I guess I still have this problem

[HybridMoment]

About a year ago, well according to my profile - "Date Registered: Oct 23, 2004, 1:53am" (a day before my birthday, now marking my 1 year anniversary here) I found this site and registered because I was in a required speech class for college.

During our first introduction speech I didn't have a loud enough voice, the instructor thought it was such a problem he made me stay after class to discuss it. He suggested I practice speaking loudly. This really embarrassed me, so I started searching on the Internet shyness and how to make your voice louder and I eventually wound up on this message board. I also practiced my speeches at what I thought was a much louder voice. Though, I ended up making the highest grades in the class on my speeches, I don't think my voice level improved very much despite how hard I was trying.

At work I nearly strain my voice trying to talk over the barking dogs (I work at a pet boarding and grooming place). When I first started the job I thought it would be a great opportunity to be forced to speak louder than normal. I even foolishly thought that I would get used to talking so loud that I wouldn't have this problem anymore.

But I guess this is not the case; my parents remind me daily that I mumble inaudibly. Today I answered this phone and it was an insurance agent trying to find my dad. I thought it was my mom calling (I don't have caller ID) and I especially said "hello" very loudly, because she always complains how she can't hear me on the phone. Then the guy said "hello?" And I said "hello" even louder, and he said "hello, is anyone there?". Then I said "yes!". Finally he heard me, and then as I tried to explain that my dad was going to call the insurance company later, he said he could still barely hear me. He then started to lecture me on how when I talk on the phone I should talk at a volume where people can actually hear me.

I just don't know how to talk any louder. Even when I'm trying my hardest people can still barely hear me. When I try to practice speaking louder it seems louder to me, then I try to speak to someone and they still can't hear me. And when I put myself in situations where there is so much noise I need to nearly shout, I still can't speak loud enough. I've searched the Internet for solutions to this, but I've never found any. It seems if I'm in a conversation I have to put all my effort into speaking loud enough and then I can't concentrate on what I was going to say.

Does anyone know anything else I can try that would help me speak louder?

[pansy]

hybridmoment said:

About a year ago, well according to my profile - "Date Registered: Oct 23, 2004, 1:53am" (a day before my birthday, now marking my 1 year anniversary here) I found this site and registered because I was in a required speech class for college.

During our first introduction speech I didn't have a loud enough voice, the instructor thought it was such a problem he made me stay after class to discuss it. He suggested I practice speaking loudly. This really embarrassed me, so I started searching on the Internet shyness and how to make your voice louder and I eventually wound up on this message board. I also practiced my speeches at what I thought was a much louder voice. Though, I ended up making the highest grades in the class on my speeches, I don't think my voice level improved very much despite how hard I was trying.

At work I nearly strain my voice trying to talk over the barking dogs (I work at a pet boarding and grooming place). When I first started the job I thought it would be a great opportunity to be forced to speak louder than normal. I even foolishly thought that I would get used to talking so loud that I wouldn't have this problem anymore.

But I guess this is not the case; my parents remind me daily that I mumble inaudibly. Today I answered this phone and it was an insurance agent trying to find my dad. I thought it was my mom calling (I don't have caller ID) and I especially said "hello" very loudly, because she always complains how she can't hear me on the phone. Then the guy said "hello?" And I said "hello" even louder, and he said "hello, is anyone there?". Then I said "yes!". Finally he heard me, and then as I tried to explain that my dad was going to call the insurance company later, he said he could still barely hear me. He then started to lecture me on how when I talk on the phone I should talk at a volume where people can actually hear me.

I just don't know how to talk any louder. Even when I'm trying my hardest people can still barely hear me. When I try to practice speaking louder it seems louder to me, then I try to speak to someone and they still can't hear me. And when I put myself in situations where there is so much noise I need to nearly shout, I still can't speak loud enough. I've searched the Internet for solutions to this, but I've never found any. It seems if I'm in a conversation I have to put all my effort into speaking loud enough and then I can't concentrate on what I was going to say.

Does anyone know anything else I can try that would help me speak louder?

if you take a singing class they will teach you how to project your voice. some acting classes focus on that too.

[HybridMoment]

pansy said:

hybridmoment said:

About a year ago, well according to my profile - "Date Registered: Oct 23, 2004, 1:53am" (a day before my birthday, now marking my 1 year anniversary here) I found this site and registered because I was in a required speech class for college.

During our first introduction speech I didn't have a loud enough voice, the instructor thought it was such a problem he made me stay after class to discuss it. He suggested I practice speaking loudly. This really embarrassed me, so I started searching on the Internet shyness and how to make your voice louder and I eventually wound up on this message board. I also practiced my speeches at what I thought was a much louder voice. Though, I ended up making the highest grades in the class on my speeches, I don't think my voice level improved very much despite how hard I was trying.

At work I nearly strain my voice trying to talk over the barking dogs (I work at a pet boarding and grooming place). When I first started the job I thought it would be a great opportunity to be forced to speak louder than normal. I even foolishly thought that I would get used to talking so loud that I wouldn't have this problem anymore.

But I guess this is not the case; my parents remind me daily that I mumble inaudibly. Today I answered this phone and it was an insurance agent trying to find my dad. I thought it was my mom calling (I don't have caller ID) and I especially said "hello" very loudly, because she always complains how she can't hear me on the phone. Then the guy said "hello?" And I said "hello" even louder, and he said "hello, is anyone there?". Then I said "yes!". Finally he heard me, and then as I tried to explain that my dad was going to call the insurance company later, he said he could still barely hear me. He then started to lecture me on how when I talk on the phone I should talk at a volume where people can actually hear me.

I just don't know how to talk any louder. Even when I'm trying my hardest people can still barely hear me. When I try to practice speaking louder it seems louder to me, then I try to speak to someone and they still can't hear me. And when I put myself in situations where there is so much noise I need to nearly shout, I still can't speak loud enough. I've searched the Internet for solutions to this, but I've never found any. It seems if I'm in a conversation I have to put all my effort into speaking loud enough and then I can't concentrate on what I was going to say.

Does anyone know anything else I can try that would help me speak louder?

if you take a singing class they will teach you how to project your voice. some acting classes focus on that too.

I don't know that I could take a singing class or an acting class, since I'm no longer in school. And I live in a rural area that doesn’t' really offer anything like that. But maybe I could find a book about singing or acting that might describe some kind of exercises they go through to practice voice projection.

But that does sounds like the precise kind of thing I need to learn. Thanks for the suggestion.

[pansy]

hybridmoment said:

pansy said:

if you take a singing class they will teach you how to project your voice. some acting classes focus on that too.

I don't know that I could take a singing class or an acting class, since I'm no longer in school. And I live in a rural area that doesn’t' really offer anything like that. But maybe I could find a book about singing or acting that might describe some kind of exercises they go through to practice voice projection.

But that does sounds like the precise kind of thing I need to learn. Thanks for the suggestion.

maybe this site will help you get started. it's free.

www.vocalist.org.uk/index.html

[shytothebone]

You should probably see a doctor first before you start doing vocal projections or singing lessons. You might have vocal cord restrictions and you might end up doing damage if you don't have it checked before hand.

[gSteve]

I had the same problem when I was at school, my teachers tried to get me to speak louder as nobody could hear what I was saying. One teacher who I saw one on one asked me to repeat what he was saying and say it louder, he wanted me to shout and speak as loud as possible but I really couldn't do it. I was told to try and practice speaking louder at home in front of the mirror. They also suggested having an operation to get me speaking louder

I also remember people not being able to hear me when speaking on the telephone, i constantly had to repeat myself, I had someone saying it was a bad line when it was me not speaking loud enough.

This is the main reason I got as shy as I was as I didn't want to speak because nobody could understand what I was saying. Now I speak louder and dont have to repeat myself as much, this was mainly due to getting used to speaking more, the more i've spoken to people the better i've got, and having more confidence in my voice, i dont worry as much about what I sound like. You may find with practice you will be able to speak louder, that may not be much help but confidence and lack of use was the reason why I didnt speak loudly

[chatnoir]

you could also consider speech therapy. thatcher took speech therapy before she became prime minister to make her voice go to a lower pitch, since she wouldn't sound so lady-ish in parliament, so i'm sure it could be a possibility for making your voice louder.

[HybridMoment]

Well I surely don't want to ruin my vocal cords and not be able to talk at all. Although I don't think life as a mute would be all that terrible.

I suppose my problem could be from not speaking enough. I once heard on the news a study was done and it said women speak about 30,000 words a day and men about 15,000. I probably total up around 200 on a day that requires me to speak with someone, maybe 400 if I repeat myself so many times. When I was in high school I probably went weeks with out speaking to anyone (including my parents).

[wagnerr]

hybridmoment said:

I suppose my problem could be from not speaking enough. I once heard on the news a study was done and it said women speak about 30,000 words a day and men about 15,000. I probably total up around 200 on a day that requires me to speak with someone, maybe 400 if I repeat myself so many times. When I was in high school I probably went weeks with out speaking to anyone (including my parents).

Speaking loudly is over rated, HM. Most of the stuff peoplr say is only worth it's cosmetic value. It's mostly small talk and nothing more. On the few occasions that people speak with purpose, i don't think it's done all that loudly or forthrightly, unless it's to a group in a meeting or something.

I work with a bunch of people that don't seem to like to talk. They focus on their jobs and speak when necessary, but not too much more. So don't worry about this so much HM.

When you do speak, people will listen to you all the more cause you speak so much less.

[saphron]

I can't speak really loudly either. I have such little voice. It freaks me out when I hear my voice recorded, I sound like a little kid.
I hate it how some people always tell me to repeat what I say again and again. If they can't hear me,they might as well get a hearing aid.

[gLoo]

lol this is going to sound dumb but it helped me a bit with speaking louder...

usually when i wear headphones i speak louder when im talking to someone without even realizing it lol. i wore my headphones so often while talking to others i kinda got use to having my voice raised. i dont know if that made anysense or helps. i didnt always have someone to talk to so i just read outloud instead.

i doubt this helps but hey ya never know ;D

[HybridMoment]

aquakrod said:

lol this is going to sound dumb but it helped me a bit with speaking louder...

usually when i wear headphones i speak louder when im talking to someone without even realizing it lol. i wore my headphones so often while talking to others i kinda got use to having my voice raised. i dont know if that made anysense or helps. i didnt always have someone to talk to so i just read outloud instead.

i doubt this helps but hey ya never know ;D

I've had this same idea also. I've always noticed when people are listening to music with their headphones they speak louder. This is similar to the way people with hearing problems speak louder so they can hear their own voice. Most of my free time is spent listening to loud punk rock with my headphones (I have to use headphones, because the lyrics are so obscene.) And I have tried speaking to people with my headphones on, but when I do I still find it hard to communicate. I guess I do speak louder with them on, but somehow I still end up mumbling.

However, even if I can't talk to people with my headphones on it might still do me some good to practice reading out loud or even speaking out loud to myself with my headphones on so that I could speak at a volume where I could hear myself over the music. I could also perhaps practice speaking clearly, which is also seems to be a problem for me.

[rosepoet]

I have a very quiet voice as well....and I used to always have the problem with my peers and with the people I respect telling me to speak up...but it's not as simple, because I've been a quiet speaker for most of my life. I definitely know the feeling HybridMoment.

I've attempted ways to project my voice louder, like opening my mouth wider when I speak....it's helps to an extent, but not much....and I'm far too shy to sing....because I think my singing voice is horrendous. >_<

I'm still trying to search for more alternatives though....I won't give up as long as I have some hope of projecting my voice a bit further. I'll take alternative methods and suggestions if others have them though.