Roger Troutman voice box effect: How is it being done these days?

[Big 3rd]

I love the effect but I was wondering if there are plugs that can process this effect with ordinary vocals? Or is it still being done with the tube in the mouth, a talk box, and a synthesizer?

[B.A.]

I'm using an actual talkbox and synth and wouldn't change it for any plug (it would take all the fun out of it), i don't think you can do it with a plugin but i could be wrong. you can always try a vocoder like the microkorg or something similar.

[nukmusic]

I think it can be done with the Mofit ES and the breather controller add-on

[Cabrone]

I asked about this on another forum and sadly, plugins can't recreate it well, the closest sound i've got is with the use of an Auto tune effect.

[scdafunkyg]

The Roland V-Synth does a pretty good job with the voice card. Check it out, they have a couple of vid demos on roland us website.

[Phunkeman]

Rocktron Banshee does a good job and easy to use......it screams in your head.

[illynoise]

I have had some luck with Logic's vocoder Evoc, you just have to know how to set it up.

BaseJase
Illynoise

[InsaneMixaken]

Need a tube with custom made talkbox and a DX 100 and the Roger settings which can be found on the net...works for me

[Jeffason]

Originally Posted by nukmusic

I think it can be done with the Mofit ES and the breather controller add-on

absolutely not

[somedude74]

Originally Posted by Phunkeman

Rocktron Banshee does a good job and easy to use......it screams in your head.

I second that-- I can get a good Frampton thing a happenin wid' it.

[blayz2002]

Prosonique Orange Vocoder might do it. I've used it a couple times with ok results.

[InsaneMixaken]

If your talking about the T- Pain vocoder effect its the Autotune plug in Ill post the setting if anyone needs it

[sytch4u]

post t-pain fx please

[johndough]

I been debating for a couple days about saying something here. Ok like 4 years ago I spent about a year looking for the same answer. I got in touch with a guy who "supposedly" was a stage tech for roger and he gave me a sheet with the parameters to program a yamaha dx100. Thats the board roger used. Anyway It took forever to find the board. Finally i found one on ebay in ok shape some guy in ohio was selling. We bought the board, programed it then sampled it and put the sounds into a motif and got rid of the DX.

Supposedley roger used a talkbox called a golden throat but I never found that and tried different ones. The banshee worked the best. Based on what I experienced the sounds have a lot more to do with it than the talkbox. No matter what sounds we tried It never was even in the ball park. The dx100 program was night and day compared to everything else... But I was/am still way off. I think it sounds ok and I used it on a couple of records but if you listen to mine then to bosco's or ali wally's for example you can totally tell they are on a whole other level. I havent used it in over 3 years for that reason.

Long and short of it get a hold of bosco or ali wally.... hahaha Everything else is just experimentation and attempting to get in the ball park. Sorry I promised the guy I got the patches from that I wouldnt give them to anyone else (For all I know they are real and I just never found the other pieces to the puzzle. Anyway I am a man of my word. Im not gonna disrespect anybody and post the stuff on the internet). In all honesty as you can tell from the sample Im not close enogh anyway. I just wanted to show that if the effort and practice I put in didnt get there no plug-in is going to get anywhere close. How you play the keys and "talk" effects the sound like crazy. Also another problem we had was recording. You could hear me play the keys physically pound them. So no using high end mics. Its also hard to judge how good it really sounds without recording it. I got the best results from cranking the banshee. That means its really loud. It pushes a lot of air!!!!! Way too loud and too much "air flow" noise to compare to more bounce. In the end it was safer and less wannabe sounding to keep things simple rather than freak the parts like roger did. In the example I attached it sounds like its only 4 note triggers. It was actually more like 7-9. I dont remember now but you get the point.

One more thing to add I could never figure out why roger and bosco's tube was so thin. All the talkbox's Ive seen have much bigger tubes. Anyway thats my 2 cents. Sorry I couldnt help. Hopefully I at least was able to give you a little insight on where not to go.

[Ricky]

Big Roger and Zap fan!!!. No plu in could give you that sound. thanks 4 the heads up johndough, golden throat you say. I also heard that the early experimental talkboxes were in danger of making your teeth fall out???. Anyways stuff Frampton that sound will always be associated with Roger and Zapthumbsup

[djsmuv]

My korg ms 2000r came so close , i could hardly tell it wasnt roger himself .
the patch is 114 , i believe . roger i think used seperate tracks to create chordal arangements with a vocoder (no idea which one), with leads . you play a bass line on bottom , a chord change in the middle and a lead over the top .

[johndough]

Originally Posted by djsmuv

My korg ms 2000r came so close , i could hardly tell it wasnt roger himself .
the patch is 114 , i believe . roger i think used seperate tracks to create chordal arangements with a vocoder (no idea which one), with leads . you play a bass line on bottom , a chord change in the middle and a lead over the top .

sorry brother no disrespect but the ms2000 is not even in the same realm.

[reinvention.of.man]

The Digitech Talker is the closing thing to sound like the talkbox. Unfortunately, the Digitech Talker has between discontinued. The vocoder and a talkbox are entirely two different things. They sound similar-some may argue-but their processing is different. You may be about to find a Digitech Talker on ebay.

[Big 3rd]

Ok..I got the Bashee talkbox already....but basically, it's more about the actual sound chosen and how it's being played, correct?

And if so, you mean to tell me you have to play every note as syllables to actually make it sound smooth enough to sound like it's talking? They actually went through all that? Seems like you have to know ahead of time what you're going to say, how you're going to say it, and when.

So ameteur keyboard players, like myself, would have problems then?

[Snatchman]

I had one of those " Golden Throat" talk boxes when they first came out. Definately had to be careful with it tho'...! Think about, it had a driver in it as big as the box itself! Hooked between the amplifier head and the speaker. If you was using a high powered head, that's what drove the driver..!.. ..It would literally rip your throat out if not careful! I had the pleassure to be playing with a band that opened for Roger and Zapp! ( what a show they put on) After the show, I talked to Roger ( very nice guy) and he said the "secret" to getting the sound he was getting was....Practice..!
I've heard people use the voice box, but none made it sound as "ledgeable and defined" as Roger..( RIP).........

[johndough]

Originally Posted by Big 3rd

Ok..I got the Bashee talkbox already....but basically, it's more about the actual sound chosen and how it's being played, correct?

And if so, you mean to tell me you have to play every note as syllables to actually make it sound smooth enough to sound like it's talking? They actually went through all that? Seems like you have to know ahead of time what you're going to say, how you're going to say it, and when.

So ameteur keyboard players, like myself, would have problems then?

Ya the sound makes a big difference. As far as hitting keys, experiment.it all depends on what your doing. Keep practicing. I suck at the keys too. Its not bethoven. But like I said no matter what you wont get that roger, bosco, wally ali sound.

Here listen to me in the sample above now listen to wally ali. Hes on a whole other level....

[johndough]

oh yeah few more things. 1 - Mod wheel..... Dont use it ABUSE it! 2 - When recording whisper the words in addition to letting the talkbox push air. Its more important in certain phrases. For example anything with an s is hard. 3 - When recording try layering keyboard octaves. Sometimes only on a few sylables.

By the way this is also another reason why I know I was missing a piece of the pie. It really shouldnt be that complicated. Ive seen roger and bosco just sit and freestyle the isht with no problems and sound great.

[g_real]

Yeah wassup peeps I have to say it's all about practice. I consider myself pretty kicking at the talk box and I've used all types of gear for it... DX100, Juno 106, Minimoog, Prophet, whatever, even a Novation K-Station one time! And then the actual talk box, Dean Markley Voice Box, Banshee, (haven't used a Golden Throat) etc and they all sound different... but it's all about how your mouth interacts with the sound. It's like any instrument. The musician is EVERYTHING when it comes to getting a good sound.

But there are a lot of subtleties you have to be aware of in the way you move your mouth and the timing of the keyboard note etc...

And yes, talk box is VERY different to a vocoder. Totally different process. So I doubt it's at ALL possible to get a good talk box "emulation" with a plug-in etc.

[EngineEars]

Originally Posted by The_Phoenix

The Digitech Talker is the closing thing to sound like the talkbox. Unfortunately, the Digitech Talker has between discontinued. The vocoder and a talkbox are entirely two different things. They sound similar-some may argue-but their processing is different. You may be about to find a Digitech Talker on ebay.

Here's one for sale in great shape. http://gearslutz.com/board/showthrea...362#post764362

Does anyone have a link for Roger's settings?

[Rotterdam]

there's a difference between a talkbox and vocoder.

for the roger talkbox effect you need a talkbox, a mic and a synth.
the synth: at first roger used a moog, later the yamaha dx100, cuz it has small keys and a nice pitchbend at the back of the board.

but to really get that roger sound you got to be roger himself.

[B.A.]

I heard Teddy Riley uses some type of vocoder, just what i read somewhere don't know if its true or not. Either way he still don't touch Roger.

[Rotterdam]

teddy riley uses the vocoder in older tracks, but since no diggity he plays the talkbox.
but if you dont hear the difference between a vocoder and a talkbox, you'll never know.

[B.A.]

Compared to how Roger, DJ Quik, and Bosko just to name a few sound on the talkbox, Riley sounds like he uses a vocoder, well at least in that one "deep" track it sounds like it to me.

[Rotterdam]

just listen to everything from and after No Diggity. That is definitely a talkbox. It doesnt even sound like a vocoder.
He used to use a vocoder on older guy tracks like teddy's jam.
Just listen teddy's jam 1 and 2 and then listen to teddy's jam part 3.
In part 3 he uses a talkbox and in part 1 and 2 it's a vocoder.

[M2E]

Hey everyone,

To make this basic as I can. Here ya go...

1. No big secert, Roger used the DX-100 and the patch was the Hard Brass.
2. Roger had a custom made one just like Teddy has a custom made one.
3. The closest your going to get to that sound is having to buy a Heil or Banshee.
4. Hours upon hours upon hours of teeth chattering, mouth moving practice.

Believe me, don't get into it if your not serious. It takes a lot a grueling time. It took me 3 years to get it somewhat down and even now I'm still learning tricks.

oh yeah, when Roger did his records he stacked the harmonies like a singer. It could be 8 to 16 trks a note. That's how he got it to sound so thick and good. And of course he is a great player as well. That really helps. Teddy is unbelieveable on the keyz as well.

Hope This Helps....I love to see the future do what the past hasn't yet. I hate holding secerts.

M2E