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Are you an aspiring singer? But you hate the sound of your voice recorded.
Let’s talk about it.

Are you a singer, but you cringe at the sound of your recorded voice? You’re not alone in that.
We’ve all heard about actors or actresses who cringe when they see themselves on camera, or don’t watch the dailies, or watch their movies or projects they’ve been in.

I’m sure singers can relate to that, especially newer singers. After all, we don’t hear our voice exactly the way others do. We are experiencing the sound completely different from that outside of us.
And we are hearing it back from an outside source.

What’s a Singer To Do?

So what’s a singer to do? Well, you have to toughen up and be thankful for every note you sing. We’re used to hearing slick vocals on streaming services or the radio. The fully recorded projects that we’re listening to are slick. They have auto-tune, reverb, and really great delays to make things sound big and lush. It’s a different experience than just hearing a singer live. Don’t compare your natural voice against a fully produced track.

But what you don’t want to do is go into your first recording project in the recording studio and be like, “I hate my voice.” Honestly, it just screams amateur. Just go in and act like you are experienced with the sound of your voice. Like this isn’t your first rodeo. It might be your first rodeo, but obviously, you’ve heard your voice recorded back, whether it’s you’re just practicing into your phone, or you see a video that somebody recorded you when you performed, just be okay with it. Learn to love it.

As someone who has spent time at the Vanderbilt Voice Center and witnessed people with very serious vocal ailments struggling to communicate, I’m thankful every day that my voice is strong and healthy and that I can use it how I want to.

Also, the singers we’re listening to on those slick recordings had to go through this process as well. You have to learn your confidence along the way. So start now. Singers think they need to be perfect from the start. Again, not many crafts do people think, oh, yeah. I’m supposed to just ‘know’ how to do that. No, you’re not.

You’ll Learn to Love the Sound of Your Recorded Voice

Singing is a learned skill, and so is being okay with the way your voice sounds, and actually learning to love the way your voice sounds. Yes, you will go through a growing process of accepting the way you sound outside of your own head, but that’s what we all do.

Everyone who has ever learned a skill has to go through a growing process and acceptance.
We have to put ourselves out there into the world without assurance of how we’ll be received.
That’s the case with any art. I did a quick search for articles on singers who don’t like the sound of their own voice. I found one article that is more scientifically based that I’d recommend:

https://www.popsci.com/science/why-you-hate-sound-of-your-voice/

But I found a plethora of articles that were just AI slop. But I do want to help you on your singing journey and offer you some friendly advice. Again, it’s simple, just love your voice. It’s special.
There’s only one of you. I’m sure you’ve heard this so many times. There’s only one of you in the entire universe. The odds of that are astronomical, obviously.

Embrace your Unique Sound

So embrace what you have to offer the world. And I remember my coach offering me this advice.
I’m paraphrasing, but it was basically, “love every note that comes out of your mouth”.
Because I was working on my technique at the time, and really doubting everything, and the concept blew my mind, but I have taken it to heart, and I’ve worked on it. Now I don’t think too much about the sound of my voice. I just assume it’s gonna be there for me for all the things that I’ve worked on through my voice.

While I didn’t hate the sound of my own voice, I didn’t have confidence in it. I didn’t love it.
There are so many things that he taught me, but that was one that, again, I was like, whoa, what would happen if I actually did love my voice? So the concept applies throughout your musical career.
Love your voice, love your art, love your songs.

Give Yourself Grace

If you’re in your own way, which most singers are, try to have more fun. Don’t take everything so seriously. I can only tell you that because I was that person overthinking everything.
Maybe I can help you think about things a little differently if you’re struggling to love the sound of your voice or you’re wrapped up in your technique. Do your best to let it go.

Try to Have More Fun When Singing

Try to have fun every time you sing. Be thankful that you can communicate and learn new things every day. And if you’re a new or intermediate singer, every singer needs to learn certain coordinations and exercises.

I have a video for the singers out there to help you build your voice on a solid foundation and get you miles ahead of where you are right now.

And you’ll get access to the video, three secrets, and exercises: how to find more freedom and less tension in your singing.

If you’re a new guitar player setting out on your playing journey, I’ve got a video that could be really helpful for you as well.
Just go to amyhailstone.com/5thing

You will get access to the video Five Things Every New Guitarist Needs to Know.

In Conclusion

So that’s it. That’s all I have for you this week. Try to love your voice. Try to appreciate what you have, what you have to offer the world. And that you have the freedom and ability to learn new things every day and communicate every day.

Read more: Aspiring Singer but Hate the Sound of Your Voice Recorded? Let’s Talk