Talkbox?

I've wanted a Talkbox for time. I know you can make one but I wanna actually buy a decent reliable one. I noticed Dan Electro sell them for £68. Anyone got one and know whether its any good? Cheers.

I have this one. Exactly this one. I would recommend to spend a bit more to get a decent one. this one does not sound all too great.

Ah okay thanks for the info. Seemed to good to be true. Guess I'll have to plump for making one!

Its nice but its really hard to get a good sound out of it. The output is pretty quiet when I remember correctly. I haven't used it for 2 years. It just sits in my desk

I was thinking about using it for a synthesizer specifically my new baby the Microkorg. Just seems a bit nuts to spend £150 on the competing products.

you have to use a synthesizer/guitar/whatever to get the talkbox to work - same principle as a vocoder - you have a carrier and a modulator, usually carrier = synthesizer/guitar and modulator = voice. talkboxes differ from vocoders in that they employ a plastic tube you hold in your mouth which as far as i know is used to "shape" the sound by picking up on the sibilant sounds and air-pressure changes created by your mouth and a vocoder just uses a mic to pick up the sound of your voice and then mixes that with the carrier signal (synth etc).

also, your microkorg already has a vocoder built in.

Are you actually buying any of the 4 million requested apps/plugins/bits of hardware you've been asking about over the last year or so ?!

  On 7/25/2012 at 8:47 PM, BCM said:

you have to use a synthesizer/guitar/whatever to get the talkbox to work - same principle as a vocoder - you have a carrier and a modulator, usually carrier = synthesizer/guitar and modulator = voice. talkboxes differ from vocoders in that they employ a plastic tube you hold in your mouth which as far as i know is used to "shape" the sound by picking up on the sibilant sounds and air-pressure changes created by your mouth and a vocoder just uses a mic to pick up the sound of your voice and then mixes that with the carrier signal (synth etc).

 

also, your microkorg already has a vocoder built in.

Yeah I know my Microkorg has a vocoder that's one of the main reasons I got it. Talkbox has a different flavour hence this thread as I've always wanted to get one or make one.

  On 7/25/2012 at 9:44 PM, mcbpete said:

Are you actually buying any of the 4 million requested apps/plugins/bits of hardware you've been asking about over the last year or so ?!

Yeah I've bought stuff so? Music making and taking an interest in new gear keeps my mind active and keeps it off my miserable painful depression - is that a problem?

Talkbox? Why would... .. .... . ... .. I... you know, I... . what? Huh?

*leaves thread*

Talkboxes make everything sound like Bon Jovi

this thread's gone weird... i didn't mean to come across as patronising earlier btw, should've realised you knew the vocoder function on your own synth, pretty obvious, got a big mic sticking out of it...

anyway, back to talkboxes, what about this 'un?

Heil HT1...seem to be able to get them for about £100

  On 7/25/2012 at 11:01 PM, The Bro said:

taking an interest in new gear keeps my mind active and keeps it off my miserable painful depression - is that a problem?

Certainly sounds like a problem, using consumerism to fight of depression is a dark dark downwards spiral ...

But seriously I'd work out a hint to the source of the depression rather than side tracking it for a bit, that really can't do you much good in the long term. Good luck man!

these used to be popular a while ago... among american kids and Daft Punk fans :)

http://www.rocktron.com/products/stompboxes/talkbox_series/bansheetalkbox/

You can make your own really easy..

Requires an old smallish active speaker, like those small computer speakers you can get. Some tube, a couple plastic boxes, and a hot glue gun. Tried it a few times, with mixed results if I'm honest, but once got it going really well.

Infact.. here's the video I found out how to from:

  On 7/26/2012 at 2:25 AM, mcbpete said:

  On 7/25/2012 at 11:01 PM, The Bro said:

taking an interest in new gear keeps my mind active and keeps it off my miserable painful depression - is that a problem?

Certainly sounds like a problem, using consumerism to fight of depression is a dark dark downwards spiral ...

 

But seriously I'd work out a hint to the source of the depression rather than side tracking it for a bit, that really can't do you much good in the long term. Good luck man!

Well it lifts my mood and of course making music does too but depression has messed badly with my mind. Thankfully I've had a break from the darkest of moods for a few weeks now due to starting a new medication so that's helped. Me like all folks with depression just want a normal boring life - I'm pretty humble about that you know. :-)

  On 7/25/2012 at 11:07 PM, BCM said:

this thread's gone weird... i didn't mean to come across as patronising earlier btw, should've realised you knew the vocoder function on your own synth, pretty obvious, got a big mic sticking out of it...

 

anyway, back to talkboxes, what about this 'un?

 

 

Heil HT1...seem to be able to get them for about £100

Looks good! I think I may just pop down to Digital Village and try out a few if possible and see what their recommendations are.

You know.. You can get a very similar effect if you put the iphone's speaker (the one at the bottom) near your mouth..

I have Ivoxel (Vocoder) which is currently just installed on my Ipod Touch and that's not too bad. However I really need to install it on my Ipad as that has inbuilt mic. Also I think you can run it alongside Beatmaker 2 via internal midi clock sync.

Back on topic, has anyone built the ghetto talkbox - any tips i.e. the quality of speakers or enclosure you use?

  On 7/26/2012 at 3:12 AM, TechDiff said:

You can make your own really easy..

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EIQxwotn3k

lol, calfornia. knows how to party. califooorniaa.

I think there is some talkbox use on analord XMD 5a. Maybe on the bass part?

maybe im imagining it.

doesnt sound like a voice. but something i cant pinpoint

haha that guy looks like a 13 year old girl from the nose up.

talkbox dude sounds a bit like ulilillia