Voice

[azurelunatic]

I've gained remarkable levels in self-confidence over the past few years. But the weirdest little things bring out my old viewpoints full-force.

I am back in the training room on Snarky Lady's computer, working busily away and pulling old information for the database. A bunch of newbies, flanked by supervisors, file into the room and are seated at the conference table. The supervisor passes out briefing guides and turns on the tape recorder with the briefing tape, then wanders out to see to the job in the bullpen.

The woman speaking on the tape has a high, prissy, affected tone, with a trace of what could either be an accent or a speech impediment, like a child attempting to sound like a grown-up. She stumbles, hesitates, stutters, but plows gamely on with the outdated and sometimes irrelevant information, repeating herself unnecessarily.

Oh yes, no self-loathing in this room. I turn up the volume on my headphones and try to disappear. I feel sicker and sicker as the tape continues, wondering if one of the new hires will mock the voice on the tape in the absence of any visible supervisors.


My self-image in listening to my own recorded voice has improved immeasurably since starting this job.

Comments

[trickofthedark.livejournal.com]

I hate my own voice, too. Recorded, I sound SO much higher pitched than I do within my own head. But my husband adores listening to me read aloud, so it can't be as bad as I imagine. ...I hope. :/

[azurelunatic]

I sometimes sound like I think I sound, on voice posts. Not always, though.

[wibbble]

Everyone's voice sounds more higher pitched than they do in their own head - the head resonance makes the difference.

Which makes me wonder what James Earl Jones or Barry White sound like in their own head...

[amberfox.livejournal.com]

If the information is out of date, ask if you can redo the recording. Then you can destroy the evidence of the bad one. ^_^

[azurelunatic]

Amusingly enough, I didn't mind it when it was in-date. Which probably says something about the source of the loathing.

[azurelunatic]

Hmm, wonder if there's "this is what the inside of their head" sound-filtering out there?

[wibbble]

Someone with a good ear could probably tell the tonal difference between what they sound like in their own head and what a (good quality, played back on good quality equipment) recording sounds like.

Once you've got that, you could definitely create a filter... but I don't know if it would be useful for other people, since everyone's head is different and will change the sound in different ways.

[tygerr.livejournal.com]

I was going to suggest the same thing.