either a smaller gathering or in a recorded video message while seated and speaking to a camera.  It was my first time hearing Trudeau as he tried to rally a crowd of thousands in a large arena.

When he switched to French, the timber of his voice didn't appear as high but I admit it was probably my own bias since I couldn't understand the French.  You can listen to his remarks here.

It's not advisable to try to lower your voice by projecting from the lower part of your throat.  This can be damaging to your vocal cords.  Rather, by practicing on breathing from your diaphragm (and not your chest), you can ever so slightly lower your pitch.  Aside from that, it is always best to use your natural voice and to make sure you are injecting your words with expression and warmth.

Yes, I'm probably being overly critical, but I think I prefer his voice when he's not trying to shout. But I would still give him a passing grade.