# Vocal Compressor/Harmonizer or How do I get my voice to sound like a telephone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377 "2003-08-11T13:50:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/1 "2003-08-11T13:50:15Z")
I’ve got the new CD by Rilo Kiley and in the first song the vocals are distorted so they sound almost like a voice coming in on a telephone. A touch of static, bass removed and a bit like a megaphone treatment without the volume. I have a friend who’s a choir teacher and he thinks that the sound is made by singing through a harmonizer or a compressor. Anyone know anything about these, if that’s how to get the vocal affect? And if so, where to find one? Might obliged, Stpauler ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/2 "2003-08-11T14:31:46Z")
A traditional phone has everything above about 4000 cut as well as everything below 250 (approximately). There’s also a boost at 950 or so. This could all be done with an equalizer (parametric or graphic). I have not heard the track you mention, I’m just making general comments. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/3 "2003-08-11T14:46:17Z")
I haven’t heard the track either but I agree with **NoCoolUserName** ’s analysis. (I can also think of the first verse of Rob Thomas singing Smooth.) Telephones were designed to use a small bandwidth while preserving the essential sound of the speaking human voice. Also, a compressor just provides a constant output power level given a variable input level, doesn’t really affect tone like you want. Often used to create sustain effects for guitars, or in post-production to reduce dynamic range. A harmonizer adds other voices in harmony, so they won’t give you the telephone sound either. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/4 "2003-08-11T14:54:11Z")
Here’s a sample of the [Rilo Kiley song](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/clipserve/B00006LLN5001001/0/002-9180353-8952845) courtesy of [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com). Hopefully the actually sample may better explain the timbre. Thanks for all of your help so far! ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/5 "2003-08-11T14:55:26Z")
Hmm, that link didn’t quite direct it to the right song. It’s the first track “The Good that Won’t Come Out” Thanks, stpauler ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/6 "2003-08-11T18:14:07Z")
I’ve posted this question over at [homerecording.com](http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=95476) and have gotten some great responses. Thanks, Stpauler ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/7 "2003-08-11T19:34:11Z")
You could simply use some else’s phone (or your cell phone if you use one) and leave a message for yourself (assuming you have an answering machine), and then record the playback, though I realize most answering machines don’t have any line-out connections that would allow for a relatively “clean” recording, so maybe this option, while inexpensive, may not be the most ideal. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/8 "2003-08-11T22:49:37Z")
Even better, go to your friendly small electronics store located in malls across the U.S. and get a phone pickup. Plug it into a cassette recorder, call someone and record away. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/9 "2003-08-11T22:54:34Z")
Telphone pickup, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/10 "2003-08-14T00:39:07Z")
You can just record the dialog as a normal wav file, then convert the sampling rate to 4000Hz/8-bit with any decent audio program (even Windows Sound Recorder will make it 8000Hz). ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vocal-compressor-harmonizer-or-how-do-i-get-my-voice-to-sound-like-a-telephone/194377/11 "2003-08-14T01:01:31Z")
There is also a setting on my Boss sound processor called “Radio Voice” that achieves the same effect on a live mic. FISH