Do you guys also have this illusion that when you listen to yourself speak/sing your sound seems distorted? I can't watch videos where there is my voice because it sounds so awful. However all the people around me say it's normal. I asked my friends they have the same feeling so I'm guessing everyone has this problem. Can anyone explain why this is happening?
Question to singers - Sound Illusion
Because the voice is "comming out" of your own head/mouth. Therefor it sounds different than when you hear it from "outside". Think of it like this... if you would stick your head into an acoustic guitar (i know it's too small for that, but anyway), it would sound different as when you stand in front of it.
And it sounds weird to yourself because in normal situations, you don't hear yourself from the "outside perspective". And when you do, you notice the difference very well.
And it sounds weird to yourself because in normal situations, you don't hear yourself from the "outside perspective". And when you do, you notice the difference very well.
So which one is my real voice? The one I hear when I speak to someone or the stupid/weird one? Arrr musicians have very hard job hehe
You do indeed sound that stupid, yes. 
What you hear on those recordings is what other people hear when you open your mouth (rather obvious one would think) .
What you hear on those recordings is what other people hear when you open your mouth (rather obvious one would think) .Yes, that's what I thought before too... It's just after some singing I was going nuts when I heard that "other" voice and scared that it may be my voice.
Take a friend to your microphone, ask him to speak a couple of words and then listen to the recording. Is the recording a rough impression of your friends voice? If no, buy a new microphone. If yes, speak the same words into the microphone yourself and listen to the recording. Obviously, as you witnessed before, the recording is pretty close to the original voice which, incidentally, was your own this time. So then you roughly know what you sound like to other people.
It's fairly simple, isn't it?
Vain
It's fairly simple, isn't it?
Vain
Just record you saying a few phrases or singing a song, post it here and we could tell you if your voice sounds stupid or not
I recorded a song but... I'm not sure I should post it here just yet hehe. I need a better microphone, right now I have a professional one for 5$ Any recommendations? I have about 100$
Any recommendations? I have about 100$I can't actually remember the sound illusion as I'm used to the sound of my recorded voice now (been gigging since '94, made two EPs and loads of other recordings with other bands & just started an album). A good reliable vocal mic for recording or live performance is the good ol' Shure SM58. It's not a dedicated, top-shelf studio mic like a Neumann or Rode but it's a tough, reliable & accurate vocal mic that's been around for about a billion years. You might've seen them a million times in videos and at gigs and not noticed. The reason all mics look tend to look the same is because they most probably are:
I'm not sure how an SM58 would be in the US, but if you can get one second-hand from ebay it should be fine. They're great value and extremely hard to kill - trust me, I've tried
I'm not sure how an SM58 would be in the US, but if you can get one second-hand from ebay it should be fine. They're great value and extremely hard to kill - trust me, I've tried
i'm playing in a rock/metal band, we could use a vocalist with a lot of distortion
There's no rule in picking a vocal mic, you should pick one that sounds good with your voice within acceptable limits.
The classic choice for cheap dynamic vocal mics is Shure SM-58 (some people prefer using the SM-57 finding it more suited to their voice, but Shure sells it as an instrument mic) or an imitation. The SM-58 has a strong 'presence' effect when used at extremely close range and is generally well suited to a whole range of voices, thus has become a standard in concerts.
A dynamic mic is good if you have to hold the mic in your hand, otherwise you could also look for a vocal suited condenser microphone. If you don't have a phantom powered audio card, mixer or DI box, electret condenser microphones are available and are battery powered.
So overall it depends on your needs, and cash. For instance Neumann, Schoepps and high and mid range AKGs sell for a lot more than 100$.
A good starting page (although it doesn't cover a lot of important mic stuff, such as polar patterns - generally cardiod for vocal mics - and frequency response curves) is here. It's generic, but I agree with the suggestions.
The classic choice for cheap dynamic vocal mics is Shure SM-58 (some people prefer using the SM-57 finding it more suited to their voice, but Shure sells it as an instrument mic) or an imitation. The SM-58 has a strong 'presence' effect when used at extremely close range and is generally well suited to a whole range of voices, thus has become a standard in concerts.
A dynamic mic is good if you have to hold the mic in your hand, otherwise you could also look for a vocal suited condenser microphone. If you don't have a phantom powered audio card, mixer or DI box, electret condenser microphones are available and are battery powered.
So overall it depends on your needs, and cash. For instance Neumann, Schoepps and high and mid range AKGs sell for a lot more than 100$.
A good starting page (although it doesn't cover a lot of important mic stuff, such as polar patterns - generally cardiod for vocal mics - and frequency response curves) is here. It's generic, but I agree with the suggestions.
First question I have is what are the videos recorded in? Standard camera mics pick up the high and mid frequencies but lose the bass (because they're designed for low quality talking).
When I sing, my voice sounds like I hear it in my head, but my talking voice is completely different to what I hear. But then I've been singing in bands for 10 years so I pretty much know what I sound like anyway
TBH most commercial vocal mics will put out a reasonable quality. I use SM58s because when I started singing it was the first mic I loved the feel of in my hand. But I've used plenty of cheap ones and other brands over the years, and without sitting down and going through the waveforms, the difference is rarely that noticable.
Try recording directly to a recorder (hard disk, tape or even the camera) by plugging straight in before you make any decisions.
Bottom line is that as long as you're in tune it doesn't really matter what your voice is like. There's so much diversity in tone, style and resonance out there and the world needs 'em all.
When I sing, my voice sounds like I hear it in my head, but my talking voice is completely different to what I hear. But then I've been singing in bands for 10 years so I pretty much know what I sound like anyway
TBH most commercial vocal mics will put out a reasonable quality. I use SM58s because when I started singing it was the first mic I loved the feel of in my hand. But I've used plenty of cheap ones and other brands over the years, and without sitting down and going through the waveforms, the difference is rarely that noticable.
Try recording directly to a recorder (hard disk, tape or even the camera) by plugging straight in before you make any decisions.
Bottom line is that as long as you're in tune it doesn't really matter what your voice is like. There's so much diversity in tone, style and resonance out there and the world needs 'em all.
Ayaya I'm so stupid, as always I got too excited and went shopping without looking at this thread one more time, I bought a proffesional audio-technica mic... for 25$ http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Au ... ica-ATR-20-Unidirectional But I guess it isn't that bad for a start right? If I really get into singing I'll buy the shure mic. Thanks guys for help. Any simple programs for creating music? :P
http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Au ... ica-ATR-20-Unidirectional But I guess it isn't that bad for a start right? If I really get into singing I'll buy the shure mic. Thanks guys for help. Any simple programs for creating music? :PThe sound is different because you hear some of it through your head - vibration in your skull and flesh are picked up by your ear drums. Plus your ears haven't got a very good sound path to your mouth, so you get some distortion there. Plus you hear your voice all the time, and tend to concentrate on certain aspects of it a bit more (subconciously).
I sound quite nice in my head. But like a complete weirdo to other people (or on tape). I can sing in my head. I most certainly cannot in terms of what other people hear
I sound quite nice in my head. But like a complete weirdo to other people (or on tape). I can sing in my head. I most certainly cannot in terms of what other people hear
Cool edit pro.
I us it a lot
[OT]
That's not exact. Standard camera mics pick up less low frequencies because they have a very small diaphragm due to space constraints. Low cost external camera mics can be extremely good and are used as a replacement for normal portable dynamic or condenser mics especially when in conjunction with a minidisc.
For instance, Field Recordings from Tibet by Geir Jenssen was made with a minidisc and a little external battery powered condenser camera microphone. The extreme conditions of the recordings, which were made also at more than 8000 meters, needed extremely lightweight and efficient equipment, and Jenssen preferred that microphone to anything else in harsh conditions, despite his presumably large availability of gear.
Not OT: a "simple" program for music making? Not cheap: Ableton Live, Reason. Not so simple: Cubase. Cheaper and with a different philosophy: Mackie Tracktion. The entire list of available hosts, free and commercial, is available at http://www.kvraudio.com, along with a lot of fundamental resources for the computer musician.
Ok laugh all you want
http://files.filefront.com/Fil ... 3/;9944615;/fileinfo.html And is my voice really terrible? I know you can hear me take breath etc. but I my parents came home and I hate singing with someone next to me. I'll fix it this weekend.
Heres the original version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS9-WtpQk68
http://files.filefront.com/Fil ... 3/;9944615;/fileinfo.html And is my voice really terrible? I know you can hear me take breath etc. but I my parents came home and I hate singing with someone next to me. I'll fix it this weekend.
Heres the original version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS9-WtpQk68
My little brother once told me : Plug your ears so you cant hear your own voice and you'll hear what you really sound like. 
Err, I won't say anything about the voice in itself, there are renowned and uniquely styled singers who had a terrible voice and even sang out of tune (Bob Dylan, Ian Curtis, Lou Reed to name a few, and the Beastie Boys to name a band with terrible but beautifully used voices), but they overcame their vocal limits exploiting the personality of their voices.
I didn't laugh, but I think your interpretation is extremely unconvincing, and I wouldn't consider it a limit of your voice, but a limit in your knowledge of your voice and of the ways in which you could use it.
I didn't laugh, but I think your interpretation is extremely unconvincing, and I wouldn't consider it a limit of your voice, but a limit in your knowledge of your voice and of the ways in which you could use it.
So what would be a good start in gaining knowledge of your own voice?
Tough question
You could follow the usual path: learning until you know more about your voice and have better control. You could take lessons and do some experiments, and more confidence will come with time. Most of all, listen!
Speaking personally, I still haven't had the courage to sing anything. If I had a good song I wrote on my own in a style that suits my limitations I'd record my voice without problems, but I'm not good at lyrics or conventional songs, I'm much better as a hobbyst technician/producer, although I'm into experimental music and I don't feel any need to share something I've done although friends who play and record with me are pushing to publish. I am involved in four different projects, none of them public. The fifth one (the only solo one) will be oriented to EBM/Future Pop, as soon as I find some time and disposition. The style suits my limited vocal extension when I sing loudly (the only way I can sing more or less in tune), and it fits my tastes and needs.
My favourite voice remains Demetrio Stratos, who progressively steered away from his conventional, beautifully pitched and powerful voice to search for new forms of expressions, followed by Ian Curtis of Joy Division. Totally different approaches, but both were extreme and personal.
You could follow the usual path: learning until you know more about your voice and have better control. You could take lessons and do some experiments, and more confidence will come with time. Most of all, listen!
Speaking personally, I still haven't had the courage to sing anything. If I had a good song I wrote on my own in a style that suits my limitations I'd record my voice without problems, but I'm not good at lyrics or conventional songs, I'm much better as a hobbyst technician/producer, although I'm into experimental music and I don't feel any need to share something I've done although friends who play and record with me are pushing to publish. I am involved in four different projects, none of them public. The fifth one (the only solo one) will be oriented to EBM/Future Pop, as soon as I find some time and disposition. The style suits my limited vocal extension when I sing loudly (the only way I can sing more or less in tune), and it fits my tastes and needs.
My favourite voice remains Demetrio Stratos, who progressively steered away from his conventional, beautifully pitched and powerful voice to search for new forms of expressions, followed by Ian Curtis of Joy Division. Totally different approaches, but both were extreme and personal.
Ian Dury and Carl Puttnam were always my favourites.
I dunno, I think I'll join the club of people the absolutely hates hearing my own voice, becuase it sounds so... brutal. If people hate me because of my voice, I'll agree with them and buy them cherry cake.
+1
that's why i dont talk on TS
Once you get used to hearing your own voice outside your own head, as others hear it, it becomes a little less wierd. Once you listen to a few recordings of yourself, you can learn what your voice does when you sing. You can then use what you've learned to control how you use your voice a lot better and change whatever aspects you don't like and focus on those you do like. I think most people's recorded voices surprise them at first (I still think I sound much stranger when I talk than when I sing) but you simply have to listen to yourself a lot. Get over the initial shock of how different the sound is to what you expected, take an objective look at your sound and it eventually becomes like listening to yourself play any other instrument.
It's like hotlapping or racing for 20 laps, completely focussed on what you're doing inside the car, then taking a break and watching an external view of yourself drive in order to analyse & critique your style & technique and look for ways to improve. You can see from that external, disconnected view things you probably didn't notice from the cockpit and you can then be objective about where you can improve or alter things.
It's like hotlapping or racing for 20 laps, completely focussed on what you're doing inside the car, then taking a break and watching an external view of yourself drive in order to analyse & critique your style & technique and look for ways to improve. You can see from that external, disconnected view things you probably didn't notice from the cockpit and you can then be objective about where you can improve or alter things.
Question to singers - Sound Illusion
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