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Haha, made you look!

So,

I'm bored. Let's talk about...

Vocoding.

Any tips for:

Making it sit better in the mix?
Having a clearer vocal?
Cool tricks?
Favorite Color?

Anywho, let me know what you think!

Comments

pr0gr4m Wed, 02/11/2009 - 22:21

Are you talking about Real vocoding or that t-pain stuff people call vocoding?

To start, all vocoders are NOT created equal. There is a BIG difference in vocoder sound from one unit to the next and each unit has its own style.

Now exactly what sort of vocoding are you into? Do you this: [youtube:ebfcccb260]http://www.youtube…]

...or are you into something more like this:

[youtube:ebfcccb260]http://www.youtube…]

...or could it be something entirely different?

1)making it sit better in the mix
This kinda depends on the carrier signal and the rest of the mix. I personally like the vocal to be a little washed out so that it sounds like less like an effected vocal and more like something all its own. I also like it to be a pad type of sound when there isn't a lot of sustained type of sounds along with it.

2)having a clearer vocal
This has a lot to do with the vocoder, filtering and the carrier signal as well. However you can adjust the mix to include more of the unaffected vocal to make it a bit clearer. Also sibilance can play a big roll in how clear the vocal is.

3)cool tricks
Drums through vocoder...that never gets old. Blippy sequences and arpeggios through vocoder. Vocoding a vocal using a very long sample of a Sherman Tank as the carrier signal. Filters...post vox and pre vocoding.

4)favorite color
Mechanical

5)let me know what you think
I think that there are too many people on this planet. WAY too many people.

music293 Wed, 02/11/2009 - 22:40

pr0gr4m-

I am talking about REAL vocoding, not auto-tuning (which can be fun all on it's own)

Do you have any recommendations for software based vocoders? Preferably suitable for PT8 or even Reason 4.0? I've just been rocking the one in Reason 4.0....

I was thinking more of an Imogen Heap kind of vocoding, which youtube isn't letting me embed so....


1 ) I also enjoy the vocal to be it's own flavor, having little to do with the original take.

2) It makes perfect sense, but I never considered sibilance, thank you!

3) I also enjoy a good beat through the unit. And I cannot wait to try out that Sherman Tank idea, I'll bet that sounds really wicked?

4) Electrical

5) I think you've been very helpful, and agree with your statement about people, though I would further improve upon it by stating that there are too many people who simply don't get it or give a damn.

Thank you!

pr0gr4m Thu, 02/12/2009 - 15:54

Yea..I love Hide and Seek.

Best VST vocoder? I haven't found it. I've used Orange. I like Vokko. I wanna get ELS Vocoder.

I like the one in the MS-2000 and the Electro-Harmonix Vocoder.

A talk box and vocoder are very different.

A vocoder electronically meshes the carrier and modulator signals.

A talkbox is essentially a mini amplifier where the speaker output is routed through a tube that you put into your mouth. You plug a guitar or other instrument into the talkbox and the sound of that instrument comes out the end of the tube. With the tube in your mouth, you play the instrument and sing...or just mouth words to effect the output.

Here's probably the most famous use of one...and when you listen to it, you can clearly hear what he does with his mouth to alter the sound.

[youtube:da729fa996]http://www.youtube…]

Roger Troutman uses the talkbox with a synth...here you can see him with the tube in his mouth. It's not his best example but it was the first I found.

[youtube:da729fa996]http://www.youtube…]

anonymous Mon, 02/16/2009 - 12:52

I'm a fan of Neil Young's album Trans (though I havn't heard two of the original tracks-- only the CD versions) that made heavy use of the vocoder.

I tried to use gleetchlab as a vocoder to modulate a crowd cheering with someone's voice to give a chant-like effect to the crowd, but it didn't work correctly with that software (as arcane as of a layout as it has). Vocoding inside of Pro Tools would be VERY nice. I havn't found an affordable plugin for that, though.

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