# What do you think of the sound of your own voice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 17, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365 "2011-07-17T19:10:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/1 "2011-07-17T19:10:16Z")
I’m embarrassed whenever I hear my own voice in recorded format, be it video or audio. I don’t sound like that in my own head. In my own head I sound perfectly normal… but when I hear my voice as others hear it it sounds just awful! I can’t stand it and I cringe in embarrassment. According to [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=615914) I’m not alone. So what about you? Do you like the sound of your voice? Dislike it? Don’t care one way or the other? ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/2 "2011-07-17T19:16:36Z")
You are definitely not alone. I like the way I hear my voice when I’m speaking, but recording are just awful! However, other people tell me pretty frequently how nice my voice is… I don’t get it! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/3 "2011-07-17T19:24:55Z")
It horrifies me to here my own voice when it’s been recorded. There’s something wrong with all those recording devices, I don’t sound anything like that. Cameras have the same problem too. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/4 "2011-07-17T22:46:22Z")
I think I have a lisp in recordings that I just don’t hear in my own head. No one though, that I’ve ever talked to has ever said anything about it or mocked it or even brought it up in any way. I have no idea what to think of that. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/5 "2011-07-17T22:53:15Z")
Hey there Opal Cat! My voice sounds a lot different inside my head also. When I hear my recorded voice, I sound just like Dennis Hopper. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/6 "2011-07-17T22:53:46Z")
Hate it, hate it, hate it. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/7 "2011-07-18T00:52:07Z")
I don’t like the sound of my voice. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/8 "2011-07-18T01:16:41Z")
It is not pleasant to hear as it lacks all of that rich masculine resonance that I hear inside my head. I was treated to listening to my voice earlier today—I record my guitar lessons on an MP3 recorder to remember those awesome smooth licks my guitar teacher plays. And then there’s my dorky voice in the middle of it all as we talk about the different scales and chords and such. Oh well. I must endure. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/9 "2011-07-18T01:33:37Z")
Eh…I’m not that fond of listening to myself talk, anyway, but the few times I’ve heard my recorded voice as an adult, it wasn’t that bad. Higher pitched than it sounds in my skull, though; more than I like. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/10 "2011-07-18T03:55:10Z")
I’m always surprised…it sounds strange to me. But it is apparently OK, as I’ve done recordings/voice-overs for public consumption. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/11 "2011-07-18T04:00:22Z")
I hate hearing recordings of my voice. Any time I have to listen to myself, my head is literally hanging in embarrassment from me hearing how I actually sound to other people. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/12 "2011-07-18T06:27:06Z")
I thought everyone’s voice sounded different to themselves vs others. Anyway, I’m fairly indifferent to how my voice sounds. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/13 "2011-07-18T07:19:29Z")
I love hearing spoken recordings of my voice – it’s a voice of excellent timbre animated by clear intentions and informed by sophisticated intonations. When paying attention, that is – otherwise, monotone sets in and think Peter Boyle in “Young Frankenstein.” Singing voice is good too, just intonation problems and I’d rather sound like Dr. John or Keith Richards than a choir boy. It’s a Heldentenor’s life, I tell you what. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/14 "2011-07-18T07:33:10Z")
I hadn’t heard my own voice in a long time, and was pleasantly surprised recently when I made a kitty video to put on You Tube. It wasn’t nearly as annoying as I remembered. Of course, I don’t think anyone really likes the sound of their own voice, it always sounds weird. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/15 "2011-07-18T07:41:51Z")
I like my voice Ok. When I worked in radio (front office) I got called in to do a couple of commercials. I got used to the sound of my voice then. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Unexpected\_Okapi\_Debacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_unexpected_okapi_debacle/32/7702_2.png) [@The\_Unexpected\_Okapi\_Debacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Unexpected_Okapi_Debacle)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/16 "2011-07-18T07:51:16Z")
> [@sunstone](#): > > I’m always surprised…it sounds strange to me. But it is apparently OK, as I’ve done recordings/voice-overs for public consumption. This. It was weird getting used to hearing my voice being edited down the hall and even odder when I had put on the headphones and edit it myself. Another strange thing: I get compliments on my voice when I have a cold. Maybe the hoarseness makes me sound like Kathleen Turner or something? No idea. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/17 "2011-07-18T08:52:17Z")
My dog seems to enjoy it when I ask her, “Are you hungry? Do you want your dinner?” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/18 "2011-07-18T09:53:26Z")
I’m always amazed when I hear my voice “objectively,” especially since it sounds so fine to me normally. But to others, I’m a cross between Snagglepuss and the Cowardly Lion. And I’m not the only person who hates it. Once in a while, when I’m talking to someone out in public, a passerby will just stop and stare at me, trying to figure out what I am. Waiters too. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/19 "2011-07-18T10:12:36Z")
Sure, but I also hate the sound of everyone else’s. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365/20 "2011-07-18T10:52:24Z")
It’s not bad when I speak normally, but when I make modifications, like for singing or dramatic reading, I often find I overdo whatever I’m trying to do. I also will record things several times if I haven’t recorded in a while, as I will pick up habits that sound cool in my head, but lousy outside. For example, for a while I was trying for a higher, warmer voice in singing, and I sounded like a muppet, horribly nasal. Or I tried a lower voice to sound more manly, and I sounded like I had a cold. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-the-sound-of-your-own-voice/589365.md?page=2)