Listened to my voice on a recording

[Zain]

Honestly, I feel very unsettled. I was like "Is this really what I've sounded like my entire life?". I thought that I sounded 'normal', but I sound awful, very off-putting and nasally. I feel like never speaking again. In the next few hours, whenever I've had to use my voice, I've been very quiet and gave only one word answers. My confidence has taken a huge blow.
I don't really know what I'm asking for here. Any input would be appreciated - surely someone can relate and give advice.

 

[Outdated]

All people hate the sound of their own voice when it's played back to them because what they hear inside their own head while speaking is very different. I've been regularly complimented on my voice all my life and a lot of people like my accent too but when I hear it played back to me I don't like it at all.

 

[Judge]

Yep, I've never liked the sound of my own voice played back. Never thought it sounded like what I actually hear. Go figure...

 

[Zain]

All people hate the sound of their own voice when it's played back to them because what they hear inside their own head while speaking is very different. I've been regularly complimented on my voice all my life and a lot of people like my accent too but when I hear it played back to me I don't like it at all.

I don't know. There must be some truth to it since I can hear I sound nasally.

 

[Zain]

Even worse, now when I try and improve my voice, I have no idea if I will sound 'normal'/good/proper or not.

 

[Tired]

Did someone ever told you, that they don't like your voice?

 

[Zain]

Did someone ever told you, that they don't like your voice?

No. But recently my sister ended up telling me that she felt embarrassed to be around me, and we're not close at all anymore. This issue links with that event.

 

[Tired]

No. But recently my sister ended up telling me that she felt embarrassed to be around me, and we're not close at all anymore. This issue links with that event.

You should really ask your sister why she thinks that, instead of overthinking and trying to find some flaws, where there is none.

 

[Rocco]

I too, cannot stand the sound of my own voice. It truly is a common feeling. I have had complements on my voice before, which are always odd to hear. I find my voice higher and more nasal in recordings also.
I have recently been recording short stories, on request, for a love interest that seems to really like my voice. I cannot listen to them before sending because to me it sounds totally cringe.
I would recommend not thinking too much about your voice, it’s probably fine. If you are a man, try to speak from your chest instead of throat, if your voice bothers you.

 

[Outdated]

I cannot listen to them before sending because to me it sounds totally cringe.

I heard myself in a news report, felt the same cringe. It was very obviously my voice though because it made the dog go mental.

 

[Zain]

I heard myself in a news report, felt the same cringe. It was very obviously my voice though because it made the dog go mental.

I too, cannot stand the sound of my own voice. It truly is a common feeling. I have had complements on my voice before, which are always odd to hear. I find my voice higher and more nasal in recordings also.
I have recently been recording short stories, on request, for a love interest that seems to really like my voice. I cannot listen to them before sending because to me it sounds totally cringe.
I would recommend not thinking too much about your voice, it’s probably fine. If you are a man, try to speak from your chest instead of throat, if your voice bothers you.

Thanks, guys. You've reassured me.
I'm curious then, how do people use recordings to improve their public speaking? Do any of you know?

You should really ask your sister why she thinks that, instead of overthinking and trying to find some flaws, where there is none.

I did. She didn't answer and then sheepishly looked at the ground and walked off.

 

[stevens]

I had this moment when I was younger. I was/am an electronics nerd and had a tape recorder, in times when it was rather unusual to have one. So I decided to work on it. My advice is to use a sound recorder app on your phone to work on this. I was able to turn things around.

These days people complain that I talk like a radio announcer. In fact, in college I did some broadcast and voiceover work. Anyway, a "radio announcer" presentation is probably just perfect for people like me who people typed as The Little Professor. People really never seemed to like nerds, but I've grown into that role and now embrace it more.

 

[FilterFreq]

When I started doing a lot of streaming I couldn't stand the sound of my own voice. Now, after hours upon hours of recording, editing, refining, etc, I've come to embrace what I sound like to other people.

It is funny that we sound differently from our normal point of view, though. Hopefully you can also get desensitized and embrace what you sound like to everyone else!

 

[Tom]

I think you need a trusted person to give you honest feedback and perhaps you can modify it more to your satisfaction.

Also remember that what you say is more important then how you say it.

 

[All-Rounder]

Tbh when I first started recording in town I noticed with a bank interaction just how bad I was at communication I felt horridly ashamed I couldn't recognize myself. I sound just like a little like I have problems, weird anxiety awkward voice and I was not speaking very fluently or like explanatory I was also speaking very short even I could tell there is something wrong. Then it makes sense when doctors ask me if there's something with my memory and I can't say lol, because I'd like to keep that a secret and then I realize that I was contextually answering while the bigger picture had a different answer. I'm struggling more than I know. And to think I feel so confident like I am the $#¡%

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Honestly, I feel very unsettled. I was like "Is this really what I've sounded like my entire life?". I thought that I sounded 'normal', but I sound awful, very off-putting and nasally. I feel like never speaking again. In the next few hours, whenever I've had to use my voice, I've been very quiet and gave only one word answers. My confidence has taken a huge blow.
I don't really know what I'm asking for here. Any input would be appreciated - surely someone can relate and give advice.

Exactly. The phenomenon occurs because of bone conduction. If you take your fingers and plug your ears, then speak, you can still hear yourself. The sound is not coming from outside, but rather inside. So, when you are speaking normally, you hear a combination of inside and outside sound. When you are listening to a recording of yourself, you hear only the outside sound.

The way your voice sounds to you while you speak, and what others hear, are two different things.

Now, don't get me started on photographs or videos of myself. Ugh.

 

[oregano]

I hate the sound of my own voice too, and it's not just me, people sometimes get very offended when I talk to them, my speech impediment somethimes comes off as "rude" or "entitled" (can't think of the exact word I want to use right now) and people can get the idea that I'm a stuck up male "Karen",.

 

[Pats]

I've heard myself on a recording and hate it! Weird thing is, everyone says I sound just like my sister and I like the sound of her voice. I've also had many people say they like my voice. So I don't know what it is about hearing ourselves. I hated how I sounded so much that I would never record myself on answering machine or anything - would get someone else to do it. And now I have hearing aids and the mic picks up my voice so when I'm wearing them, I hear myself speak from the outside and it messes me up trying to talk. I don't wear them often - just when I'm going to be with my kids or going to doctor and I want to hear what they are saying.

 

[All-Rounder]

I hate the sound of my own voice too, and it's not just me, people sometimes get very offended when I talk to them, my speech impediment somethimes comes off as "rude" or "entitled" (can't think of the exact word I want to use right now) and people can get the idea that I'm a stuck up male "Karen",.

My voice tone is sometimes just not there...

 

[Rodafina]

It seems to be a rather unnatural thing that we can all hear the sound of our voices and see our images in photos, videos, or recordings. Hearing our voice echo through a stone cave or catching our reflection in still water makes sense, but this ability to see and hear ourselves in high definition now is strange for the brain to process.

The act of saying things and doing things seems, to me, like it should be an ephemeral thing. Not something that is documented in such a way that we can replay it, analyze it, and overthink it.

I am sharing this idea because I, too, was horrified by the sound of my own voice when I was younger and it made me become very quiet for a very long time. Seeing too many images and videos of myself does the same thing - paralyzes me with terrible self consciousness.

It's better for me to not focus too much on how I look to others and remain focused on how I feel from within. I want to feel free and authentic when I speak and I don't need one more reason to be critical and self loathing. If my voice sounds weird, so be it. That is something I can accept because it is my own unique voice.