Virtual room size and listener distance influence how people use their voice
How this was rated
Small exploratory experimental study (n = 8), all adult females, single environment. Findings are suggestive but not generalizable until replicated in larger, mixed samples and in populations with voice differences.
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Using the Rooms module of Therapy withVR, this study found that speaker-to-listener distance in virtual environments significantly influenced vocal intensity and mean fundamental frequency, with trained singers showing more systematic vocal adjustments across distance conditions than untrained speakers.
The evidence suggests that virtual distance cues alone can prompt changes in vocal intensity and pitch, and that trained speakers may scale their voice more systematically than untrained ones. This is a small study in adult females and findings need replication in larger, more diverse samples.
Key findings
- Speaker-to-listener distance significantly influenced both vocal intensity and pitch (p < .001)
- Trained singers increased intensity by ~5.3 dB from baseline to 15m; untrained speakers increased ~1.5 dB
- A significant Group x Distance interaction showed singers adjust their voice more systematically to virtual distance cues
- Room size alone did not produce reliable changes in vocal output
Background
When we speak, we unconsciously adjust our voice based on our environment - we project more in a large room, raise our pitch when someone is far away, and modulate our intensity depending on background noise. But do these same adjustments happen in virtual environments, where the visual cues are simulated?
Dasdogen and Hitchcock investigated this question by manipulating room size and speaker-to-listener distance in VR, comparing how trained singers and untrained speakers respond to these visual-spatial cues.
What the researchers did
Eight adult female participants (four trained singers with at least undergraduate-level singing training, classified as “experts”; four untrained speakers, classified as “novices”) completed a spontaneous speech task (“What would you do if you had unlimited money?”) across eight IVR conditions, delivered through the Rooms module of Therapy withVR on an Oculus Quest 3 headset. The conditions varied room size (small: 5 m × 4 m × 4 m vs. large: 20 m × 20 m × 20 m), speaker-to-listener distance (1 m, 3 m, 15 m), and combinations of both. A blindfolded baseline with no visual input was also included. Auditory conditions were kept constant by relying solely on the natural acoustics of the clinical room.
The VR platform allowed precise specification of room dimensions and avatar placement, while physical room acoustics were held constant - ensuring that only visual variables changed. Vocal intensity (SPL) and speaking fundamental frequency were recorded and analyzed.
What they found
Speaker-to-listener distance had a strong effect on both vocal intensity and pitch: as the virtual listener moved further away, speakers naturally increased their volume and pitch. The effect was particularly pronounced in trained singers, who showed systematic, graded increases - about 5.3 dB louder from baseline to the 15m condition. Untrained speakers made smaller, less differentiated adjustments (roughly 1.5 dB).
Room size alone did not produce reliable changes in either measure, suggesting that the presence and distance of a listener matters more than the space itself when it comes to influencing vocal behavior.
Why this matters
This study demonstrates that virtual environments influence vocal production in measurable, predictable ways - even when participants know the environment is simulated. The fact that trained singers showed more refined vocal adjustments suggests that vocal experience shapes how people respond to visual-spatial cues, and that VR could be used to develop these skills in people who have less flexible vocal control.
For clinicians working on voice projection, vocal effort management, or performance preparation, VR offers a way to systematically vary environmental conditions without leaving the clinic. The Therapy withVR Rooms situation provided the precise control needed to isolate individual variables - something that would be impossible in a real-world setting.
Limitations
The sample was very small (8 participants). Only objective acoustic measures were collected - no self-reported vocal effort or perceived loudness. Holding acoustic conditions constant isolated visual effects but reduced ecological validity. Multisensory interactions between visual, auditory, and somatosensory channels were not examined.
Implications for practice
The relatively flat vocal adjustment profile of untrained speakers across distance conditions may indicate less efficient vocal scaling, potentially increasing vocal loading over time. VR-based visual manipulations could be incorporated into voice work to help individuals learn context-appropriate projection. The high controllability of the platform also makes it suitable for studying vocal effort management.
Implications for research
Extending this work to mixed-sex samples, to people with voice differences, and to different acoustic environments (reverberation, noise) would strengthen the evidence base. Whether VR-based distance training transfers to real-world vocal behavior is an open question.
Where this connects to Therapy withVR
The study above is independent research and does not endorse any product. The notes below are commentary from withVR on how the themes in this research relate to features of Therapy withVR. The research findings are not claims about Therapy withVR.
Room Environment with Custom Dimensions
This study examined how room size affects voice - Therapy withVR's Room environment lets you adjust width, length, and height to systematically explore spatial influences on vocal production.
Avatar Distance Controls
Move avatars closer or further away to replicate the listener distance effects this study measured on vocal intensity and pitch.
Lighting Controls
Adjust room brightness and individual lighting to create the varied visual contexts this study found influence vocal behavior.
Cite this study
If you reference this study in your work, the canonical citation formats are:
@article{dasdogen2026,
author = {Dasdogen, U. and Hitchcock, J.},
title = {The Effects of Visual Input in Virtual Reality on Voice Production: Comparing Trained Singers and Untrained Speakers},
journal = {Journal of Voice},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1016/j.jvoice.2026.01.001},
url = {https://withvr.app/evidence/studies/dasdogen-2026}
}TY - JOUR
AU - Dasdogen, U.
AU - Hitchcock, J.
TI - The Effects of Visual Input in Virtual Reality on Voice Production: Comparing Trained Singers and Untrained Speakers
JO - Journal of Voice
PY - 2026
DO - 10.1016/j.jvoice.2026.01.001
UR - https://withvr.app/evidence/studies/dasdogen-2026
ER - Know of research that should be in this hub? If a relevant peer-reviewed study is not listed here, send the reference to hello@withvr.app. The hub is kept up to date as the literature grows.
Funding & independence
This study used Therapy withVR software. The research is independent of withVR BV - the company did not fund, design, or author the study. See the publication for the authors' own funding disclosure.