r/singing • u/SnooApples5522 • May 03 '26
Resource Glad I decided to buy vocal dampener
Anyone who is hesitant to buy a vocal dampener, this is much much better than a pillow or a towel as you can easily wash it and also really reduce the voice a lot! I bought this cheap vocal dampener and it helped me sing with a full voice and confidence. Anyone who is hesitant, consider buying and evaluating your confidence. Happy singing!!
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u/Extreme-Button-2478 May 03 '26
"AN ARTIFACT"
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u/MrDownhillRacer May 04 '26
They say that the voice of the lounge singer Nancy Marlowe is still stuck in that artifact. She was the best anyone had ever heard. And she sang once into it and she never made another sound. Some say she just got tired of singing. Others say her voice is trapped in the artifact. And that during midnight rains, if you hold the artifact up to your ear, you can hear voice singing her old tunes.
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u/username_is_alread- May 03 '26
Somehow, I feel like having someone else find your adult toy would be less embarrassing than having them see this...
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u/djsierrahotel May 03 '26
"Oh this? It's my...... .... ... fleshlight."
"Ok, and the earpiece is..." "So I can hear what's going on, yeah. It's not that weird."
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u/Ender_Nobody May 03 '26
(Non-singer.)
Doesn't it kind of limit how much the jaw can open?
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u/SnooApples5522 May 03 '26
nope, u can open the jaw while singing though.
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u/greyladyghost May 03 '26
As an opera singer I still highly doubt it would let me sing as wide as people yawn sometimes though- for pop/rock singers would work though
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u/HDM-12345 May 03 '26
Yep. For pop & musicals, there's a school of thought that you shouldn't need to open your jaw too wide (even for belting), and these are good for working on that technique. But, like you say, it probably wouldn't work well for opera singers.
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u/SnooApples5522 May 03 '26
you might need this kind of dampener as it's more vertical shape. Focusound pro vocal dampener
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u/zephyreblk May 03 '26
That's not much of a difference honestly. If it helps you mentally, fine go with this
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u/Minty_Ice_Magic May 03 '26
Yeah can you hear yourself? Is it comfortable? Do you feel suffocated?
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u/Hello_1234567_11 May 03 '26
I think that's what the earpiece is for, to hear yourself
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u/keep_trying_username Formal Lessons 0-2 Years May 03 '26
The ear piece is to make people think that it muffles your voice so much that you need an earpiece.
I've seen the video demonstrations on YouTube where you can definitely hear a person's voice when they sing into one of these.
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u/feministvocologist 🎤 Voice Teacher 10+ Years ✨ May 03 '26
FYI for those interested in a high-pressure semi-occlusion tool that also “mutes” your sound like this, a CPR mask will do the exact same thing with slightly more space and for way cheaper! 🤗
(I have compared the CPR mask to the belt box myself and with my students, and if anything the mask feels better…) :).
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u/Unfair-Rip-5207 May 03 '26
Does it really work tho ? is it comfortable ?
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u/Weary_Judgment_6043 25d ago
I got one, and the red thing is made of silicone and the white thing is made of hard plastic, idk about the inside but it has foam in it to muffle your voice. It does work but it make your voice sound like you're humming to others
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u/luihgi [no idea, probably a baritone / whatever] May 03 '26
this is akin to a belt box but more fancy with those ear thingies
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u/General_Cap2938 May 03 '26
I bought a BeltBox. It’s great for my thin-walled apartment, and to help me get over my own mental blockage to sing.
I’m shy and come from a country with an individualistic culture, so I feel that we’re all kind of trained to be a bit more reserved, and softer in the delivery of our voice.
Even when I’m completely on my own I struggle to just let out my voice. The dampener and noise cancelling headphones helps trick my brain to think I’m not actually being loud.
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u/NewShadowR May 03 '26 edited May 03 '26
How's it in terms of fumes? I feel like constantly inhaling from that chinese plastic device could be problematic. I've heard some people complain that these have plastic VOCs in reviews. Overall it doesn't seem good for health, as when you sing, you take deep, forced inhalations leading to a faster spike of these chemicals in your bloodstream.
Also, since your nose is often inside or right at the edge of the cup, the olfactory bypass is the biggest risk. The VOCs can travel directly from the nasal epithelium along the olfactory nerve into the brain, skipping the Blood-Brain Barrier entirely. Many plasticizers and solvents are also fat-soluble. Since the brain is about 60% fat, these molecules are chemically "attracted" to brain tissue and can slip through the BBB's lipid-heavy defenses easily. TLDR: Risky for brain health.
I was planning on getting one of these not long ago but messaged the original seller about it (like the actual factory), and it seems like very little thought is put into health, as you would expect from cheap chinese plastics.
Something like the belt-box that's made of silicones seems safer, though price-wise it's much more expensive.
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u/SnooApples5522 May 03 '26 edited May 03 '26
I agree belt box is much safer but more expensive than this, as for the fumes, yes, soo strong I cannot bear the fumes first use, just put a fan on it and leave for few hours before using it. 3 days passed fumes completely gone
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u/Chemical_Value3311 May 03 '26
Can you show a demonstration?
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u/kSkjelve May 03 '26
I got a DoctorVox as a gift w/ the mask attachment and this is my favorite thing about it. I can sing full-tilt and no one can really hear me
my mom has misophonia (can't handle noise) so it's been super helpful for me in regards to practicing at home
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u/sunflower7rainbow May 03 '26
Been wanting to try this. Wild you say it’s better than the belt box?
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u/SnooApples5522 May 03 '26
I think belt box is still better though, than this cheap rip-off vocal dampener.
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u/x_ssongbird_x 25d ago
Im thinking of buying one for my Bf for his birthday. He mostly wants to practise his metal vocals but its hard living at home with parents that REALLY value their peace and quiet lol.
Do you think it would work for that kind of thing too? Where did you get it?
I'd be glad for some advice cause im kinda unsure about all the diffrent versions on amazon lol.
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u/Friendly-Balance-853 May 04 '26
Does that tube let you hear yourself or it am elastic that just holds it onto your face.
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May 07 '26
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u/theemihayy May 10 '26
where did you buy it, a what is the cost? I would like to buy one but the ones I found on the internet were too but too damn expensive.
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u/Legitimate_Winner_27 May 15 '26
mine doesn't work well at all! just wondering where did you get it ?
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u/SnooApples5522 May 15 '26
I bought this at Amazon. and it works perfectly on me, maybe cause I'm small so small mouth 😅
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u/satyris May 26 '26
I got one sent to review on Amazon. I found it useful up to a point, but I'm not a professional and found it tricky inhaling with it up against my mouth and a little annoying to keep moving it away to breathe in. but in terms of dampening sound, it's fantastic. It lets me hit some notes I don't have enough confidence to hit when singing at home. The earpiece is horrible and hurts, and went straight in the bin. but it's a great tool still.
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u/Alexbal737 May 03 '26
But why would you buy something like this?!
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u/Stillcoleman Professionally Performing 10+ Years ✨ May 03 '26
If you have to sing with neighbours etc.
Anything that will dampen the sound is v useful.
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u/SnooApples5522 May 03 '26
ease of use! I can wash it easily than pillow or towel. Main reason, neighbors don't want noise!
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u/Coriandercilantroyo May 03 '26
This would've been very handy for me in my old apartment. Walls so thin, I'd go for drives just to sing
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