In-Class Voice Analysis

In my first conversation, I talked to a stranger on phone. I was booking an appointment at Thompson & Co. for a bang trim and eyebrow wax appointment. The person I was talking to was a stranger (I have never talked to this person before) and worked at Thompson & Co. The person I talked to was (based on her voice) female and was unaware that I was recording the conversation. For my second conversation, I talked to my mom on the phone. She was informed of me recording the conversation and we discussed plans for her to come visit in December.

My average pitch was about 61/62 in my phone conversation with the worker from Thompson & Co., reaching 64 at some points. My average pitch in my conversation with my mom was around 58. I noticed an audible difference in the “deepness” of my voice between the two conversations. Prior to this analysis, I knew that my voice tended to rise in pitch (“become higher”) when I talked to a stranger on the phone. This might be because I perceive the stranger, usually someone I am scheduling an appointment with, to have more “authority” and “knowledge” in this situation. I also get nervous talking on the phone, specifically with strangers, and this might account for my change in pitch between the two conversations. My voice is noticeably “deeper” and more relaxed in my conversation with my mom. In comparison, I sound like a squeaky toy in my conversation with the worker from Thompson & Co.

My mom and me had about the same pitch but I did notice she talked a bit louder than me. She might be trying to assert her authority by raising the loudness of her voice because she is my mother (thereby my superior). Though, it also might be because she is older and older people tend to talk louder on the phone.

I would say I tended to mimic the high pitched tone of the worker from Thompson & Co.