In the last Tool Time, we looked at the Sing Ring by OOVO, which can be used for straw phonation at different resistances using one hand. In future Tool Times, we’ll look at more tools used for the purposes of inertance and semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVT). This article tackles something that I think most singers have seen in the wild: the Belt Box. This tool is used to diminish sound output from singers without forcing the mouth to be in a more closed position. It allows mostly free singing movements, so you can practice as you would perform albeit with sound diminishment.
Disclaimer: this is not an advertisement, and I haven’t been paid to review this product. I just love looking for things that can help my students and myself sing better.
What is the Belt Box?
The Belt Box, according to their website, can “muffle your voice up to 30 decibels (dB) but still allows you to hear if you are in the right key!” Decibels are the units used to measure the intensity of a sound, and they run along a logarithmic scale. For instance, a vacuum cleaner has an intensity of around 70 dB, a hairdryer around 90dB, and thunder around 110 dB. The 30 dB diminishment is large especially for high amplitude singing (hello opera). The Belt Box comes in a few parts, primarily a polyurethane foam inside liner that is about a half inch in depth with a firmer silicon shell for more structure and stability. It is shaped to contour to the front of the face from the bridge of the nose to the chin. Two small holes in the “nose” area are used to let some sound leak out and relieve built in pressure from the singing.
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The Belt Box is sized to fit average to large faces, and I would imagine that it may be difficult to use for singers with particularly small or extra-large faces. To use it, you have to hold it in front of your face with the foam touching your skin and sing into it. There is an included strap that can be used to make it hands-free as well, and it comes with a bag to carry it around. Regarding some of the regular singer ideas, breathing is definitively easier from the mouth than the nose while using the box. The sense of sound is also slightly muffled because in essence you’re singing into a cup of foam.
Why would you use the Belt Box?
The primary reason to use the Belt Box is as a warmup or practice tool. It allows you to articulate text inside of it as if you are singing. Unlike a straw or other SOVTs, you’re given the opportunity to shape and sing without restriction. It also has some slight SOVT activation advantages because of the closeness to the exit of the mouth. The resistance isn’t as strong as a straw or lip trill, but it can help. One disadvantage is that it does limit the range of motion that you have available for your mouth and jaw. Wider mouth shapes and more descended jaws are not easily possible. Because of this, certain classical singing shapes are easier to use with the Belt Box.
As I have used it without measuring the sound pressure level and amplitude, I can’t tell if the 30 dB muffling is realistic, but it dampens the sound greatly. I have used it in a hotel while on a gig and working on other music, and I have not gotten any noise complaints. I have an apple watch and frequently get alerts above 90 dB when I sing, but when using the Belt Box, my watch has not given me that notification. In general, for what it claims to do, I believe it accomplishes its goal.
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Conclusion
For me, the Belt Box is a useful tool in tandem with other tools. On the road, the Belt Box along with a straw or more resistance focused tool would be a great combination. The Belt Box is waterproof and easy to clean which is another bonus. This year, I traveled with the Sing Ring and the Belt Box and would use the Sing Ring to warm up and prepare and then the Belt Box to sing through the repertoire in my hotel or homestay. The noise reduction works great and provides a way to practice at any time without disturbing anyone. Here is a video shared on the Belt Box website about its uses. While the video shows someone using it in the hallway outside an audition, I don’t think it would muffle the sound enough for cramped spaces with many people around.
Give this tool a try and let us know what you think!
