I’ve been a fan of Roger Troutman‘s for many years. I had a customer a talk box at one time until the horn driver went out on it. I then purchased two rock Tron banshee units. One unit is a back up unit in case my other one decides to crash. I have a Yamaha DX 27. I’ve been playing Talkbox since 2004 and I’m even on a few projects.
Definitely what I needed: no fancy crap. Talk boxing at first is just blood sweat and tears…a lot of tears if we count saliva too. your tips are just golden. Thanks
I think the open throat sound is much fuller, but I also like the way it sounds when you don't do that, too. I think they both sound good, useful for different parts and styles.
Ive had a home studio for years, and have also been a fan of Zapp & Roger for YEARS. For whatever reason I JUST added the Talkbox to my arsenal (wifey got me one for Christmas!) and I'm already in love with it. ✌
David, great video and approach. I might suggest a part 2 on recording/mixing the talkbox. Mics, pop filters, low pass, compression, EQ, etc. I'm finding this to be even trickier than actually "playing" it.
Thank you so much for your complete explanation. Just received my MXR222 and this is what I was searching for. I do have the DX-100 also (used by a lot of TalkBox-players) but my intention is to use the monophonic virtual analog synth of the Roland SP-808. Grtzzz, Roger (not Troutman 😉)
Franciscus Jackson Having owned a DX100 myself for the last 2 years, despite it being known as “the one Roger used” (why I bought mine) I have actually this week come to the conclusion that it’s entirely the wrong keyboard for me to talk box with. I’d struggled the entire 2 years with playing riffs on the thing. I chalked it up simply to me being a poor player. I recently picked up a Moog Grandmother (prior to the DX, Roger used a Minimoog, they were just terrible synths to tour with leading to him relying on the DX100) and only 2 nights ago, for shits & giggles I figured I’d make a talk box patch on it. Plugged it into my MXR & immediately on the first pass, had the best talkbox performance I’d had since first buying it. By the end of the night, I was comfortable enough to start writing & recording songs for talkbox. The VERY SHALLOW mini keys on the DX100 aren’t the best for everyone & players with bigger hands like me may struggle & discover full size keys are a better choice. Not to mention with an analog synth, the variety of tones you can get in real time, no period correct FM synth can compete with. This was such a game changing revelation for me that I’m selling my DX100 now.
Roger used many different synths. Not just the dx100. You just need a sawtooth waveform. I use my moog little phatty and you couldn't tell any difference from when I use my dx100.
You're good at it. I suggest you try to replace the compression driver (the speaker inside the TB) with a better one. most talkboxes you find on the market have a very poor compression driver. It's quite easy and cheap to find a replacement part in stores selling sound systems. Compression drivers are actually the speakers you can find in megaphones (not sure of the word, sorry, I'm French). Just be sure to get a 1'' version, then all you have to do is search for the largest bandwidth and power. Once you have the part, just keep everything else in your talkbox (including the outer mtel shell/box) but replace the driver. Man if you haven't tried a custom talkbox yet, you're in for a whole new world of craziness, the sound will growl into your throat right down to your stomach.
These are such GREAT tips! I finally picked up a talk box and have been spitting all over the place ever since ;) Getting better at is with practice--your vid is freaking golden! It adds so much character to either leads or vocalizations. Thanks for putting this together ;)
They sound different, cant say one better than the other. One, a deep and variable ambiance, (additional or side expression), the other, precise, pointed and shallow. Both with good application. As of this writing, I'm struggling with my first syllable (will try/practice percussive). Absolutely excellent so far and I haven't even finished the video. Your "Keyboard Tutorial" is more informative than the Guitar ones that I've seen so far. If I can go there and say "percussive", I'll let you know. Thanks much...John
Lol this dude is such a champ I've got the rocktron banshee2 I know a lot of accomplished musicians and bandmates, but not one has got the talkbox down. This is my chance to show em up Irony being I'm primarily a singer and songwriter and I play to accompany myself. THis is a great vid duderino, thanks for the tips
Thank you bro, I just got me a microkorg and talkbox and I don't really know keyboard but I've been teaching myself and seeing this helped a lot! Keep going man 👍
David, thank you very much for this video! It's so packed with real examples I'm building a talk box today, and can't wait to try it out! Thank you, again!!
Dude this is a great tutorial! I just got an mxr and using a microkorg. So boosting highs and using a raw mono sawtooth is what I needed to know about. Dope!
The vowel sounds are called Formant. The cavity of your mouth and tongue position changes the filtering frequency of your mouth. Put your phone speaker up to your mouth while playing music and mouth words, and you will hear the formant effect.
That was an awesome lesson! Wanted to add a top box to my guitar playing and even though you’re teaching keyboard it’s still pretty much works the same. Thank you again!
I didn't catch where you explained whether you close the back of your mouth or not. I mean, opening it will make if fatter of course but I thought you want to CLOSE off the back of the mouth with your tongue so that all the sound bounces back out instead of some being lost down the back of your throat. Maybe you don't need to if the sound is loud out of that tube. thx
What you're dropping in your throat is your larynx, or your Adams apple. If you put your finger on your Adams apple and open your throat you'll feel it move. It gets you a more operatic singing voice as well. What helps me get there is faking a yawn.
I'm not a musician at all, just curious how those things work. Great video. Very thorough and really interesting. The second technique opening your throat sounds better for sure. It sounds rounder or something. And you're right about reverb coming from the talk box sounding awful.
If you have trouble with the pipe falling out of your mouth, strap it to the microphone stand. That way you don't even need to use your teeth to hold it in place. The other thing is to watch the output level from the talkbox, it can damage the vocal cords. If it is not loud enough, increase the mic gain, NOT effect output.
Honestly I wouldn't recommend that. I find way more control and "vocal dexterity" by learning to hold it with your teeth. Tried strapping it when I first got into talkboxing.
@@DavidThackerMusic I use a Heil Talkbox with guitar, much like Peter Frampton and David Gilmour. Having it on a mike stand means it's one less thing to worry about when both hands are occupied.
The thing you are doing is lowering your larynx. It gives the sound from the tube more space to resonate. You also said hi pass filter at 11:30, you prob meant low pass filter.
Thank you a lot for this tutorial it helps a looot ! I still have one major issue though ... I can't find the right tone to use. I'"m using Ableton Live Lite, and a midi keyboard, so I think i need to find a VST that can reproduce SAW waves, and for the life of me I can't find anything. Can someone point me to the right VST to use so I can have the right sound ? Thanks a lot !
Yo David Looks like the “throat dropping” is you relaxing the tongue and jaw. This is a singing technique to get that giant tongue muscle out of the way. Pretty cool that you thought it felt like what it actually was. That never happens 😏 A way to get yourself to do it on command is by starting to yawn. Pretty sure we all got that down. Right on Back to the shed
David Thacker Noiçe Lemme know if it rings true. Or not I can take it And thank u for this vid...you know what you did...talkbox is definitely hip and on the flip it’s never intuitive.
Excellent bro! I agree with you on the other tutorials. I got more from this than 10 other videos. Can you drop a little quick notes on actually “recording the talk box to tracks” tracking? Thanks
Mike Jackson (the one who did all the talk box for Jodeci) told me throw that tube that you get from the package and go to Lowe’s and get a better one . Still haven’t did it yet lol
Great video! I just picked up an MXR talk box and a crappy pawn shop keyboard (not a synth) a few weeks ago. Learning keyboard basics, but also learned that I really do need a synthesizer to get that funky, Zapp-y sound. The keyboard I picked up also doesn’t have a pitch or mod wheel, so I’m left with a lot of flat sounding, boring notes. What sort of synth would you recommend getting into? I’ve seen lots use MicroKorgs, and I know Roger used a DX-100, but synthesizers are still pretty foreign to me, so any tips to finding a good unit to talkbox with would be great! And again, super helpful video!
@TheParanormalnormal yo man! I used a yamaha reface cs for a long time. The good and bad thing about it is it doesn't save any presets, you have to dial in the sound you want every time you change something on it. For a beginner this is actually great cause it will force you to actually learn synthesis, but once you get a little more experienced you'll find that annoying. I currently use my nord stage 3 for the talk box but that's way too expensive for someone just dipping their toes in. A micro korg would also be a great option, or really anything that has 3 or more octaves and is a decent synth. Almost all synths will have a basic saw tooth sound. You should be able to find something for 300-500. Maybe less if you buy used.
It does sound different the reason why because you’re dropping your larynx that’s what opera singers do to make the sound Bassy bigger fuller good for you There is a lot of exercises to lower your larynx just to know
the best Talk Box tutorial i've seen on youtube, thanks!. A few extra questions: 1. Do you think a synth like the Korg Monologue or any other 25 key synth would be to small for talkboxing? i mean, is 25 keys enough or you think one would need 37 keys minimum? 2. Do you use the talkbox as a "monophonic" instruments or sometimes do chords/armonize melodies (i'm thinking Teddy Riley on Blackstreet "Don't Leave")? I don't know why, but i've always seen the talkbox as a monophonic instruments, unlike the vocoder, maybe because Roger tended to use a 2nd talboxer live to armonize. All the best from Chile!
Yo man, thanks! #1 - probably depends on the key that the song is in. I just bought a Yamaha Reface CS which has 37 keys and it has me slightly stressing about the number of keys, but I"m gonna give it a go as my talk box synth. I'll report back. I think if you do simple melodies it shouldn't be too bad, but if you plan on soloing it may be tough #2 - i use it monophonic. I want to play in a band with another keyboard player (or two) that talkbox and then do harmonies. I've never seen anyone use a talk box polyphonic, but then again, theres no rules so do whatchya wanna!! thanks for watching man!
@@DavidThackerMusic thanks for the quick answer, I'm about to get a Yamaha Reface DX for talkbox duties, do you think the pitcher wheel/lever on both the DX and CS will allow me to do vibrato? (Since there's no modwheel). I watched a Mootboxle video this morning where he used the pitch wheel on a Korg minilogue (similar to the one on the refaces I think) to do vibrato and it worked great. All the best!
@@felipeopazomusic Hey sorry for the late reply - I've used the Reface CS for talk box and it works great - I changed the pitch shift from an octave to a whole step cause thats what I"m more comfortable with. Also, it does have the ability to do vibrato. Not sure about the DX
Great Video and great T-Shirt Choice, David! IJust purchased one off eBay, and it will be delivered in 3 or 4 days. It will not come with the clear tube, so I plan to purchase the tube just at a local hardware store. Does the length of the tube make any difference on sound quality?
Hey there - to my knowledge there's not really a good sound on the electro unfortunately. I bet u could easily download a simple saw tooth patch tho. You won't have access to vibrato or pitch stick on the electro which is a bit of a bummer. I love nords and def love the electro but thats one thing that sucks about it
