| MooT BooXLé's |
| TALKBOX FAQ |
1. What is the purpose of this FAQ?
2. What is a talkbox?
3. Is a talkbox the same as a vocoder?
4. What is a talkbox driver?
5. I built a "ghetto talkbox". Why doesn't it work very good?
6. It's easier and cheaper just to buy one, right?
7. What kind of driver do I need for building a good talkbox?
8. How loud should I play my talkbox?
9. Why do I need a microphone?
10. What is the proper length of tubing?
11. What is the proper size of tubing?
12. How should I position the tube in my mouth?
13. How come my words aren't clear?
14. Do I have to have a Yamaha DX100?
15. What kind of tone do I need for my keyboard?
16. Will playing the talkbox damage my mouth or dental work?
17. Can you teach me how to play "California Love"?
18. Does T-Pain use a talkbox?
19. I'm blind or visually impaired, but I want a talkbox. Will it be hard to set up
for me?
____________________________________________________________
1. What is the purpose of this FAQ?
The purpose of this FAQ is not to necessarily dictate what's right and
wrong about the talkbox, playing the talkbox, etc. but instead to provide
some good general information. Over the past year, I have received
hundreds of emails asking a lot of the same questions. My intent is to
make a document that people can refer to that should answer most, if not
all, of those questions.
2. What is a talkbox?
Let's start with the basics. A talkbox is not really an instrument in and of
itself; however, it requires such skill that it can almost be classified as
such. A talkbox is a sound modifying device that uses the human vocal
cavity - not the human voice - as its controller. When a sound is fed into
a talkbox driver, that sound travels through an airtight vinyl tube which is
placed in the performer's mouth. The shape of the sound can then be
modified by the performer by moving his or her mouth and throat as if he
or she were singing or talking. Some performers have perfected this to
such a high level that very clear and distinct words and phrases can be
heard - all with the tone and pitch of the instrument being played. Notable
among them are Roger Troutman (some, including myself, still consider
him the best!), Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, Pete Drake, Stevie Wonder
(briefly), Byron Chambers, Teddy Riley, Joe Walsh, etc.
3. Is a talkbox the same as a vocoder?
While they may seem similar, the answer is NO. True, both can make
'talking synth/guitar' sounds, but they are are two completely different
animals.
A vocoder is an electronic device that consists of a network of tuned
bandpass filters, each one connected to an envelope follower. It requires
two input signals - a "carrier" and a "modulator". The "carrier" signal would
be your guitar, keyboard, or whatever else (sometimes it's fun to use a
drum machine!), and the "modulator" in this case would be your voice
talking/singing into a microphone. The different frequencies in the sound
of your voice pass through the bandpass filters, which trigger the
envelope followers to let the sound of the "carrier" through in that
frequency range. The result is that the "carrier" now has the
characteristics of your voice - the "modulator". Sounds
complicated....probably because it is. Hardware vocoders, especially the
higher-quality ones, can be quite expensive.
A talkbox, on the other hand, is very simple and relatively inexpensive. It
relies on basic physics rather than complicated electronics, and is no
more complex than a guitar amplifier. Rather than actually talking or
singing into a microphone to modify the instrument sound, with a talkbox,
the instrument sound is directly injected into the mouth. This natural
physical phenomenon makes the talkbox capable of much richer and more
realistic vocal sounds, whereas the vocoder is better at special effects
and robotic vocal sounds.
4. What is a talkbox driver?
When somebody refers to a 'talkbox driver', what they mean is a horn
driver, also known as a compression driver. This is a common PA
speaker part. Most full-range PA speakers consist of at least one woofer
(usually between 10" and 15" in size) and a horn, which handles the mid
to high frequencies. If you were to take this speaker apart, you would see
a compression driver attached to the back of the horn - which just screws
on to the throat of the driver. For talkbox use, there are several models
(which I'll mention later) that are preferred. Not just any horn driver will
give a good result - it all depends on the frequency response and power
handling of the driver.
5. I built a "ghetto talkbox". Why doesn't it work very good?
Oh boy. You had to go asking that question. Well.....the biggest reason
that a "ghetto" talkbox will never sound as good as the real thing is
because it does not use a real horn driver - the key component of a "real"
talkbox. Is it fun to build? Oh yeah! Because you probably have most of
the parts lying around your house! Does it sound good? Probably not.
Can it sound good? Not really. The way I made mine sound decent on the
videos was through a ton of post-processing (EQ and compression).
Straight out,
it certainly does not sound that good! You are most likely going to get a
weak-sounding talkbox that leaks sound very badly - no matter how tight
you tape or seal it! The only way to get a completely airtight seal is to
use a horn driver, period.
6. It's easier and cheaper just to buy a talkbox, right?
Easier, yes. Cheaper, not at all. You can certainly build a talkbox,
including amp, driver, tubing, connectors, and wire, for less than it costs
to buy a good pre-made talkbox.
However, if you don't want to spend the time and effort, and want a
decent pre-made box, I have a couple of suggestions. First of all, stay
AWAY from the Danelectro Free Speech. There are about a million
reasons why this is the worst talkbox in history, starting with the special
tube design that only sort of works. Also, there is really no need to go for
a 'Supertalker' talkbox, as those use MCM drivers which can be bought
for less than $40 USD! The only thing that makes them nice is the custom
tube connectors, but last time I checked, they actually sell those
separately.
I would recommend the Framptone talkbox, endorsed by Peter Frampton,
but you pay an awful lot for the name. Not necessary.
The Heil sound talkbox is pretty decent, but there are drivers out there
that are certainly better.
The one to go for, especially for a beginner, is the Rocktron Banshee.
It's self-amplified, self-contained, and has a pretty good sound. Great for
starters.
7. What kind of driver do I need for building a good talkbox?
When shopping for a horn driver for use as a talkbox, there are a couple
of things you should look for.
First of all, check out the frequency response. It needs to be a midrange
driver - a high frequency driver will not work very well.
The low frequency response needs to be at least 600Hz or lower - I
recommend much lower. Look for one that goes down to at least 250Hz.
The aforementioned MCM driver (model DU-40) goes all the way down to
100Hz! The high frequency response may vary, but generally around
6-8kHz is fine.
The other thing to check out is the power handling - the wattage. About
40w is plenty - it's not a good idea to use your talkbox at extremely loud
volumes. If the driver can handle more than 40w, great. More headroom
is not a bad thing!
You may also want to bear in mind the impedance (ohms) of the driver -
most horn drivers are either 8 or 16 ohms. It's always a good idea to
match the impedance between your amp and driver.
Here are some of the driver models that are best for talkbox:
Electro-Voice 1823m (This is the classic 'Golden Throat' driver)
Electro-Voice 1824m (a smoother-sounding version of the 1823m)
MCM DU-40 (the best low frequency response!)
MCM 54-060 (the 60w version of the DU-40)
Pyle Pro PDS 772 (a nice clean-sounding driver)
Selenium D250-X
8. How loud should I play my talkbox?
My general rule is, how loud can you sing or talk (not screaming)? That is
about the maximum volume you should run your talkbox at, too. While it
may not really hurt you to play it louder, remember that the human mouth
and throat were only designed to handle a certain amount of sound
pressure. Putting something that sounds like a jet taking off in your mouth
is not a good idea!
Playing the talkbox at low volumes is ok to do, but you may find that you
can't really make certain sounds until you open the driver up more - so
put a decent volume through it! Also, when recording, talkboxing at low
levels can make your mouth noises more obvious.
9. Why do I need a microphone?
Well, the truth is, you really don't need a microphone to enjoy the talkbox!
You can play the talkbox without a microphone with no problem. The only
times you will need a microphone are (1) If you use the talkbox in live
performance; or (2) if you want to record your talkboxing.
(1). You can make your talkbox pretty loud, sure. But it's never a good
idea to try to use it live without a microphone. Do you sing at your live
shows without a microphone? Probably not, unless it's around a campfire
or in a very small venue. You wouldn't want to talkbox live without a
microphone for the same reason - people can't hear it properly without
amplification.
(2). Of course, when you want to record yourself singing, you use a
microphone, right? So far, that's the most effective way to preserve the
human voice on a recording. The same is true for the talkbox. Treat it just
like you would if you were singing!
10. What is the proper length of tubing?
There really is no rule here. In my opinion, shorter is better, because it
allows more sound pressure to reach your mouth from the driver. You
may find that very long tube lengths reduces the effectiveness of your
talkbox, making you have to turn the volume up, and adjust the EQ of your
amp to have a more robust sound. The bottom line is, use only what is
necessary to get the sound from the driver to your mouth, with the talkbox
sitting on the floor.
11. What is the proper size of tubing?
Once again, there really is no rule, but the two sizes that are most
commonly used (and the only two sizes that I recommend ever using) are:
5/8" O.D. (outside diameter) and 1/2" O.D.
The most common size is the 1/2" OD, and that is what I recommend to
beginners - it is easier to get clear diction with that size of tube in your
mouth. In the US, you should be able to find WATTS plumbing parts at any
home supply store. Get the yellow color-coded tubing. Buy plenty - you
will always want to have extra, because it's a good idea to change out
your tubing once in awhile.
The larger size, 5/8" OD, is nice for a fatter tone, because more air goes
through the tube, and just the physics of a larger column of air yields a
slightly different harmonic balance. I find this size harder to talk with, but
after some practice it becomes more natural.
Find which size works for you, and get comfortable with it!
Another note about tubing: don't use the cheapo tubing that is used in
commercial drink machines. My friend DJ Mpact found this out the hard
way! The cheaper, more flexible vinyl tubing tends to transfer vibrations
much more intensely, which could result in an intense headache!
Use nice quality plumbing-grade vinyl tubing.
12. How should I position the tube in my mouth?
There is no rule about which side of the mouth to use, but most tend to go
for the left side, which is what I do. Hold the tube gently between your
molars, biting it ever so slightly so it doesn't slip out of your mouth, but
not so hard that it chokes off the sound coming through it. You may have
to angle it a bit away from or toward your cheek, depending on your
mouth shape. Some trial and error is involved here, just changing the
position and seeing what works. Once you find the right position, you will
be surprised how quickly it becomes instinct to put the tube in your mouth
in that spot.
13. How come my words aren't clear?
There are many reasons for this. It could be that the tone you are getting
from your keyboard or guitar is not bright enough - that is, not rich enough
in harmonics. The brighter and 'buzzier' the tone coming into the driver,
the easier it is to sound clear with the voice - in most cases. This would
mean that if you are playing guitar, you could try adding a little distortion
and using the bridge position pickup; with a keyboard, use a bright,
harmonic sound such as a sawtooth - this is addressed in detail in
question 13.
The biggest reason why words aren't clear is bad tube placement, bad
pronunciation, and not adding in the consonant sounds.
Try whispering the words "take a break", but do it without actually
exhaling any air. Notice something? The only sounds you hear are the 't',
'k', and 'b'. This is because those consonant sounds are not made by
your voice or breath - they are made by your lips and tongue. When
'singing' actual words with the talkbox, you have to add those sounds in
there - otherwise no one will be able to understand what you're saying. It
will come across as just a bunch of phonetic sounds instead of words.
Practice adding in the sounds that your lips, tongue, and teeth make. It
will make a huge difference in your talkboxing.
14. Do I have to have a Yamaha DX100?
The answer is NO! While the DX100 is one of the best, it's certainly not
the only one that's any good. The main reasons that people want a
DX100 are:
- Somebody on eBay said it was the only keyboard that can get that tone
I want!
- Roger Troutman used it. It was the keyboard that he used on the 2Pac
classic "California Love", and on most of his recordings and live
performances after that.
- It's small and portable. It can even run on batteries! You can take it
anywhere!
- It's nice for live performance. It looks good on stage, and the pitch and
modulation wheels are in a comfortable position, right on the top.
- It's cheap. WHOA. Wait a second. Make that, it WAS cheap.
DX100's are probably going to get more and more expensive, so if you
really feel that you MUST have one, now is the time to get one...while
they are still financially in reach.
If you're not hung up on having the 'sacred cow' of talkbox, you're in luck.
There are lots and lots of other synthesizers out there that can get great
tones for talkbox. The entire Yamaha DX range is capable of the making
the same sounds that the DX100 can.
These include: DX7, TX7, DX9, DX11, DX21, DX27, TX81Z, etc.
Other synthesizers that are particularly good for talkbox are:
Moog Minimoog (in my opinion, it's THE BEST! It is also the most
expensive.), Moog Little Phatty, Moog Voyager, Casio CZ series, Korg
MS2000, Korg Microkorg, Nord Lead, Alesis Ion, etc....I'm sure there are
more out there. Just about any monophonic analog synth will do a good
job, but some are better than others.
15. What kind of tone do I need for my keyboard?
The type of talkbox tone you need is partly a matter of taste, and partly a
matter of plain ol' physics. The sounds that work best are ones that are
rich in harmonics.
The sound that is the most harmonically rich is the sawtooth wave. In the
typical setup, a sawtooth wave is used, with no filtering being added on
the keyboard (that is, the filter cutoff being all the way, or almost all the
way, maxed out). No effects such as reverb, chorus, or delay should be
used, as those can 'smear' the sound and make words less intelligible.
The sound should be monophonic, which means that the keyboard should
only play one note at a time - like the human voice. It is preferable to
have a pitch bend wheel - learning how to make expressive pitch bends is
key to making good music with the talkbox. Also, if available, use the
modulation wheel to add some pitch vibrato to certain notes. Which ones
are up to you, but just bear in mind that the goal is to sound like a human
voice. Putting crazy vibrato on every note is only going to sound one
way...crazy!! (Not that there's really anything wrong with that ;-)
Every keyboard or synthesizer is different, and the way you arrive at your
sound is completely up to you. This is simply a guideline to give you
something to aim for. Consult your manual, read some stuff online,
whatever it takes...but you can do it!
16. Will playing the talkbox damage my mouth or dental work?
No it will not! There has long been a myth that playing the talkbox can
rattle your fillings loose, or your teeth, and all kinds of stuff like that. Well,
I can safely say that it's not true! I can't imagine what kind of sound pressure
it would take to dismantle someone's fillings, but I am certain that it's more than
anybody would ever, ever use normally.
Again, I will reiterate that the main rule of thumb to go by is this: if your
talkbox is louder than you can sing at full volume, turn it down.
17. Can you teach me how to play "California Love"?
Nope.
18. Does T-Pain use a talkbox?
No, he does not! T-Pain uses a vocal effect called Auto-Tune to make his
voice have that characteristic robotic sound. He has gone on record to
say that he does it to emulate the talkbox, as he is a fan of Roger
Troutman, but he does not actually play the talkbox himself.
19. I'm blind or visually impaired, but I want a talkbox. Will it be hard to set up
for me?
This question was suggested for the FAQ by musician Duyahn Walker, who is blind.
He explained to me that he had a custom talkbox, but it was hard for him to set up by
himself because of all the different parts (driver, amp, tubing, speaker wires, etc).
A good solution here is, as he has done, use an "all-in-one" talkbox such as the
Rocktron Banshee. The sound is not quite the same as a customized system, but it is
certainly good, and it will be worth it not to have a lot of cumbersome gear to set up.
Did this FAQ help you in any way? Do you have questions that I didn't
cover? Send me an email and tell me what's up!
Thank you for reading!
MooT BooXLé
23 February 2008
This document represents my own work and is subject to copyright law.
Reproducing this work in full or in part, for any reason other than personal
reference, without my written consent, is strictly prohibited. Y'hear?
(c) 2008 MooT BooXLé.
2. What is a talkbox?
3. Is a talkbox the same as a vocoder?
4. What is a talkbox driver?
5. I built a "ghetto talkbox". Why doesn't it work very good?
6. It's easier and cheaper just to buy one, right?
7. What kind of driver do I need for building a good talkbox?
8. How loud should I play my talkbox?
9. Why do I need a microphone?
10. What is the proper length of tubing?
11. What is the proper size of tubing?
12. How should I position the tube in my mouth?
13. How come my words aren't clear?
14. Do I have to have a Yamaha DX100?
15. What kind of tone do I need for my keyboard?
16. Will playing the talkbox damage my mouth or dental work?
17. Can you teach me how to play "California Love"?
18. Does T-Pain use a talkbox?
19. I'm blind or visually impaired, but I want a talkbox. Will it be hard to set up
for me?
____________________________________________________________
1. What is the purpose of this FAQ?
The purpose of this FAQ is not to necessarily dictate what's right and
wrong about the talkbox, playing the talkbox, etc. but instead to provide
some good general information. Over the past year, I have received
hundreds of emails asking a lot of the same questions. My intent is to
make a document that people can refer to that should answer most, if not
all, of those questions.
2. What is a talkbox?
Let's start with the basics. A talkbox is not really an instrument in and of
itself; however, it requires such skill that it can almost be classified as
such. A talkbox is a sound modifying device that uses the human vocal
cavity - not the human voice - as its controller. When a sound is fed into
a talkbox driver, that sound travels through an airtight vinyl tube which is
placed in the performer's mouth. The shape of the sound can then be
modified by the performer by moving his or her mouth and throat as if he
or she were singing or talking. Some performers have perfected this to
such a high level that very clear and distinct words and phrases can be
heard - all with the tone and pitch of the instrument being played. Notable
among them are Roger Troutman (some, including myself, still consider
him the best!), Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, Pete Drake, Stevie Wonder
(briefly), Byron Chambers, Teddy Riley, Joe Walsh, etc.
3. Is a talkbox the same as a vocoder?
While they may seem similar, the answer is NO. True, both can make
'talking synth/guitar' sounds, but they are are two completely different
animals.
A vocoder is an electronic device that consists of a network of tuned
bandpass filters, each one connected to an envelope follower. It requires
two input signals - a "carrier" and a "modulator". The "carrier" signal would
be your guitar, keyboard, or whatever else (sometimes it's fun to use a
drum machine!), and the "modulator" in this case would be your voice
talking/singing into a microphone. The different frequencies in the sound
of your voice pass through the bandpass filters, which trigger the
envelope followers to let the sound of the "carrier" through in that
frequency range. The result is that the "carrier" now has the
characteristics of your voice - the "modulator". Sounds
complicated....probably because it is. Hardware vocoders, especially the
higher-quality ones, can be quite expensive.
A talkbox, on the other hand, is very simple and relatively inexpensive. It
relies on basic physics rather than complicated electronics, and is no
more complex than a guitar amplifier. Rather than actually talking or
singing into a microphone to modify the instrument sound, with a talkbox,
the instrument sound is directly injected into the mouth. This natural
physical phenomenon makes the talkbox capable of much richer and more
realistic vocal sounds, whereas the vocoder is better at special effects
and robotic vocal sounds.
4. What is a talkbox driver?
When somebody refers to a 'talkbox driver', what they mean is a horn
driver, also known as a compression driver. This is a common PA
speaker part. Most full-range PA speakers consist of at least one woofer
(usually between 10" and 15" in size) and a horn, which handles the mid
to high frequencies. If you were to take this speaker apart, you would see
a compression driver attached to the back of the horn - which just screws
on to the throat of the driver. For talkbox use, there are several models
(which I'll mention later) that are preferred. Not just any horn driver will
give a good result - it all depends on the frequency response and power
handling of the driver.
5. I built a "ghetto talkbox". Why doesn't it work very good?
Oh boy. You had to go asking that question. Well.....the biggest reason
that a "ghetto" talkbox will never sound as good as the real thing is
because it does not use a real horn driver - the key component of a "real"
talkbox. Is it fun to build? Oh yeah! Because you probably have most of
the parts lying around your house! Does it sound good? Probably not.
Can it sound good? Not really. The way I made mine sound decent on the
videos was through a ton of post-processing (EQ and compression).
Straight out,
it certainly does not sound that good! You are most likely going to get a
weak-sounding talkbox that leaks sound very badly - no matter how tight
you tape or seal it! The only way to get a completely airtight seal is to
use a horn driver, period.
6. It's easier and cheaper just to buy a talkbox, right?
Easier, yes. Cheaper, not at all. You can certainly build a talkbox,
including amp, driver, tubing, connectors, and wire, for less than it costs
to buy a good pre-made talkbox.
However, if you don't want to spend the time and effort, and want a
decent pre-made box, I have a couple of suggestions. First of all, stay
AWAY from the Danelectro Free Speech. There are about a million
reasons why this is the worst talkbox in history, starting with the special
tube design that only sort of works. Also, there is really no need to go for
a 'Supertalker' talkbox, as those use MCM drivers which can be bought
for less than $40 USD! The only thing that makes them nice is the custom
tube connectors, but last time I checked, they actually sell those
separately.
I would recommend the Framptone talkbox, endorsed by Peter Frampton,
but you pay an awful lot for the name. Not necessary.
The Heil sound talkbox is pretty decent, but there are drivers out there
that are certainly better.
The one to go for, especially for a beginner, is the Rocktron Banshee.
It's self-amplified, self-contained, and has a pretty good sound. Great for
starters.
7. What kind of driver do I need for building a good talkbox?
When shopping for a horn driver for use as a talkbox, there are a couple
of things you should look for.
First of all, check out the frequency response. It needs to be a midrange
driver - a high frequency driver will not work very well.
The low frequency response needs to be at least 600Hz or lower - I
recommend much lower. Look for one that goes down to at least 250Hz.
The aforementioned MCM driver (model DU-40) goes all the way down to
100Hz! The high frequency response may vary, but generally around
6-8kHz is fine.
The other thing to check out is the power handling - the wattage. About
40w is plenty - it's not a good idea to use your talkbox at extremely loud
volumes. If the driver can handle more than 40w, great. More headroom
is not a bad thing!
You may also want to bear in mind the impedance (ohms) of the driver -
most horn drivers are either 8 or 16 ohms. It's always a good idea to
match the impedance between your amp and driver.
Here are some of the driver models that are best for talkbox:
Electro-Voice 1823m (This is the classic 'Golden Throat' driver)
Electro-Voice 1824m (a smoother-sounding version of the 1823m)
MCM DU-40 (the best low frequency response!)
MCM 54-060 (the 60w version of the DU-40)
Pyle Pro PDS 772 (a nice clean-sounding driver)
Selenium D250-X
8. How loud should I play my talkbox?
My general rule is, how loud can you sing or talk (not screaming)? That is
about the maximum volume you should run your talkbox at, too. While it
may not really hurt you to play it louder, remember that the human mouth
and throat were only designed to handle a certain amount of sound
pressure. Putting something that sounds like a jet taking off in your mouth
is not a good idea!
Playing the talkbox at low volumes is ok to do, but you may find that you
can't really make certain sounds until you open the driver up more - so
put a decent volume through it! Also, when recording, talkboxing at low
levels can make your mouth noises more obvious.
9. Why do I need a microphone?
Well, the truth is, you really don't need a microphone to enjoy the talkbox!
You can play the talkbox without a microphone with no problem. The only
times you will need a microphone are (1) If you use the talkbox in live
performance; or (2) if you want to record your talkboxing.
(1). You can make your talkbox pretty loud, sure. But it's never a good
idea to try to use it live without a microphone. Do you sing at your live
shows without a microphone? Probably not, unless it's around a campfire
or in a very small venue. You wouldn't want to talkbox live without a
microphone for the same reason - people can't hear it properly without
amplification.
(2). Of course, when you want to record yourself singing, you use a
microphone, right? So far, that's the most effective way to preserve the
human voice on a recording. The same is true for the talkbox. Treat it just
like you would if you were singing!
10. What is the proper length of tubing?
There really is no rule here. In my opinion, shorter is better, because it
allows more sound pressure to reach your mouth from the driver. You
may find that very long tube lengths reduces the effectiveness of your
talkbox, making you have to turn the volume up, and adjust the EQ of your
amp to have a more robust sound. The bottom line is, use only what is
necessary to get the sound from the driver to your mouth, with the talkbox
sitting on the floor.
11. What is the proper size of tubing?
Once again, there really is no rule, but the two sizes that are most
commonly used (and the only two sizes that I recommend ever using) are:
5/8" O.D. (outside diameter) and 1/2" O.D.
The most common size is the 1/2" OD, and that is what I recommend to
beginners - it is easier to get clear diction with that size of tube in your
mouth. In the US, you should be able to find WATTS plumbing parts at any
home supply store. Get the yellow color-coded tubing. Buy plenty - you
will always want to have extra, because it's a good idea to change out
your tubing once in awhile.
The larger size, 5/8" OD, is nice for a fatter tone, because more air goes
through the tube, and just the physics of a larger column of air yields a
slightly different harmonic balance. I find this size harder to talk with, but
after some practice it becomes more natural.
Find which size works for you, and get comfortable with it!
Another note about tubing: don't use the cheapo tubing that is used in
commercial drink machines. My friend DJ Mpact found this out the hard
way! The cheaper, more flexible vinyl tubing tends to transfer vibrations
much more intensely, which could result in an intense headache!
Use nice quality plumbing-grade vinyl tubing.
12. How should I position the tube in my mouth?
There is no rule about which side of the mouth to use, but most tend to go
for the left side, which is what I do. Hold the tube gently between your
molars, biting it ever so slightly so it doesn't slip out of your mouth, but
not so hard that it chokes off the sound coming through it. You may have
to angle it a bit away from or toward your cheek, depending on your
mouth shape. Some trial and error is involved here, just changing the
position and seeing what works. Once you find the right position, you will
be surprised how quickly it becomes instinct to put the tube in your mouth
in that spot.
13. How come my words aren't clear?
There are many reasons for this. It could be that the tone you are getting
from your keyboard or guitar is not bright enough - that is, not rich enough
in harmonics. The brighter and 'buzzier' the tone coming into the driver,
the easier it is to sound clear with the voice - in most cases. This would
mean that if you are playing guitar, you could try adding a little distortion
and using the bridge position pickup; with a keyboard, use a bright,
harmonic sound such as a sawtooth - this is addressed in detail in
question 13.
The biggest reason why words aren't clear is bad tube placement, bad
pronunciation, and not adding in the consonant sounds.
Try whispering the words "take a break", but do it without actually
exhaling any air. Notice something? The only sounds you hear are the 't',
'k', and 'b'. This is because those consonant sounds are not made by
your voice or breath - they are made by your lips and tongue. When
'singing' actual words with the talkbox, you have to add those sounds in
there - otherwise no one will be able to understand what you're saying. It
will come across as just a bunch of phonetic sounds instead of words.
Practice adding in the sounds that your lips, tongue, and teeth make. It
will make a huge difference in your talkboxing.
14. Do I have to have a Yamaha DX100?
The answer is NO! While the DX100 is one of the best, it's certainly not
the only one that's any good. The main reasons that people want a
DX100 are:
- Somebody on eBay said it was the only keyboard that can get that tone
I want!
- Roger Troutman used it. It was the keyboard that he used on the 2Pac
classic "California Love", and on most of his recordings and live
performances after that.
- It's small and portable. It can even run on batteries! You can take it
anywhere!
- It's nice for live performance. It looks good on stage, and the pitch and
modulation wheels are in a comfortable position, right on the top.
- It's cheap. WHOA. Wait a second. Make that, it WAS cheap.
DX100's are probably going to get more and more expensive, so if you
really feel that you MUST have one, now is the time to get one...while
they are still financially in reach.
If you're not hung up on having the 'sacred cow' of talkbox, you're in luck.
There are lots and lots of other synthesizers out there that can get great
tones for talkbox. The entire Yamaha DX range is capable of the making
the same sounds that the DX100 can.
These include: DX7, TX7, DX9, DX11, DX21, DX27, TX81Z, etc.
Other synthesizers that are particularly good for talkbox are:
Moog Minimoog (in my opinion, it's THE BEST! It is also the most
expensive.), Moog Little Phatty, Moog Voyager, Casio CZ series, Korg
MS2000, Korg Microkorg, Nord Lead, Alesis Ion, etc....I'm sure there are
more out there. Just about any monophonic analog synth will do a good
job, but some are better than others.
15. What kind of tone do I need for my keyboard?
The type of talkbox tone you need is partly a matter of taste, and partly a
matter of plain ol' physics. The sounds that work best are ones that are
rich in harmonics.
The sound that is the most harmonically rich is the sawtooth wave. In the
typical setup, a sawtooth wave is used, with no filtering being added on
the keyboard (that is, the filter cutoff being all the way, or almost all the
way, maxed out). No effects such as reverb, chorus, or delay should be
used, as those can 'smear' the sound and make words less intelligible.
The sound should be monophonic, which means that the keyboard should
only play one note at a time - like the human voice. It is preferable to
have a pitch bend wheel - learning how to make expressive pitch bends is
key to making good music with the talkbox. Also, if available, use the
modulation wheel to add some pitch vibrato to certain notes. Which ones
are up to you, but just bear in mind that the goal is to sound like a human
voice. Putting crazy vibrato on every note is only going to sound one
way...crazy!! (Not that there's really anything wrong with that ;-)
Every keyboard or synthesizer is different, and the way you arrive at your
sound is completely up to you. This is simply a guideline to give you
something to aim for. Consult your manual, read some stuff online,
whatever it takes...but you can do it!
16. Will playing the talkbox damage my mouth or dental work?
No it will not! There has long been a myth that playing the talkbox can
rattle your fillings loose, or your teeth, and all kinds of stuff like that. Well,
I can safely say that it's not true! I can't imagine what kind of sound pressure
it would take to dismantle someone's fillings, but I am certain that it's more than
anybody would ever, ever use normally.
Again, I will reiterate that the main rule of thumb to go by is this: if your
talkbox is louder than you can sing at full volume, turn it down.
17. Can you teach me how to play "California Love"?
Nope.
18. Does T-Pain use a talkbox?
No, he does not! T-Pain uses a vocal effect called Auto-Tune to make his
voice have that characteristic robotic sound. He has gone on record to
say that he does it to emulate the talkbox, as he is a fan of Roger
Troutman, but he does not actually play the talkbox himself.
19. I'm blind or visually impaired, but I want a talkbox. Will it be hard to set up
for me?
This question was suggested for the FAQ by musician Duyahn Walker, who is blind.
He explained to me that he had a custom talkbox, but it was hard for him to set up by
himself because of all the different parts (driver, amp, tubing, speaker wires, etc).
A good solution here is, as he has done, use an "all-in-one" talkbox such as the
Rocktron Banshee. The sound is not quite the same as a customized system, but it is
certainly good, and it will be worth it not to have a lot of cumbersome gear to set up.
Did this FAQ help you in any way? Do you have questions that I didn't
cover? Send me an email and tell me what's up!
Thank you for reading!
MooT BooXLé
23 February 2008
This document represents my own work and is subject to copyright law.
Reproducing this work in full or in part, for any reason other than personal
reference, without my written consent, is strictly prohibited. Y'hear?
(c) 2008 MooT BooXLé.
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