We have all been fascinated by one person’s voice at some point. But what can our voice really reveal about our character? Our voice is like a musical instrument that we use to express and communicate. Developmental, psychosocial, and educational factors are connected with our voice’s sound colour, emphasis, and volume. But how do these characteristics relate to the way others perceive our personality?

What aspects of our character are revealed?

The researchers found no difference between men and women. However, the relationship between voice tone and other personality traits (such as agreement, neuroticism, consciousness or openness) seems less clear. It is possible that these traits are not expressed in the tone of voice. People’s voices can make a vast and immediate impression on us, which significantly determines the image we create for someone.

Even if we only hear the voice of someone without visual cues – for example, on the phone – we know very soon if we are talking to a man, a woman, a child or an older person. We can continue the communication if the person sounds enjoyable, friendly, sad, nervous, or has an attractive voice. We also begin to make assumptions about the feeling of trust and dominance that comes from hearing a voice.

The importance of tonality

  • The deep tone in the voice indicates maturity and promotes confidence. It is the preferred tone of voice in advertisements. Exaggeration, however, is questionable, as it refers to dark emotions.
  • The loud tone of voice reduces the credibility of what is being said.
  • Stability in the volume of the voice refers to a person with prestige and self-confidence. When the volume is too low, most people think it comes from a person with a disability.

The function of respiration

  • Calm: refers to someone with a structured personality.
  • Deep and steady: refers to an energetic and active person.
  • Deep and robust: indicates a person who restrains his anger.
  • Sharp and short: indicates stress and tension.

Voice Volume

  • Normal volume: indicates self-control and interest in the interlocutor.
  • High: reveals impatience, egocentrism and insecurity.
  • Low: associated with inexperience and lack of ambition.

Why do we not like the sound of our voice?

Most people, when they hear their voice recorded, get frustrated because they do not like it. The main reason for this phenomenon is because our voice, when recorded, does not sound familiar. During recording, we hear the voice from an external channel, resulting in our voice being heard at higher frequencies than when we hear it directly through our drum.

The voice as a professional tool

Voice acting is the art of providing voices to play a character or to provide information to an audience or user. Examples include cartoons, match reruns, off-stage (in the background) or invisible characters in various projects including movie trailers, foreign (for the country of broadcasting) movies, short films, TV shows, commercials, radio, radio comedies, video games, puppetry, audiobooks and documentaries. Voice acting is also used for small audio games on mobile or other handheld consoles. Performers are called vocal actors, voice artists or voice talents. Their roles may also include song, although sometimes another voice actor may perform as the voice that sings, instead of the character’s voice actor. If you also want to work using your voice for any kind of communication or advertising content. You can join a voice acting agency and participate in one of the different voice categories or types at Voquent.

So voices are related to a person’s personality. It is the means of expressing some inner aspects of their personality, so we should give it a unique basis and attention.