UmmLike Personal Speaking Coach
Voice & Presence Training

The 5-Minute Voice Audit: How to Diagnose Your Own Speaking Habits

By Raffaello d'Amore, Co-founder at UmmLike • • Tested on macOS & Windows live calls

Everyone has a blind spot in how they sound. Some speakers think they talk too slowly when they actually average 180 WPM; others have no idea they end every third paragraph with 'right?' or 'you know'. Before you try to change everything at once, run a 60-second baseline audit to find your single highest-use habit.

Download for Mac & PC (Free) Try 60-Second Call Rehearsal

Why The 5-Minute Voice Audit Is So Hard Under Live Call Pressure

  • Trying to monitor pace, fillers, posture, and phrasing all at once overloads your working memory.
  • Most people have 1 or 2 dominant crutch words that account for 80% of their filler count.
  • Objective numbers (WPM, fillers per minute, hedges per call) turn vague self-criticism into a simple game you can win.

Practical Frameworks & Live Nudges: The 5-Minute Voice Audit

  • Benchmark 1, Speaking Pace. 130 to 160 WPM is the executive sweet spot; >165 WPM is warming up; >=175 WPM feels rushed over video.
  • Benchmark 2, Filler Density. Aim for fewer than 1 to 2 fillers per minute by swapping 'um/like' for a 1-second silent pause.
  • Benchmark 3, Hedge & Monologue Check. Open ummlike.app/app, speak for 60 seconds about your current project, and get your instant baseline across all four metrics.

What to Say Instead on a Live Call: The 5-Minute Voice Audit

Common Habit on a Call Clearer Rewrite Why It Works
"Um, I've never really measured my speaking pace, I guess I probably talk a little fast when I'm excited?" Run a 60-second live mic check at ummlike.app/app to see your exact WPM, filler count, and hedging phrases. Cuts the filler wind-up and leads directly with the point.
"Um, I just wanted to quickly check if maybe we should push the launch, does that make sense?" "I recommend moving the launch to Tuesday so QA can finish. What risks do you see?" Replaces three weak qualifiers ('just wanted to', 'maybe', 'does that make sense?') with a clear recommendation and open question.
"Yeah, so basically there are like four different things we looked at this week and..." (75s monologue at 188 WPM) "Here is the headline: checkout latency dropped 28% this week. Let me pause there for questions." (145 WPM) Drops speaking speed into the 130 to 160 WPM range and stops before the 60-second attention cliff.

Interactive Call Example: The 5-Minute Voice Audit in Real Time

Step through a sample call habit right here, or open the Live Voice Coaching Studio to test with your own microphone.

Fillers Caught
4
Hedging Phrases
2
Speaking Pace
182 WPM
"Um, I've never really measured my speaking pace, I guess I probably talk a little fast when I'm excited?"
Coaching nudge: Run a 60-second live mic check at ummlike.app/app to see your exact WPM, filler count, and hedging phrases.

How UmmLike Compares to Other Speech Coaching Tools (2026)

Speech App Platform Coaches Live During Zoom / Meet Calls? Meeting Bot Required? Primary Mode
UmmLike (ummlike.app) macOS, Windows & Web Studio Yes: Live sub-second HUD + 60s Call Rehearsal No (100% Local Mic) Always-on live call coaching + pre-call warm-up studio
Speeko iOS & macOS Primarily solo vocal warm-ups & recorded exercises No Daily 5-minute solo voice & articulation lessons
Orai iOS & Android (Mobile) No (mobile practice recordings only) No Gamified mobile speech scripts & filler word counter
VirtualSpeech VR Headsets & Web No (simulated VR rooms & AI avatars) No VR auditorium exposure therapy & pre-call roleplay

Frequently Asked Questions: The 5-Minute Voice Audit

What is a good filler-word rate per minute?

Most untrained speakers use 5 to 12 filler words per minute when thinking on their feet. Dropping below 2 fillers per minute, by using silent pauses instead, immediately sets you apart.

Can I run this voice audit in my browser without installing anything?

Yes. Open ummlike.app/app, click Start Mic Session, and speak naturally for 60 seconds.

Does UmmLike join my Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams call as a visible bot?

No. UmmLike runs locally on your Mac or Windows computer and listens only to your own microphone. No bot ever joins your meeting participant list, and nobody else on the call is recorded.

Related Speaking Guides & Cluster Resources

All Speaking Guides & Drills (30) → All Coach & App Comparisons (14) → All Role & Call Use Cases (10) → Video Call Presence: How Eye Contact and Vocal Cadence Work Together on Zoom How to Stop Rambling & Monologuing in Meetings (The 45s / 60s Rule) How to Stop Saying 'Um' and 'Like' on Zoom & Google Meet Calls in Real Time How to Stop Talking Too Fast on Video Calls (The 130 to 160 WPM Sweet Spot) How to Stop Hedging at Work: Replace 'Just Wanted To' & 'Does That Make Sense?' Live How to Sound Confident on Zoom Calls, Even When You're Nervous How to Stop Saying Sorry at Work, and What to Say Instead How to Speak More Concisely in Meetings Searching for "Public Speaking Classes Near Me"? Practice on Your Real Calls Instead VirtualSpeech Alternative: Coach Your Real Calls, Not Just VR Simulations A Live Speaking Coach for Non-Native English Speakers A Live Speaking Coach for Consultants and Client Calls