voice changer

hard as snails · Post by **hard as snails** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:12 am

Just came across this http://www.audio4fun.com , the voice changer looks good. Apparently it instantly changes the pitch and timbre of your voice to provide an unlimited variety of desired voice outputs, so we could do the voices of all our characters in our animations....

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:12 am

Have you used it yet?

I tried it a long time ago with an old version and the quality was really bad.

I had the same idea... but... the novelty factor wore off when I actually tried it with high quality audio and listened using good headphones.

It wasn't good enough for "proffessional" work. Too much.. noise.

Maybe the quality has improved.

-vern

Bones3D · Post by **Bones3D** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:30 am

Voice acting isn't just a matter of talking and letting some piece of software modify it in post production. It also depends on the voice actor's individual ability to control and master all of the muscles that make speech possible, as well as how to apply that talent toward creating a wide variety of sounds and speech patterns. This is something that can literally take years to master.

Animations that use one or two inexperienced voice actors to fill an entire cast of characters using only pitch shifts, can actually be detrimental to your work. The viewer will quickly pick up on the fact that the same voices are being used and will often become distracted by it.

If you really need to use such a severely limited number of voice actors, make sure they have some level of experience in controlling their voices. For example, someone that sings for a living might be a good choice.

Rasheed · Post by **Rasheed** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:50 am

I agree with you, Bones3D, however good voice talent is rare and you often hear the same voices over and over again (especially in a small language area like Dutch).

I have seen animation in which interviews on the street where used (assumably on a quiet spot and the traffic noice added later) and thought it was extremely effective. There is value in having untrained voices in your animation, especially if it has a documentary value.

Asking a good friend or acquaintance to give their voice can sometimes help to create more voices on the cheep. I agree using software isn't the solution in final production, but it could be a good replacement if the voice talent has an off day and animation is on a tight schedule, so the voice needs to be redone in post. I'm just guessing here, because I have no experience in professional animation.

Bones3D · Post by **Bones3D** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:25 pm

Yeah, natural and spontaneous speaking often makes for a good alternative, if all else fails. It doesn't come off as being forced compared to bad voice acting from a script. (Kind of like looking at a photograph of people in a pose vs. a photo of people simply acting naturally, as though there were no camera.)

Actually, animating using a real-world recording of people acting naturally can often achieve results that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to script. Basically, it captures a lot of the "human" factor that your audience will be able to relate with.

There are numerous examples of this technique being used successfully to tell a story or make a point.

If anyone ever wants try this out sometime, I'd recommend using children as a potential subject. They often have vivid imaginations and generally aren't afraid to express exactly what they're thinking at any given moment, while us older people tend to think before we speak.

hard as snails · Post by **hard as snails** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:28 pm

Not used this programme, but just downloaded a 14 day trail, the forum feedback isn't too great!

Rasheed · Post by **Rasheed** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:47 pm

Anyway, the website states that it is

to mask your true identity in voice chat, Voice-over-IP, and online games.

There I see a very good usage.

artfx · Post by **artfx** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:21 pm

I did a big test with the demo version and though it was fairly impressive, there are limitations. The compressed sound is due to the demo only allowing you output like 56Kbit sound, and I was using a $9 headset Mic, but the program can only be pushed so far before the voice "breaks".

http://www.studioartfx.com/music/voicer.mp3

I currently use the voice changing toos in Garage Band and they seem to do a good enough job.