I know using a headset helps, but you’re still talking, so…Do you adjust the mic settings to pick up even as you speak quieter, or…?
How do you check to ensure you’re still audible enough to those on the other end if you do that?
Also this isn’t a shared room situation, so that helps, but I want to be sure I’m not being too loud.
Thanks for any advice!
You could try taking tips from this video. Sound bleeds both ways so if you block out noise coming in it will help with noise going out.
Since y’all aren’t sharing a room, closing your door and speaking softly is usually sufficient. Make sure you have a mic that rests in front of your mouth, and isn’t setting far away on your desk. That way it can pick you up easily.
Ask your roommate after talking for a few minutes if you’re being too loud
You don’t, don’t be an asshole and go somewhere else.
literally where?
Hallway, stairwell, outside the building, in your parked car, things like that
Insanity, imagine how extraordinary long the telephone cord have to be
C’mon, even we had one of those giant long phone cords so you could answer the phone in the kitchen and stretch it around into the other room so you could talk with your friend without your mom overhearing everything.
…talking, in your own room, is being an asshole?
If you’re doing it loudly enough to be worried about people in complete other rooms, kinda yeah.
Some people are overly conscientious of people around them, and ask questions like these even though they are already being completely reasonable. It’s a huge jump to assume they must be being an asshole, yelling into their mic etc. Try asking next time: “are you concerned about it because you tend to get excited and loud while chatting? Or is it more just a normal phone-call conversation volume?”
My question is coming more from the perspective of, “i think i’d like to try voice chatting but i really don’t want to be that roommate someone wants to strangle”
In that case maybe consider sound dampening. Castles had tapestries for looks but also to cut down the echo by absorbing some of that sound.
Have you considered talking to your roommates about it? Maybe let them know that you want to make sure you’re not disturbing them and asking them to send you a text or knock on your door if it’s too loud? They might have ideas on how to minimize the sounds and/or agree on “quiet hours”.
TIL.
You ask the people on the call if they can hear you. If not, adjust volume. Repeat as needed.
Sign language and video only is an option as well.
If you want to reduce how audible you are outside your room you can add some sound dampening material to your walls and door and seal air cracks around your door. Those black spiked foam wall panels or heavy curtains are probably best for sound dampening, but something as simple and cheap as paper egg cartons on your walls will greatly reduce how much sound gets through.
but something as simple and cheap as paper egg cartons on your walls will greatly reduce how much sound gets through.
Hadn’t come across this before, thanks!
silly follow-up
would keeping and rotating the eggs improve the sound dampening?
Like the actual eggs? I would have to assume yes. That’s more material for sound to have to travel through.
yeah, but you gave me an even better idea: fake eggs filled with even more dampening material! it would be eggstravagant!
So, there’s a difference between sound absorption and soundproofing. Curtains and foam panels can do wonders for making your room sound better acoustically but won’t do much to lower the amount of sound getting out. The only way to actually soundproof is either by adding a bunch of mass (bricks/concrete blocks/mass loaded vinyl) or by creating air gaps (or some combination of the two). Conflating soundproofing and sound absorption is very common but they are different. . Paper egg cartons will do little to nothing for either sound absorption or soundproofing; this myth comes from old style sound absorption foam tiles that kinda looked like egg cartons and were therefore referred to as such.
You’re absolutely right about sealing door gaps helping though.
Even just doing this on the portion of the wall directly behind your computer will help, if you don’t want to/can’t afford to do all your walls.
Get a cruise ship horn (make sure it’s rated for 140-150 decibels) and play it for the entirety of the call. This will make it so your roommates can’t hear you speak on the call.
Get a cruise ship horn (make sure it’s rated for 140-150 decibels) and play it for the entirety of the call.
Would “TRAIN SOUNDS (true volume, horn every 5 minutes) 24-HOUR MIX” also work?
It’s not ideal, but in a pinch: yes.
People like it when you compliment them. So next time you are in a voice chat and your roommate is nearby, start talking about how handsome they are and how large their genitals are. They wont be bothered by your talking ever again.
is this how you start a polyamorous relationship?
Not sure but it might get your rent paid
that escalated quickly!
Just like the roommates genitals.
Sit in front of an open closet full of clothes or cover yourself in a blanket.
Box fan helps too
My roommate doesn’t
I almost strangled him last night
EVERYBODY MOVE LEFT! THEIR TRYING TO FLANK! BART WHERE ARE YOU GOING! GET IN THAT TANK! NOT THE APACHE, THE TANK YOU WANKER!
This would be funny if it wasn’t so accurate
You almost wrote a song or a poem.
Everybody move left,
they’re trying to flank.
Bart! Where you going?
Get in that tank!
Not the Apache,
you wank.
Get some sort of speaker or use a smartphone. Play some music or video and put your volume around your talking volume, or a little louder. Then leave the room and close the door. This way you can get a sense of how much noise bleeds outside to your roommate.
Go in another room and close the door.
Keep the volume on your headphones down too, if they’re loud you’re more liable to get louder.
Plus, it’s important to protect your hearing.
If the walls are thin you can look into hanging up sound dampening (can just be foam mattress pads hung up, doesn’t have to be fancy)
Discord has individual volume adjustor per person in chat. With my friends turning me up and me turning my mic volume setting in Windows all the way up, I’m able to talk quietly enough in the next room without bothering my wife if she’s sleeping. We also have a white noise sound machine we run at nigh in our bedroom, so I’m sure that helps. White noise is probably your best bet if you’re in a smaller living area.
Is voice chat anything like talking on the phone?
Yes.
