Mastering Marilyn Monroe's Iconic Voice

Apr 5, 2025

Understanding Marilyn Monroe's Iconic Voice

Introduction to Marilyn Monroe's Voice

  • Marilyn Monroe's voice is iconic, known for its breathy, sultry, and soft qualities.
  • This lecture/presentation aims to analyze and practice the characteristics of her voice to achieve a similar sound.

Key Characteristics of Marilyn Monroe's Voice

1. Breathiness

  • Definition: Characterized by a soft and intimate quality, almost akin to sighing.
  • Effect: Adds a seductive and vulnerable charm.
  • Exercise: Use of breathy 'H' sounds (e.g., "hello" pronounced as "h-ello"). Incorporate gentle breathiness in speech.

2. Pitch and Intonation

  • Features: Not particularly high-pitched but fluctuates melodically, often with upward inflections.
  • Speech Area: Higher in the throat, adding to femininity.
  • Exercises:
    • Melodic Reading: Exaggerate melodic contours.
    • Pitch Glides: Use vowels like "o" or "a" to practice pitch variation.

3. Vocal Quality

  • Characteristics: Smooth, velvety, rich, and warm tones.
  • Exercise:
    • Humming Exercise: Feel resonance in throat/chest and transition smoothly to speaking.

4. Pauses and Pacing

  • Nature: Unhurried and deliberate speech, with well-timed pauses.
  • Exercises:
    • Controlled Speech Practice: Record and focus on pacing.
    • Paced Reading: Use a rhythmic tapping to regulate reading speed.

5. Articulation

  • Style: Clear enunciation with relaxed articulation and elongated vowels.
  • Exercises:
    • Consonant Softening: Use words like "feather," "whisper" for gentle consonant articulation.
    • Vocal Elongation: Stretch vowels, e.g., "love" to "loooove."

Practical Application

  • Practice sentences from Marilyn Monroe movies to apply learned techniques.
  • Focus on breathiness, pitch variation, smoothness, pacing, and articulation.

Conclusion

  • Achieving a voice like Marilyn's involves consistent practice of these characteristics.
  • Exercises can be incorporated into daily life, and the aim is to get inspired, not imitate.
  • Consistency and practice are essential for voice development.

Call to Action

  • Encourage continued practice and engagement with the content.
  • Reminder to like, comment, and subscribe for more content.

This summary captures the key points and exercises discussed in the analysis and practice of Marilyn Monroe's voice characteristics.