Why Does My Recorded Voice Sound Different?

It is common for people to feel that their recorded voice sounds different than their voice sounds to themselves when they speak. This is due to the way that sound waves travel through the body and the unique acoustics of the head and neck.

When we speak, the sound waves produced by our vocal cords travel through the air and are then heard by our ears. At the same time, the sound waves also vibrate the bones and tissues of the head and neck. These vibrations are transmitted to the inner ear, which is responsible for detecting sound.

However, when we hear our own voice through a recording, we are only hearing the sound that is transmitted through the air, without the additional vibrations that are transmitted through the head and neck. This can make our recorded voice sound different than the way it sounds to ourselves when we speak.

There are a few other factors that can contribute to the perceived difference between a recorded voice and the way we hear our own voice when we speak. These include:

  1. The distance between the microphone and the speaker: The closer the microphone is to the speaker, the more pronounced the bass frequencies will be in the recording. This can make the recorded voice sound deeper or more resonant.
  2. The type of microphone: Different microphones have different frequency responses and sensitivity levels, which can affect the way a voice sounds in a recording.
  3. The type of recording equipment: The quality of the recording equipment can also affect the way a voice sounds in a recording.

In summary, recorded voices often sound different than the way they sound to the speaker due to the unique acoustics of the head and neck, as well as other factors such as the distance between the microphone and the speaker, the type of microphone, and the quality of the recording equipment.

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