Creating a GLaDOS-like Voice

This article discusses the process of making a GLaDOS-like voice using a popular text-to-speech program and various sound editing utilities. Two methods are listed, and it should be noted that Bob's Method is recommended for the best results.

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• Cakewalk Sonar 6, for the V-Vocal plug-in.
• Melodyne, for pitch modulation and note manipulation.

• Text Aloud (With AT&T Crystal Voice), to avoid legal limitations.
• Audacity, for encoding and echo effects.

If you don't want to buy the TTS voice, use this. Simply type what you want to have said, and save as an audio file to edit in Sonar 6.

Open up Sonar 6, create a new project, and import your new audio file. Right click on the first track and select the option to open V-Vocal. Once loaded, adjust the following knobs to their stated value: Note:100 Vibrato:0 Sense:100 Pitch Follow:100 Shift:10. Once this is completed, close the V-Vocal window and export your file.

Open up Melodyne and import your file. First, hit ctrl-a to select the entire sound. Then click and hold the second button at the top, move down one until you see “pitch modulation” and release. Double click on one of the red chunks and you will see almost all of the lines connecting the audio disappear, if not, try another spot. You can now hit the second button again, and dis select the entire audio clip. Now you have to drag each chunk of voice up and down until you arrive at what sounds exactly like GLaDOS. Once done, export your file.

Open up Audacity. If you want to add echo, like in-game, select the entire audio clip and look under Effects for “GVerb.” You can try different settings until you see fit. Then preform your final export, this time as an MP3.

• Melodyne, for pitch modulation and note manipulation.

• Text Aloud (With AT&T Crystal Voice), to avoid legal limitations.
• Audacity, for encoding and echo effects.

If you don't want to buy the TTS voice, use this. Simply type what you want to have said, and save as an audio file to edit in Melodyne.

Open up Melodyne and import your file. First, hit ctrl-a to select the entire sound. Then click and hold the second button at the top, move down one until you see “pitch modulation” and release. Double click on one of the red chunks and you will see almost all of the lines connecting the audio disappear, if not, try another spot. Now select the formant tool next to the one you just selected, and type 150 in the nearby box followed by enter. You can now hit the second button again, and dis select the entire audio clip. Now you have to drag each chunk of voice up and down until you arrive at what sounds exactly like GLaDOS. Once done, export your file.

Open up Audacity. If you want to add echo, like in-game, select the entire audio clip and look under Effects for “GVerb.” You can try different settings until you see fit. Then preform your final export, this time as an MP3.

V-Vocal settings obtained from here. Budget tutorial derived from here. If you have any questions or comments, please post in the forums.

Fleamo created a page based on our tutorial, showing how to make GLaDOS ringstones!