Using a Talk Box

[Aramis]

http://www.axemusic.com/Pictures/rocktron_BANSHEE.jpg

I just got myself the Rocktron Banshee talk box and played with it for a bit, but my keyboard (Yamaha e203) can't produce that cool, "California Love" robotic voice. Also, the sound of the keyboard's instrument setting is more audible than the actual words I'm making out with my mouth....so the most I can do right now is a phaser/wah-wah effect.

It could also be my lack of technique, since this is my very first time using a talk box. Any advice?

And what would be the best, least expensive keyboard a beginner like myself could use?

[mutant!]

yeah you may be thinking of a vocoder sound.

talk boxes are far less capable of actually making an instrument talk.

[Aramis]

Has to be. If anything, vowels are the most coherent when I'm using my talkbox....which is why doing "Around the World" by Daft Punk for example, is no problem really.

[mutant!]

i'm fairly sure the effect in that song is a vocoder.

[asomata]

I think Daft Punk uses vocoders (probably) exclusively for all vocals. I don't hear them much so I could be wrong but I think that's true.

But talk boxes must be capable of more, since there are certainly songs with guitars talking, which I don't think a vocoder can do?

[SkaRobotArmy]

somebody link this thing being used in a video or something? how does it work?

[mutant!]

a talk box takes the sound waves from a speaker and sends them into your mouth, where you shape them as you would shape vowels when you are speaking. the resulting sound then goes into a mic.

a vocoder takes an electronic audio signal and modulates (transforms, manipulates) it using a second electronic audio signal - usually one from you talking into a mic - and sends the resultant combined electronic audio signal out of a speaker.

it is thus obvious that either method can produce a talking guitar sound. however, given a fair amount of programming/tweaking/equalization skill on the musician's side, a vocoder will do it better.

[mutant!]

actually i take back what i said, daft punk probably used a talk box. they also used pitch correction (which is stupid, can't their guitarist play in tune?), which is what makes it sound like it's a vocoder.

talk box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9D-kUEp03c
vocoder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB3XdCuiL2M