Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vocal Color?
Vocal Color is a free web app that listens to how your voice sounds and translates that profile into a unique color. It looks at pitch, timbre, clarity, rhythm, and flow to create a color personal to your voice.
What does Vocal Color actually measure?
Five parts of how your voice sounds: pitch, timbre, clarity, rhythm, and flow. These measurements are mapped into HSL color space at varying weights to produce a vocal color.
Is this scientific?
The acoustic measurements are grounded in established speech science methods. The color mapping is our own creative interpretation: a translation of vocal characteristics into color. Vocal Color is built for enjoyment and self-reflection, not clinical assessment or diagnosis.
Why might my result change between takes?
Room acoustics, mic distance, your vocal state (tired, energetic, under the weather). All of it shifts the measurements a little. Your result is most stable in a quiet room with a consistent mic distance. Small differences are normal and interesting. Large swings usually mean a noisy environment or a mic that is too close or far away.
Is my audio stored anywhere?
No. Your recording is processed entirely in your browser and discarded the moment analysis is done. Nothing is sent to our servers. We have no access to your voice.
What is the Stella passage?
We ask you to read: "Please call Stella. Ask her to bring these things with her from the store: six spoons of fresh snow peas, five thick slabs of blue cheese, and maybe a snack for her brother Bob." It is an excerpt from a longer phonetically varied passage used in speech science, chosen because it covers a wide range of vowel and consonant sounds. The same text, every voice, on equal terms.
Can I retake it?
As many times as you like. Tap "Start Over" on your results page. Some people find it interesting to see how their color shifts across different days or moods.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. Vocal Color works on iPhone (Safari), Android (Chrome), and all major desktop browsers. If you run into issues, try closing other apps that might be using your microphone, or use headphones with a built-in mic for a cleaner signal.
Why did I get a "too quiet" or "no speech detected" error?
The recording level was too low for reliable analysis. Move a bit closer to your mic and speak in a normal, clear voice, not a whisper and not a shout. About 15 to 20 cm from your device usually works well. Make sure to read the full passage aloud.
Can I share my result?
Yes! Your results page has a share button that generates an image card you can post anywhere. On mobile, your device's native share sheet opens. On desktop, the image downloads automatically.