For those who like vocoders

[axxim]

Hi,

Even taking the risk to be a bit OT, for those interested in vocoders I created a new and extended version from my R3 demo song at YT, this time using my VP-770 (with a little support of the Radias) to demonstrate a little more its vocal features.

The VP-770 version is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDZCUUkn76g
and the (old) R3 version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7IkBQO6fec

any comments are welcome.

[DaniH]

They both sound amazing. The R3 sounds "fatter" but the VP sounds richer, if you understand that.

I remember watching the R3 version some months back and subbing to your channel.

[axxim]

... The R3 sounds "fatter" but the VP sounds richer, if you understand that...

Yes that is my impression even if I would say the R3 sounds more agressive or grittier and I am always missing something in the R3dias vocoder which I can't describe nor find the cause. But I think I could live very well with this combination and now only need good inspirations

[DaniH]

I wonder what it would sound like if you used the VP for the higher end notes and the R3dias for the lower end AT the same time. That would sound great, probably. Hopefully it would not sound to distorted. I would like to hear that even if it was terrible lol.

[axxim]

Hmmm...

I can take the R3 vocoder track and put it in the VP version mix, applying low and hi pass filters respectively, but maybe the timing of the speech isn't very synchronous being from different sessions and having 2 text corrections. Maybe I try that one day

[TecRoc]

Thank you axxim for the examples,

i liked the R3 version a lot, although i guess it´s a matter of taste.
The R3 Vocoder indeed can really sound quite "gritty", which is, why i like it.
The key parameters for this are: the overtones of the carrier signal and the resonance
of the vocoder´s BPFs. Also shifting the bands up a little is quite effective,
because the lower freqs of your modulator(voice) will then trigger the mid freqs
of the carrier(synth).
But it can sound even better if you use a real analog carrier signal.
I fed my korg monotron into the R3 Voc and it really sounded much "thicker",
meaning very present in the mix. But since it is monophone (hence the name),
you have to try using some hardware analog polyphonic synthesizer,
(for example: Korg Polysix, Poly-800, DW-8000……) if you want to achieve
a broad and rich, yet inteligible result. This said it seems to me that it´s still very
difficult for a VA-Voc to get the rich and intelligible sound of a analog korg VC-10
vocoder (20 Bands). When i had the chance to work with it, I could obviously hear
the VC-10´s BP-Filters in the vocoded output. This makes its sound unique and
stand out, just like Rolands SVC-350 (11-Bands), which has a very, very gritty
sound character, especially when playing the lower keys. Nonetheless I´d say the
Radias/R3 Vocoder is one of the best, most versatile and playable VA-Vocoders,
i have met, taking into account, the price i paid. To me also The Nord-Modular Voc
and the Reaktor Voc represent top notch VA-Vocoders.

greetings, Tec

[axxim]

.... But it can sound even better if you use a real analog carrier signal....

Yes I know. To get the R3 (and with it a vocoder), I sold my JX8P which I had used to feed the carrier of my Voxx vocoder. I warned the buyer that he will find some patches on the JX that would sound static and very harsh telling him that those patches were done specially for vocoder carriers. Since I dream of getting a VP-330 someday, the VC-10 seems to be other good candidate, but the prices...

Meanwhile I try to keep with my Radias and VP-770. I have been watching for some good and not overpriced analog (preferably without KB) to use it as carrier for both.

What I like from the VP-770 is it's "choir" capabilities which gives me something I was trying to reach since very long time with the use of multiple vocoder tracks (like my demo for my Radias).

... This said it seems to me that it´s still very difficult for a VA-Voc to get the rich and intelligible sound of a analog korg VC-10
vocoder (20 Bands)...

Thats true, I often think of a remake of my Voxx vocoder (I recently bought a DSP kit) but with a notable variation: I would use the DSP power only for the analisys section which would allow a very versatile configuration and apply the outputs to an analog filter bank for the carrier to get the right sound that most VA's can't produce. This hybrid technique would take the advantages of both worlds. If I only had the time...