Just transcribing some of my interviews and I sometimes just can't stand my own voice. Anyone else also had this issue and if so what have they done to make it easier on the ears?

Thanks.

This amused me a little as I experience the exact same thing! I cringe at the sound of my own voice and want to crawl into a dark hole every time I have to transcribe. My tactic has been to focus on evaluating the other aspects of the interviews both positive and negative. From my recent lot of interviews for example I've realised that I need to allow people a little more time to expand on their answers before I leap in with another question but on the plus side I like how I'm able to build rapport with people. Focusing on these things distracts me from how much I hate listening to my own voice.

I also recently attended a voice training workshop at my uni which was somewhat helpful in giving me a few tips and techniques to make me sound more confident and make my voice stronger.

It might be that your voice is completely fine in which case he distraction techniques like evaluating your interview style rather than voice might help.

Hope that's of use! :)

GM

If you have the money, you could get them transcribed professionally.

I had to do that due to nerve damage and swelling in my hands. It cost a pretty penny but saved my hands (and ears!).

Grumpy Mule has some really good advice and I followed a similar line to help me tolerate myself when doing transcription.

Thank goodness for me all transcription is over as is the data collection stage. (Sorry I just needed to say this somewhere in public as I can hardly believe it myself. I flogged myself to have it done before December 24th!).

awsoci has some good advice as well but I would add a caveat to this. You do get twice as much mileage out of transcribed data when you do it yourself I believe. Having said this, if you have masses of interviews and it helps to get some transcription done for you then it is worth considering in the interests of managing your overall project. (And I understand completely why you would get things transcribed if it presented a health concern-absolutely).

Cheers and best of …

Pjlu