Did you know that by applying certain effects to your voice in Audacity, you can sound dramatically different and take on a character of your own.

To do this, first highlight your vocal track and then follow the instructions below to generate each effect:

1. If you'd like to sound like ... a robot

Click on the Effect Menu and then Delay ...

and then Change the Decay amount to 10

to Change the Delay time to 0.009

to Change the Number of echos to 30

to Click OK

Click on the Effect Menu again

again Click Repeat Delay

Repeat this 5 times or more if necessary

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_a_robot_voice_in_Audacity.mp3

2. If you'd like to sound like ... a demonic spirit

Click on the Edit Menu and then Duplicate

and then Highlight the second track

Click on the Effect Menu and then Change Pitch ...

and then Change the Semitone (half-steps) to -1

to Click OK

Highlight the first track

Click on the Edit Menu and then Duplicate

and then Highlight the third track

Click on the Effect Menu and then Change Pitch ...

and then Change the Semitone (half-steps) to -5

to Click OK

Click on the Effect Menu and then Bass Boost ...

and then Click OK

Drag the Gain slide on the left of the third track to +3DB

on the left of the third track to Highlight the second track

Click on the Effect Menu and then Echo ...

and then Change the Delay time (seconds) to 0.1

to Change the Decay factor to 0.6

to Click OK

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_a_demonic_voice_in_Audacity.mp3

3. If you'd like to sound like ... a chipmunk

Click on the Effect Menu and then Change Pitch ...

and then Change the Percent Change to 100

to Click OK

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_a_chipmunk_voice_in_Audacity.mp3

4. If you'd like to sound like ... a telephone operator

Click on the Effect Menu and then High Pass Filter ...

and then Change the Cutoff frequency to 1015

to Click OK

Click Repeat Delay

Repeat this 5 times or more if necessary

Click on the Effect Menu and then Amplify

and then Click OK

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_a_telephone_voice_in_Audacity.mp3

5. If you'd like to sound like ... you are in a concert hall

Click on the Effect Menu and then GVerb

and then Change the Roomsize (m) to 40

to Change the Reverb time (s) to 20

to Change the Dry signal level (dB) to 0

to Change the Early reflection level (dB) to -10

to Change the Tail level to -30

to Click OK

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_a_concert_hall_effect_in_Audacity.mp3

6. If you'd like to sound like ... you are talking on the radio

Click on the Effect Menu and then Amplify

and then Click OK

Click on the Effect Menu and then FFT Filter ...

and then Click on the top 12dB line at the 5000 Hz point and then on the bottom 12dB line around 10000 Hz (this should create a diagonal line across the filter)

at the point and then on the around (this should create a diagonal line across the filter) Click OK

Click on the Effect Menu and then High Pass Filter ...

and then Change the Cutoff Frequency to 2000

to Click OK

Click on the Effect Menu and then FFT Filter ...

and then Click OK

Click on the Effect Menu and then High Pass Filter ...

and then Change the Cutoff Frequency to 2000

to Click OK

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_a_radio_voice_in_Audacity.mp3

7. If you'd like to sound like ... an alien

Click on the Edit Menu and then Duplicate

and then Highlight the first track

Click on the Edit Menu and then Duplicate

and then Highlight the first track

Click on the Effect Menu and then Change Pitch ...

and then Change the Percent Change to 15

to Click OK

Highlight the third track

Click on the Effect Menu and then Change Pitch ...

and then Change the Percent Change to - 15

to - Click OK

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_an_alien_voice_in_Audacity.mp3

8. If you'd like to sound like ... a Dalek

Download the Killerringer plugin created by Toby Newman

Right click the zip file and click Extract All ...

In the Extraction Wizard, click Next and Next

click and Make sure the box next to Show extracted files is ticked and click Finish

is ticked and click Double click the source folder and then the killerringer vst plugin folder

and then the Right click the killerringer.dll file

file Click the Start Menu and My Computer

and Double click the C: Drive

Double click the Program Files folder

folder Double click the Audacity folder

folder Double click the Plug-Ins folder

folder Right click and click Paste

Download the VST Bridge plugin and paste the vst-bridge.dll file in the Plug-Ins folder following the same method as above

paste the file in the folder following the same method as above Launch Audacity

Record your voice and highlight the track

Click on the Effect Menu and then killerringer ...

and then Change the Root Pitch to 0.003

to Change the Speed to 0.01

to Change the Amount to 0.01

to Click OK

Click on the Effect Menu and then Normalize ...

and then Click OK

Click on the Effect Menu and then Delay ...

and then Change the Decay Amount to 5

to Change the Delay Time to 0.04

to Change the Number of echos to 1

to Click OK

Read this tutorial for more explanation

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_a_dalek_voice_in_Audacity.mp3

9. If you'd like to sound like ... you are being censored

Launch Audacity

Click on the Generate Menu and then Tone

and then Change the Waveform to Sine

to Change the Frequency / Hz to 875.5

to Change the Length (seconds) to 0.9

to Click Generate Tone

Listen to this example:

Download Creating_a_censor_beep_in_Audacity.mp3

Just imagine using these techniques to spice up your podcast role plays or transform a Voki. I'm sure the pupils would love it!

Thanks to swingsetbucket, Gundamsandzords, CompHelpKid, shadowmario777, PrGeProd, alihumza1995, Spindler2007, ImOnGoogle1 for the inspiration!