ELEMENTS USED IN ORAL INTERPRETATION

VOCAL ELEMENTS

VOLUME: The degree of loudness in your voice-- the loudness or softness of the sound you create.

VOCAL PITCH: The pitch of a sound is its place in the musical scale, how high or low the sound is.

THREE WAYS TO USE PITCH: Inflections or Pitch slides (changes the pitch within a word), steps (changes of pitch between a word), and the or range of the pitches you use in a piece.

VOCAL RATE OR TEMPO: Is the rate at which you speak--how fast or slow you talk. This includes pauses and phrasing.

VOCAL QUALITY: Is the characteristic of a tone that distinguishes it from all other tones of the same pitch and intensity. This also referred to as timbre or it can be described as the color of the sound.

PROJECTION: Directing your voice to a specific target, or filling the space with your voice. This includes the idea of wanting to communicate, to share with your audience.

PHYSICAL ELEMENTS

GESTURE: The movements you make with your hands and arms.

MOVEMENT: The movements you make with your whole body, including turns steps and walking.

POSTURE, STANCE AND PRESENCE: How you stand. Is you presence comfortable? Do you appear confident and strong?

MUSCLE TENSION AND TONE: Muscle tone refers to the degree of tension or relaxation present in your muscles.