How do voices sound different

The inner ear responds to these just like any other vibrations, turning them into electrical signals and sending them to the brain. Whenever you speak, your inner ear is stimulated both by internal vibrations in your bones and by the sound coming out of your mouth and traveling through the air and into the ears. Our emotional state also affects how we speak.

Though the voice will return to normal once the stimulus passes, people who are generally high-strung will often adopt some variation of this alarmed voice as their natural cadence. Nasal congestion is the primary culprit, as anyone with allergies or chronic sinusitis can attest to, but hyponasality can also stem from a deviated septum or certain adenoidal maladies. Hypernasal speech, on the other hand, results from an influx of air through the nose while speaking, and is especially noticeable when saying words that begin with a consonant.

Hypernasality can be caused by a cleft palate or other velopharyngeal insufficiencies , and speech can be majorly impaired in these cases. The vocal cords and larynx are like any other muscle in that they can be overused and strained, so, like most things, moderation is key when it comes to taking care of your voice.

Scientists are working hard to make that happen, Lance H.! They've invented the cochlear implant, which helps people who are deaf or severely hard-of-hearing to be able to hear some things. Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis! Just be sure to re-read the Wonder of the Day to find out why our heads make our voices sound different to us!

Thanks for leaving such great comments, Taylor N. It sure would be awesome if scientists did, Abi and Emma! One solution that is already helping people who are deaf or severely hard-of-hearing is the cochlear implant, which is placed on the inner and outer parts of the ear. It doesn't restore natural hearing but definitely gives the person a sense of sound and helps him or her understand speech! We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature.

Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. Why does my voice sound different on a recording? How does sound reach the inner ear?

How does your recorded voice compare to the voice you hear in your head? Tags: See All Tags air , anatomy , bone , brain , cochlea , conduction , ear , eardrum , fluid , frequency , head , hear , Human Body , inner ear , mechanism , middle ear , organ , outer ear , recording , science , sound , speak , tissue , translate , transmission , vibration , vocal , vocal cord , voice , wave.

Wonder What's Next? Wonderopolis is really going to the dogs… but in a good way! Tune in to find out why! Keep the good vibrations going by exploring the following activities with a friend or family member: Do you like the way your voice sounds on a recording? If you're like many people, you might not like your recorded voice that much. Do you think that's true for the world's best singers, though? Do some Internet research to see what you can learn about what some of your favorite singers think of their recorded voices.

You could also ask a choir or music teacher at your school. Share what you learn with friends and family members! Grab a pen and paper, and then turn on your favorite music. Sing along to your favorite song. As you sing, write down a description of your voice as you hear it.

Now find a recording device and record yourself singing along to that same song. Play it back when you're finished. Write another description of your voice as you hear it on the recording.

Does it sound the same? Did you describe it differently? If so, how? What descriptive words changed from how you hear yourself in your head to how you hear yourself on a recording? Up for a challenge? Record your voice using several different recording devices. Some options might include a traditional tape recorder, a digital camera, a smartphone, or a digital voice recorder.

Compare the different methods of recording. Does your voice sound the same to you on all of them? If not, what might account for some of the differences? Have fun recording and listening to yourself. Ask a friend or family member to record themselves, too. What do they think about how they sound? Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words ear sound inner voice brain fluid eardrum recording spiral organ vocal different cochlea uncomfortable mechanism conduction transmission frequency Take the Wonder Word Challenge.

Join the Discussion. Neev Mar 31, When it was my first time recording I recorded then i listen to my voice and my voice sounded weird and i did not know what was going on. When I record my voice changes and i was thinking why does that happened to the recorder.

Mar 31, Why do people have different voices? Share This Post. Share on facebook. Share on linkedin. Share on twitter. Share on email. How is the voice generated? Why do voices sound different? Like this: Like Loading Subscribe To Our Newsletter. Get updates and learn from the best.

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