Jeff Klopmeyer Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 Are they really worth the hassle? One of the guys in our cover band wanted to do "Living on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi for our '80s set, and I laughed and said, "Sure, why don't we also do a Frampton song in the '70s set." Unfortunately, that backfired on me when the other guys were like, "Yeah!" So, all I remember when I've played with talkboxes in the past is that they're so loud to be effective they rattle my damn teeth, and they're a pain in the ass (i.e., that little tube is one more thing to deal with in set up and so on). Anybody use talkboxes regularly? Anyone think I should just kill my bandmates for wanting to cover Bon Jovi and Peter Frampton? - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon
patrick_dont_fret Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 Hey, I like Peter Frampton and [b]Jon Bon Jovi[/b] , but I absolutely hate this pop [b]Bon Jovi[/b] bullcrap. Talkboxes are the shiznet, mayne. You betta rekkanyze.
not Cereal Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 how do those things work anyway? i think there is a little speaker in the box that sends sound through the tube into your mouth, then you shape your mouth into "words" and then a vocal microphone on a stand picks up that sound? or am i way off on this? i guess i never thought about it before. i wonder if that would work/be neat on keyboard?
Wow Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 I love the sound of the things, but I am a dork! :D
Sylver Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by Coaster: [b]how do those things work anyway? i think there is a little speaker in the box that sends sound through the tube into your mouth, then you shape your mouth into "words" and then a vocal microphone on a stand picks up that sound? or am i way off on this? i guess i never thought about it before. i wonder if that would work/be neat on keyboard?[/b][/quote]That's exactly how they work. I hear they are pretty simple to make from a mini amp and some pvc. A lot cheaper than the real deal too. My favorite talkbox work is by Joe Walsh, though Gilmore has done some great work with it too. Framton is a hack compared to those two. I really don't know what to put here.
mars_dup1 Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 WARNING!!!! Can definitely damage your teeth!!!
randy clay Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 My favorite talk box song is "Tell Me Something Good" - Chaka Khan with Rufus. I always did like that tune...... Jeff, you guys should definitely cover THAT one :D I'm trying to think but nuthin' happens....
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted February 12, 2003 Author Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by randy clay: [b]My favorite talk box song is "Tell Me Something Good" - Chaka Khan with Rufus. I always did like that tune...... Jeff, you guys should definitely cover THAT one :D [/b][/quote]The Rufus tune has less of a geek factor than the Bon Jovi tune, as far as I'm concerned. Somehow I don't think my bald, goateed, 250 pound singer is going to pull off the Chaka vocal parts, though! :D - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted February 12, 2003 Author Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by mars: [b]WARNING!!!! Can definitely damage your teeth!!![/b][/quote]Yes, I used them before, back in the day. The reason they can damage your teeth is simple: you need REALLY FUCKING HIGH SPL LEVELS to use your mouth as a resonant chamber effectively. I mean, if there was a little guy living in your mouth, he'd be deaf after one gig. Okay, forget the whole "little guy living in your mouth" thing. I went temporarily insane when I wrote that. But yes, they can damage your teeth. And, perhaps more importantly, you can look like a real idiot standing there mouthing vowels into your mic with a little plastic tube sticking out of your face. :D - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon
Dogfur Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 I bought one for our guitar player for his B-Day a couple of years ago for the Pink Floyd "Animals" set. We never did the tunes, but the effect was cool, Gilmore is fantastic. Woof!
hard truth Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 If you're going to talk talkboxes you can't omit my favorite user, the late great Roger of Zapp, a funk band most popular in the early eighties. (the hits included "Doo Wah Diddy," "Computer Love" and "I Can Make You Dance") He used his with a Mini-moog. Sometimes two players in his band would play talkboxes simultaneously. They were great live and took it beyond the novelty factor. I don't know how his teeth held up, but he had the type of froggy puffed cheeks that trumpet players often get. It can be a very lascivious sound. Anyone remember "Sex Machine" from Sly and the Family Stone? www.oranjproductions.com
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted February 12, 2003 Author Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by Dogfur: [b]Gilmore is fantastic.[/b][/quote]He is godlike. And [i]Animals[/i] is still probably my favorite Floyd album, with "Dogs" being an epic that I will, someday, play live. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon
Rim Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 I kind of remember seeing an effects pedal that will simulate a talkbox without the tube. I think it might've been Digitech. If I remember correctly, you need to hook it up to a mic. Another cool talkbox song is the beginning of Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion". My band does it but I don't use a talkbox. I have a Korg AX1G multieffects that has a "Voice" setting. It's not the same thing but close enough for me. aka riffing Double Post music: Strip Down http://rimspeed.com http://loadedtheband.com
patrick_dont_fret Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 Rim, I thought that was a didgeridoo on "Sweet Emotion"? Maybe not. As for how talkboxes work, you have to hook the thing [b]into[/b] an amp, a separate amp if I'm not mistaken. I always believed that you made the sounds with your throat, and transferred those sounds into the tube, to be processed and sent into the amp. The only time I've seen it being used that is how it was used, with sounds being (imagine this) blown into the box. I may be wrong...
patrick_dont_fret Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 Rim, I thought that was a didgeridoo on "Sweet Emotion"? Maybe not. As for how talkboxes work, you have to hook the thing [b]into[/b] an amp, a separate amp if I'm not mistaken. I always believed that you made the sounds with your throat, and transferred those sounds into the tube, to be processed and sent into the amp. The only time I've seen it being used that is how it was used, with sounds being (imagine this) blown into the box. I may be wrong...
Rim Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by Rim: [b]I kind of remember seeing an effects pedal that will simulate a talkbox without the tube. I think it might've been Digitech. If I remember correctly, you need to hook it up to a mic.[/b][/quote]It was the Digitech Talker. I remember hearing some demos of the effects (including talkbox but it had others) and they didn't sound bad. You hook up both a guitar and a mic to this effects pedal. It's discontinued, but you can still download the manual [url=ftp://ftp.digitech.com/pub/PDFs/Discontinued%20Products/Manuals/Talker.pdf]here[/url] (PDF file) and you may be able to find it in eBay. aka riffing Double Post music: Strip Down http://rimspeed.com http://loadedtheband.com
fantasticsound Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 I love Joe Walsh's use of the talk box. And although I'm a big fan of Rocky Mountain Way, the classic rock stations overplayed it until I couldn't listen anymore. Walsh's "The Confessor" album has several fantastic tongue-in-cheek songs on it. I Broke My Leg is one that makes wonderful use of talk-box. The song is funny as s&*t, too! :thu: P.S. You may have to listen a few times before you appreciate several of the songs on this album, but it's worth putting yourself through at least 3 times per song before you decide if you like it. Eclectic album. Not as weird as Vai's Flexible, but some of [i]those[/i] songs required 5 or 6 listens before I could appreciate them. ;) As for talk-boxes themselves, Coaster and Sylver have it correct. The instrument sound is amplified and outputed through the plastic tube and your mouth shape/size causes resonance at various frequencies which are then picked up by a vocal mic going to the PA or an amp. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd
fantasticsound Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 And BTW, Livin' On A Prayer is an excellent pop-rock song and the talk-box riffs are superb. Simple, with huge impact and they support the rest of the arrangement. Great! It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd
Franknputer Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 I know another one - remember a cheesy little hit (?) called "Mindbender"? :D
Gtoledo3 Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 The original talkbox tune was by Mike Pinera, on Iron Butterfly's Metamorphosis album. The track is Butterfly Blue. The talkbox comes in on the "help me...no I can't help you baby" section. Mike's talkbox is the same one Jeff Beck has used on his album... Mike lent it to him, and Jeff won't give it back! It was originally called "the magic bag" and was actually inside of a cloth bag you wore with a shoulder strap. Want mix/tracking feedback? Checkout "The Fade"- www.grand-designs.cc/mmforum/index.php The soon-to-be home of the "12 Bar-Blues Project"
pigknuckles Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 Most talk boxes are fairly painful. I rigged up a home-made talk box years ago with an A/B switch, a 10 watt hi fi amp, a little electrovoice 1" tweeter driver and some 1" tubing. It worked great and didn't rattle my teeth too bad. "Tell Me Something Good" was the impetus for the experiment - great song. Anybody tried using a talkbox instead of the overdone resonant filter thing on techno mixes? It might be fun.
aeon Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 [quote][i]hard truth said:[/i] [b]If you're going to talk talkboxes you can't omit my favorite user, the late great Roger of Zapp, a funk band most popular in the early eighties. (the hits included "Doo Wah Diddy," "Computer Love" and "I Can Make You Dance") He used his with a Mini-moog. Sometimes two players in his band would play talkboxes simultaneously. They were great live and took it beyond the novelty factor. [/b][/quote]If [i]youre[/i] going to talk about Roger Troutman and Zapp, you cant not mention [i]More Bounce to the Ounce![/i] :D Go tell someone you love that you love them.
KHAN Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by Jeff, TASCAM Guy: [b] [quote]Originally posted by Dogfur: [b]Gilmore is fantastic.[/b][/quote]He is godlike. And [i]Animals[/i] is still probably my favorite Floyd album, with "Dogs" being an epic that I will, someday, play live. - Jeff[/b][/quote]Dogs is my favorite song to do live ever. And I get to do it at every gig. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! :D Pigs is fun too. :bor: So Many Drummers. So Little Time...
KHAN Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 Just realized I said Pigs are fun, but I'm not a big fan of sheep. :eek: D'oh So Many Drummers. So Little Time...
G. Ratte Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 Troutman was using a vocoder on the Zapp stuff, not a talkbox. Different things. But yes, they ruled. I got to see Zapp live 3 times, and they completely blew my mind. Probably the best shows I've ever seen! G. Ratte' http://www.cultdeadcow.com
Jode Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by ChristopherKemp: [b]I know another one - remember a cheesy little hit (?) called "Mindbender"? :D [/b][/quote]My daddy was a Gibson, my mama was a Fender... :D :thu: "I had to have something, and it wasn't there. I couldn't go down the street and buy it, so I built it." Les Paul
Abnorm Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 Another good talkbox song: "Them Shoes" by The Eagles :thu:
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted February 12, 2003 Author Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by KHAN: [b]Just realized I said Pigs are fun, but I'm not a big fan of sheep. :eek: D'oh[/b][/quote]Yeah, that should probably be the other way around. :eek: Well, maybe if you live in New Zealand. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon
fantasticsound Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by Abnorm: [b]Another good talkbox song: "Them Shoes" by The Eagles :thu: [/b][/quote]No Doubt! :thu: (Haven't listened to it in [i]years[/i, though. :( ) It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd
Rim Posted February 12, 2003 Posted February 12, 2003 [quote]Originally posted by patrick_dont_fret: [b]Rim, I thought that was a didgeridoo on "Sweet Emotion"? Maybe not. [/b][/quote]I'm not sure either. I may have to find my Aerosmith's Greatest Hits CD. I haven't listened to that song closely in years. aka riffing Double Post music: Strip Down http://rimspeed.com http://loadedtheband.com
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