Voice changer

The term voice changer (also known as voice enhancer) refers to a system of altering a person's voice to either make them sound like someone else or to disguise their voice.

Voice changers change the tone or pitch, add distortion to the user's voice, or a combination of all of the above and vary greatly in price and sophistication. A kazoo/didgeridoo can be used as a makeshift voice changer, though it can be difficult to understand what the person is trying to say.

Hardware Implementations

The earliest voice changers were electronic devices usually used over the telephone for the purpose of disguise. There are low-priced, small lithium battery-powered voice changers that are used between a phone's mouthpiece and the user's mouth. More sophisticated voice changers have different levels of various distortion effects variable by faders.

Software Implementations

Voice changers can be found online, for a variety of operating systems. There is several popular types of voice changers, like Audacity.The available programs are capable of altering the pitch and timbre of the user's voice, applying special effects, and performing graphic equalisation almost in real-time.

Voice changers are very hard to make, because little is known about how they work.

Various Voice Changing Software

• AV Voice Changer
• MorphVOX
• Fake Voice

Appearances in Media

• Voice changers can be seen in various movies, including Scream, Super Troopers, and a Talkboy voice changer was used in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
• Current affairs television shows and documentaries will sometimes employ the use of voice changers to disguise the voice of someone who wants to remain anonymous.
• In the anime/manga series, Death Note, the mysterious detective, named "L", uses voice distortion when talking through his computer, to remain anonymous.
• Character and main protagonist Conan Edogawa from anime/manga series Detective Conan uses bowtie-shaped voice changer. By turning the dial on the back he is able to imitate all kinds of voices that he hears.

External Links

Audio4Fun Has several pieces of software available in a number of versions at various prices. They also have a few free programs, plus trial versions of their main software.
MorphVox Pro The program isn't free, but there are voice packs available for free to use with it. A versatile program in that it adds a new audio driver to the Windows computer it's installed on. Once installed, the driver can be selected as the recording device for any software that will accept microphone input.
MorphVox Junior A stripped-down free version of MorphVox Pro. Uses the same driver interface with other software as its commercial brother.