Why do so many YouTubers have such terrible voices?

Cafe Society
1

I won’t link to any of them because I don’t want to give them free views, but why do so many YouTubers have such terrible “radio” voices? Talking too fast (my #1 pet YouTube peeve), too slow, monotone, over/fake enthusiasm, whiny, preachy, etc. I rarely actually watch the video, only listen to the audio, unless the visuals are critical (they usually aren’t), so I’m more aware of the terrible voice quality.

The talking too fast is especially prevalent with retro gaming channels. I enjoy the information and reviews, but often have to slow the audio down to 75% (I wish YouTube had incremental audio control) just to comprehend what they’re saying.

2

Maybe because they aren’t “radio voices”? Most of these people just want to share their opinions (and many enjoy attention, and a few $$$ of course) and now have a platform. They aren’t professional announcers.

3

Dey just ain’t professionals. Same issues with YouTube “musicians”, Instagram “models”, Twitter “politicians”.

My pet peeve is that so many videos start with a few minutes’ worth of chitchat/some unrelated story/drivel. It drives my kids (who watch more videos than I do, to get gaming, art, or even cooking advice) crazy, and I’ll hear them yell: “Gaaah, just GET to the POINT!”

But I did get to bond with my son when I said, through gritted teeth, “I’m going to start closing videos whenever the host starts with an overcaffeinated ‘Okay, so how is everyone today?’”

But what baffles me is, they must watch their video after they record it. Do they not notice the issues? Don’t they have friends/siblings/parents who could say “Whoa, slow down, Skippy.”

And you only mentioned the audio, and only one aspect of it. Quality of the recording (audio and video) could take up an entire thread, too.

4

nm, dupe.

(Guess I’m not a professional messageboarder)

5

For the same reason so many humans have terrible voices.

6

Yeah, the whole point is that they’re not professional. No expert chose them for their ability. No one trained them.

7

Yeah, the whole point is that they’re not professional. No expert chose them for their ability. No one trained them.

Still, the YouTubers I listen to are the ones who are quite decent. Many of them have training or experience. Some of them were just born with good voices.

Extra Credits — https://www.youtube.com/user/ExtraCreditz/about

Legal Eagle — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpa-Zb0ZcQjTCPP1Dx_1M8Q

Ryan George, who does Pitch Meeting at Screen Rants — https://www.youtube.com/user/ScreenRant/about

Jabzy — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoUkea_dZioNSJbi1vWDZkA

The SDMB’s own Atomic Shrimp — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSl5Uxu2LyaoAoMMGp6oTJA

Lost in the Pond — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqabPJa-N6ORAlO5yMBtWXg

Matt Sloan and Craig Johnson at Blame Society’s Welcome to the Basement — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCohfGoL208cZbSSlXgMNUiA

The lineup of Irish comedians at the Try Channel — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCabq3No3wXbs6Ut-Pux6SzA

Puffin Forest — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUpkp-6fXuG9dqfoJ99XTmw

Cold Crash Pictures — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfjy9IdZ2n0_OIXPf2VQw4Q

8

I know what you mean. Sometimes I want to find a DIY video, or even get some backstory on a movie, or get info on a TV show coming up, and I have to breace myself as for fingernails on a chalkboard.

There is a guy on Youtube that has been covering the upcoming Wheel of Time series. Even though I’m quite interested in the project, and he’s very well informed as to the going ons, and has even had interviews with some of the people involved, I cannot stand to watch him very often specifically because of his voice.

Most people have no idea how they sound. It actually is a fair amount of work and talent to have a “radio voice”.

It actually is a skill that has to be learned, and it is taught in various journalism or acting classes.

Most people, without training or coaching, come out monotone and boring. Go to a weeding or other event (once covid is over) and listen to people make speeches. Maybe one or two are good, but the rest is a muttering ramble that no one can hear, but no one really cares to hear anyway.

A good speaker, with precise control over pitch, tone, and volume, as well as the knowledge on how to use those most effectively, is going to be far more charismatic and engaging than some random person reading a script, even if the other guy was the one that wrote it (sometimes especially if they were the one that wrote it.)

And that is all assuming that they are using good audio equipment (which is much more affordably priced than say ten or more years ago.) A bad mic can make George Clooney sound like a tinny whiner.

Interestingly, though I cannot find it now, around about a year ago, someone on this board started a thread complaining about how professional radio personalities sound, with their careful enunciation.

9

James Hoffmann — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMb0O2CdPBNi-QqPk5T3gsQ

10

James Hoffmann — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMb0O2CdPBNi-QqPk5T3gsQ

11

James Hoffmann — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMb0O2CdPBNi-QqPk5T3gsQ

12

some people have a good radio voice naturally but it’s not common . I knew a guy like that. He went on to a career in radio after starting in college radio.

13

Another decent presentation manner —Atun-Shei Films — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0_CTubjGeDth7X0bxUTBTA/about

14

I adjust the playback speed for ppl who talk too slow or fast. I read somewhere, ages ago, where most youtube videos are about 10%-15% greeting and BS at the beginning, so I just jump ahead almost immediately. Sometimes I gotta back up some, usually I gotta jump further, especially when they have sponsors and a commercial bit.

It’s annoying, but this stuff is almost second nature now.

15

Talking fast is what is expected with modern content. And a lot of what are “bad” voices are just different voices that people weren’t exposed to. I find it’s rare to actually find someone with a completely unlistenable voice–they mostly just sound like normal people. My expectations just had to adjust from those people who were hired in part because of their voices and were trained in how to speak.

The few times I do find a video I’m interested but with someone whose voice grates on me, it’s nearly always the “nails on chalkboard” effect, which is just due to certain high harmonics. That’s where the karaoke pitch shifter in my sound card settings comes in handy. I just adjust their pitch down one or two semitones, and it’s fine.

As for that overly hyper, fake friendliness? That I just find not worth watching at all. And I can’t say I find many of those people in my recommendeds, and definitely never my subscriptions.

My actual bigger annoyance is more bad sound from people who should know better. The Late Night talk shows will fix their audio for their monologues, but then it’s still shit during the video calls. And I don’t just mean the guest, where it could be due to their connection–though not if they’d set it up properly where the guest also records their own audio and then sends it in to be synched.

16

Talking too fast is a thing. Also often unnecessary cuts. Perhaps in an attempt to keep it upbeat and punchy? I guess it’s hard to portray energy in your dorm room.

17

Maybe you’re not listening to the good Youtubers?

18

I’m with you on this.

It starts with the intro. Every serious YouTuber has their cute intro clip, and in my mind an intro clip should last precisely 10 seconds–bonus points if they have a catchy intro clip that is exactly 5 seconds. If they exceed 10 seconds, I think “that’s 20 seconds I’ll never see again”.

Many of the fast talkers are artificially fast–they clip out the gaps between their words in the video editor. They are the same ones who seem to feel that no video clip can last longer than 2 seconds, frantically switching views in a manner that is agitating and annoying.

With people who do not necessarily talk too fast, the videos tend to be a half hour or more, and I find they repeat themselves over and over. They are doing some activity (e.g. loading a black power rifle before firing) and blather on and on while doing so, as I am grumbling “You already said that. Three times.”

And don’t get me started about “If you are enjoying this, give me a Like and smash that bell”
I wish people would dislike whenever a YouTuber asks for likes, but unfortunately the system is set up to reward people who ask for likes.

When I want to find out how to do a specific task that takes 10 seconds to explain, please don’t make me slog through a 10 minute video to find the moment where you actually mention the topic.
And if the speaker has an annoying tic, such as sucking their teeth every 10 seconds, I’m done.

I feel bad about it, because people are putting effort into making content and here I am being super judgmental about it.