How do you know if you possess a good voice or a bad voice, whether for singing or public speaking? It is a bit hard to classify our own voice sometimes, but it does help if we know what makes up a good voice from a bad voice, and take it from there. Knowing the differences of a good voice from a bad one, and their characteristics, can give you a lead on how to improve your voice.

A good voice has several characteristics, such as calm, nice, vibrating, well- modulated, trustee, low, manageable, warm, friendly, caring, strong, powerful, painted with intonation, filled, expressive, abundant, and friendly sounds. On the other hand, a bad voice has unpleasant characteristics, such as nasal, hoarse, sharp or creaky, high, lachrymose, with shortness of breath, disconnected, too loud, too quiet, timid, colorless, sarcastic, hesitant, tense, weak, monotonous, and boring sounds.

But do you know what aggravates a bad voice? Bad speech. If you have a bad speech, chances are, your audience may find it difficult to appreciate your singing. So that you may have an idea on how to improve your voice and speech when singing, below are telltale signs that might just tell you if you have a bad speech.

• When people ask you to repeat what you have just said. Repetition means they have not understood what you have just said

• When people observe that you have eccentricity for a public commemoration.

• When you pronounce the consonant ‘p’ harshly, artificially, and painfully.

• When after talking for seven minutes, your throat is already tired.

• When in a long sentence, you lose control over the voice towards the end.

• When you have to constantly explain that you’re a leader or someone who holds a high post, because judging on your speech, you don’t sound convincing.

• When your voice sounds too thin or young, though you have a solid appearance.

• When you don’t like your own voice, and have always wanted to improve your singing voice, too, by voice training.

Despite all the non-stop karaoke singing, I know it can get a little frustrating at times not to get the right voice that you want, as well as to realize the sad truth that you have a bad voice and speech indeed. But to improve your singing voice and speech doesn’t always start from straining your voice with non-stop practice or even enrolling in voice training at once.

Voice improvement rather begins by enriching your knowledge about your craft and recognizing your voice’s strong and weak points. Learning how to produce a more pleasant voice and sound, and polishing the rough areas in your voice, can come thereafter.