"Voicing" in a fursuit

How DO you make those Animal Costumes? (Fursuits)

9th-Jan-2008 08:34 pm

Ever wanted to add sound effects to the actions your fursuit makes as you perform and interact with people, but you don't like the idea of actually using your voice?

There's an option that some of you puppeteers might already know about... something you can add to your suit that weighs just a few grams: a swazzle!

This is what they used to voice the puppets in the old Punch & Judy show.

A swazzle is a tiny device that sticks to the roof of your mouth. The ones I picked up are soft felt with a tiny plastic membrane on one side. As you force air through your mouth with your tongue up, it makes cute squeaky sounds that can add an interesting dimension of sound effect backing to your performances. I've found the sound carries well through some kinds of suits.

There's a place in Australia that sells them for about $3 each. You'll want to get a few of them because-- especially when you're just learning-- they don't last very long (the membrane gets deformed from being mashed around in your mouth).

The video starts a little slow, but gets better:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Music:Les Balayeurs Du Désert -- Décollage

Comments

10th-Jan-2008 03:50 am (UTC)

xladymissiex

That was really good. I'm not sure I could use that myself but I think it could work well for certain type of birds, or a big squishy teddy bear, or even a mecha furry of some kind.

Now if there is something to make growling or purring sounds I'd be interested.

10th-Jan-2008 03:50 am (UTC) - That's awesome.

ex_xellimon531

Thanks for the heads up on such a thing! From the looks of it you can have a lot of fun with it. :D

10th-Jan-2008 04:02 am (UTC)

rian_al

Okay, now those videos are awesome. Thanks for the link as well!

10th-Jan-2008 04:18 am (UTC)

burningheat_2dx

WOW...

10th-Jan-2008 04:21 am (UTC)

artyskox

I almost hate to say it.. but I just grabbed some for fun.

10th-Jan-2008 04:33 am (UTC)

feralityillust

Haha I am so going to try one of these someday. Thanks for sharing! =D

10th-Jan-2008 04:40 am (UTC)

steelclaw_fox

Interesting idea. I do have something similar to that, but it came from this tube toy that when you tilt it back and forth, it made a mooing noise. I found a kazoo-like item inside than when seated in my mouth, makes quite the same effect.

10th-Jan-2008 05:48 am (UTC)

niiku

That was certainly interesting in an incredibly weird way. XD

10th-Jan-2008 05:59 am (UTC)

ex_tjcoyote112

Interesting idea, but I can see the effect getting old real fast if lots of fursuiters use them. And after reading about these online, I wonder how many furries will end up swallowing them. :-P

10th-Jan-2008 06:06 am (UTC)

triggur

It's said that on the punch & judy show, someone wasnt a true "professor" til they had Swallowed Their Swazzle at least twice :)

(Deleted comment)

10th-Jan-2008 06:44 am (UTC)

lizardmandy

I thought it was written somewhere that anyone with a fursuit must, by law, make that expression at least once per suit outing.

*guilty*

10th-Jan-2008 06:44 am (UTC)

beetlecat

Interesting idea, but I can see the effect getting old real fast if lots of fursuiters use them.

Agreed. I only watched half the video and I still can't get that annoying squeaking out of my brain... it would drive me mad if everyone had one of those things XD

10th-Jan-2008 06:49 am (UTC)

paddlefoot_wolf

I actually ripped a squeaky out of a dog toy and could do the same noises with just alterations of airspeed and how I held my tongue :) Jase and I figured this out at this past MFM and annoyed many a person.

10th-Jan-2008 06:52 am (UTC)

triggur

Aha! How did you find the control to be? Swazzles seem to be sort of tempermental with getting the right sound out of them.

10th-Jan-2008 12:23 pm (UTC)

goldenstallion

Whinnyhi.

I keep thinking, for my Steed horsesuit, something like the little sound boxes I have in some of my plushies which, when pressed, makes whinnys or other horse sounds. Could possibly fit it inside the opening mouth in such a way it whinnys when I open my mouth so far. Dunno how they work since there are no batteries involved but one: "Hi, I'm Pete the horse" has a whinny that sounds all right.

I kinda agree about that getting old real fast tho.

Steed

(Deleted comment)

10th-Jan-2008 03:05 pm (UTC)

triggur

Ha! Awesome. IIRC there's an Aussiefur who's bringing a metric ton of them to FC. <.<

(Deleted comment)

10th-Jan-2008 07:07 pm (UTC)

triggur

Hee! And Atpaw's the one that put me onto them. Thanks! :)

10th-Jan-2008 06:49 pm (UTC)

twizler_skunk

looks just like a diaphragm turkey call

10th-Jan-2008 07:05 pm (UTC)

triggur

Huh! Yeah, they do look similar don't they?

Edited at 2008-01-10 07:06 pm (UTC)

10th-Jan-2008 09:02 pm (UTC)

furtech

What a totally cool, non-sequitor-kind-of resource! I didn't realize there was an actual thingie that made those sounds. Thanks for the link!

10th-Jan-2008 09:04 pm (UTC)

furtech

PS-- we once stuck some of those pet-toy squeakers in the feet of a costume for a cute anime-toy-walking sound effect.

10th-Jan-2008 09:10 pm (UTC)

jackalopejess

That's so awesome! *thinks of a fursuit idea* I think Squeakers the rat has just been born. ;) I have to pick up a few of those.

14th-Jan-2008 01:27 am (UTC)

livingcreations

I had a couple of these years ago ( I tried to be a ventriloquist when I was a kid, shortly before I stopped doing magic.)
One thing you have to remember about these is that it's about the width of your tongue/ roof of your mouth (or was when i used them as a kid...) and that you'll have that stuck in your mouth ALL DAY when you're wearing a suit. Last thing you want is to get gagged while wearing it! Defentally try to get used to it before suiting with them.

On the dog toy ones; last time I tried those you couldn't make a sound that was VERY loud, when I tried it'd stop making a noise at all, though I haven't tried that lately though, so might not be an issue. Overall however these are MUCH easier to use and you don't have to worry as much about them tearing up as you do with the others.

17th-Jul-2008 11:13 pm (UTC)

dannydingo

Hmm. Maybe this could be something I could use for Roxy Raccoon when I get the suit, although it does sound a little squeaky for her, in my opinion. :0/

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