Need a Vocoder ala ELO "Mr Blue Sky"

blackbox · 1st July 2005

I need a good sounding vocoder for a session next week. Once I started looking around online, I was really surprised by the number of options out there. Any make or model you fellas would recommend? Also, can vocoders work on more complex sources such as a group-style bgv?

ilovesound · 1st July 2005

For me, I love my vintage roland svc-350.

zabour · 1st July 2005

MicoKorg has an 8 band vocorder that sounds good for 8 bands if you just want something that sounds okay and is easy to find .... it was used on the last Snoop Dog album.

If you need more than 8 bands of FFT than your are probably going to get better value from a SW plug-in .... AKAI makes a decent one... IF you use Logic 7 I think there in already one in there .... part of that formant FFT suite

Thermionic · 1st July 2005

In this thread I made suggestion for the EMS 2000, and I'm standing by it!

I find vocoders useful for all kinds of duties aside from Cylon (sp?) impressions - i.e. superimposing harmonies from chord patterns over percussion etc etc.

If you make electronic music regularly, I believe a vocoder to be essential for general purpose duties such as backing sounds etc (non vocal).

Roland VP330s are pretty cool: http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/roland_vp330.cfm

If you want to get serious, you could try and rent an EMS 5000 (the thing was £5,000 in 1976!) : http://www.ems-synthi.demon.co.uk/vocoder.gif

I think I've got saliva on the keyboard thinking about the 5000...

Justin

Thermionic · 1st July 2005

Quote:

Also, can vocoders work on more complex sources such as a group-style bgv?

My experience with vocoders would be that they tend to be a suck-it-and-see kind of thing, try it, it may work!

Bear in mind that it's good to be able to transpose / manipulate the sound of the "modulator" signal you send to the vocoder (if you're using external sounds for the modulator) - sometimes shifting the mod signal up / down a few semis, or changing the patch can make an enormous difference.

Justin

Curtis Franklin · 1st July 2005

i went ahead and ordered the vf 11 that was suggested on the forums. it has won many awards and is just what im looking for in a product. the ms2000r was cool, but the vocoder is not as indepth as i wanted, and the synth has a polyphony of only 4 boo.

NoVi · 15th August 2010

Ok, watch it, I'm digging up a VERY OLD thread

....found it while searching for an answer that boggled me again after hearing Mr. Blue Sky (again for a very long time).

It's about the choir that they use in the song:
ELO - Mr.Blue Sky (Original Promo) Video and then especially after 3.13 and 3.52

Was wondering if it's a mellotron they used or heavily processed 'real' vocals.

1st July 2005	#1
blackbox Gear maniac Joined: Aug 2004 Posts: 200 Thread Starter	Need a Vocoder ala ELO "Mr Blue Sky" I need a good sounding vocoder for a session next week. Once I started looking around online, I was really surprised by the number of options out there. Any make or model you fellas would recommend? Also, can vocoders work on more complex sources such as a group-style bgv?

15th August 2010	#7
NoVi Gear addict Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Posts: 496	Ok, watch it, I'm digging up a VERY OLD thread ....found it while searching for an answer that boggled me again after hearing Mr. Blue Sky (again for a very long time). It's about the choir that they use in the song: ELO - Mr.Blue Sky (Original Promo) Video and then especially after 3.13 and 3.52 Was wondering if it's a mellotron they used or heavily processed 'real' vocals. __________________

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1st July 2005	#2
ilovesound Lives for gear Joined: May 2005 Posts: 590	For me, I love my vintage roland svc-350.

1st July 2005	#3
zabour Gear nut Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 114	MicoKorg has an 8 band vocorder that sounds good for 8 bands if you just want something that sounds okay and is easy to find .... it was used on the last Snoop Dog album. If you need more than 8 bands of FFT than your are probably going to get better value from a SW plug-in .... AKAI makes a decent one... IF you use Logic 7 I think there in already one in there .... part of that formant FFT suite

1st July 2005	#4
Thermionic Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2003 Location: UK Posts: 678	In this thread I made suggestion for the EMS 2000, and I'm standing by it! I find vocoders useful for all kinds of duties aside from Cylon (sp?) impressions - i.e. superimposing harmonies from chord patterns over percussion etc etc. If you make electronic music regularly, I believe a vocoder to be essential for general purpose duties such as backing sounds etc (non vocal). Roland VP330s are pretty cool: http://www.sonicstate.com/synth/roland_vp330.cfm If you want to get serious, you could try and rent an EMS 5000 (the thing was £5,000 in 1976!) : http://www.ems-synthi.demon.co.uk/vocoder.gif I think I've got saliva on the keyboard thinking about the 5000... Justin

1st July 2005	#6
Curtis Franklin Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 579	i went ahead and ordered the vf 11 that was suggested on the forums. it has won many awards and is just what im looking for in a product. the ms2000r was cool, but the vocoder is not as indepth as i wanted, and the synth has a polyphony of only 4 boo.