Devices That Can Change Your Voice on a Microphone

Microphones

Just as no two voices are alike, not all microphones are created equally. Deep, rich "radio announcer" sound is, in part, created by using mics made for the purpose. Directional microphones (those that are more sensitive in one or two directions) display a characteristic called "proximity effect" that enhances the lower frequencies of voices closer to the mic. So the microphone itself as well as how you use it can have an impact on the overall sound.

The most fundamental change after mic choice and placement is equalization. Adjusting specific frequencies can not only enhance a vocal, it can create effects such as the sound of a transistor radio. Vocal effects called "exciters" artificially create overtones from the vocal signal to brighten the sound of singing or voiceovers.

Echo and reverb are frequently used methods of changing the sound of voices. Capitol Records' studio in Hollywood was renowned for the sound of the reverb chambers they had built into the ground. Nowadays, digital modeling provides the sound, but reverb and echo remain all but universal. A short-duration echo can create an effect called "artificial double tracking" (ADT), which gives the illusion of a singer performing with herself, creating a full sound.

Being "auto-tuned" is all the rage today. Stemming from software algorithms developed by Antares Audio Technologies called Auto-Tune, pitch correction is available in both software and hardware units. Artificial harmonization is also available in effects, to create two- and three-part harmony from a single voice. Vocorder effects remove pitch from a vocal performance and make a human voice sound robotic.