Uniqueness of Voices...

Wow that was a long and hard audio clip to listen to. I found it very hard to stay focused and digest what was being said. It’s kind of ironic in a way that an article talking about how important voice is is portrayed in such a generic way. In fact, the main announcer is one of the most generic voices out there. He reminds me a lot of the guy who narrates kids Christmas stories on CBC.

I’ve always been amazed at how everyone’s voice is unique. I often find myself able to recognize voices even after only meeting the person for a couple of times. Think of how many different people you know and regularly talk to. Its pretty amazing that we not only all have unique voices, but that we are able to instantly distinguish them. Remember the days before call display? Or when someone calls you who’s number or name is not displayed? I’m often able to recognize who it is, even if all they have said is Hello.

People are attracted to people for a variety of reasons. Think of yourself when you walk into a room of strangers. One of the first things you do is look around and see who you can relate to. Maybe its the guy wearing a shirt with the logo of your favourite snowboard company. Maybe its the girl who’s carrying a textbook from a class you are in. Typically, humans have a need to socialize and be included in groups. This is one of the many reasons that people are attracted to other people and seek to make connections with others when in an unfamiliar setting.

Radio ads are a great example of where voice can be used in conjunction with peoples need to associate with others. Aunt Jemima is a great example. She’s not real, however she is a character that people can relate to. She’s a character that makes the product have a human characteristic. It makes it a product that feels like its been with you forever. It’s like its part of the family.

One of the most memorable blog posts that I have read is Matt Lang’s post on Kelowna’s infestation with Choches. When I read his post, I can picture him saying the exact words that he has typed. I’ve known Matt since high school and the rant that he goes on in his blog post is one that I can hear him saying in real life. His post about his passion of snowboarding is another great example of how he has projected his real-life voice onto paper with his blog. In both of these blogs the voice and tone being used greatly portrays how he really feels on these topics. The disgust and hatred towards Kelowna’s Choch comes across clear and there is no question as to how Matt really feels on this issue.