Is that really me talking?

Have you ever listened to a message left on your phone and wondered who it was, only to realize that it was you all along? Even more surprising is that your friends seem to identify it as you right away. How is it that we are not able to recognize our own voices, yet others can? Sorry to break it to you, but it’s not because your friends know you so well. Like all scientific subjects, there is an explanation for this.

Sound wave. Author: Luis Lima89989 via Wikimedia Commons

Before we dig into how this works, we first need to become familiar with how the process of hearing works. There are two ways in which your ears can be stimulated. The obvious one is through air, where sound waves travel from the mouth to the ears. This is the main process in action when you are listening to a recording of yourself or to another individual during a conversation.

When you are speaking, it’s a different story. Not only do your ears receive signals through the air, but they also gather information arising from the vibrations of your skull. This results in hearing that arises from two processes, which is different from either one by itself. However, it’s not your skull that produces the trembling movement. The source is the vocal cords, the structure in your throat that is responsible for producing sound by vibrating. Therefore, the sound that you’re hearing when you talk is actually a form of your voice that has a special effect added to it.

Voice recorder. Author: Stilfehler via Wikimedia Commons

Think about a time when you heard a recording of yourself. The sound that you perceived was probably high-pitched compared to your version of your voice. Such phenomenon is due to the absence of the added effect from the vibrations of your skull, which produces a deeper tone. This is used as an advantage in concerts because the intensity of the bass vibrates your body, resulting in the amplification of low-pitched sounds.

Here is a video that shows an alternative way to hearing your actual voice:

Youtube user: vocalcoach

To those that think they possess a manly voice, it might not be such a bad idea to try and verify that. But don’t worry if it turns out totally different than you thought it was. All your friends don’t seem to mind it, because they love you for who you are.

– Daniel(Sanggi) Hong