Radias Vocoder - Robot Voices

wpickard · Post by **wpickard** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:26 pm

I'm looking to hire someone for what will probably be a 1 to 3 hour telephone tutoring session on the Korg Radias. Specifically, I would like to learn how to use the vocoder to make a variety of robot voices. I've skimmed through the vocoder sections of the manual and played around with the applicable knobs and buttons, but still can't figure out how to make robot voices. I'm sure it is something simple that I've overlooked, but I'd rather not read the entire manual from front to back because I really only need to learn how to use it for this one specific application. I'm hoping someone out there wouldn't mind spending an hour or two on the phone with me to walk me through it... I'd be happy to pay fees in advance provided we can agree on some sort of reasonable terms. I'm not opposed to extra tutoring if there are additional tips, tricks and effects that you could also teach me, provided they all relate to making really cool robot voices. If you have an in-depth understanding of the Radias vocoder and are able to help, please email me at wpickard@wildroseinternet.ca
Please provide a brief description of your Radias vocoder expertise and how you may be able to help, as well as your proposed hourly rate.
Thanks!
Warren

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:24 pm

What happens when you try to use the vocoder presets? What are you trying?

wpickard · Post by **wpickard** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:03 pm

I've turned on the vocoder function which activates the various vocoder buttons and knobs on the front panel. I've then scrolled through the various options on the screen under the vocoder category (all the ones which have a "V" beside them - I'm not sure if this is what you mean by presets) as well as the timbres for each one and I've tried speaking into the mic.. I get a few variations of my voice, but nothing too exciting.. Meanwhile, I've tried playing around with all the various vocoder knobs and buttons while speaking into the mic, and nothing seems to happen.. None of these buttons or knobs seem to have any effect on the basic voices which are being produced. I've skimmed through the various vocoder sections in the manual but can't figure out what I'm doing wrong..

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:52 pm

Are you playing notes on the keyboard while you're speaking into the microphone?

wpickard · Post by **wpickard** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 3:20 pm

I've tried pressing those 16 buttons across the bottom of the Radias (I didn't get the keyboard with the unit.. just the rackmountable Radias) but nothing happens when I press those buttons. It just turns the vocoder function off, but I haven't been able to easily locate within the manual how to turn those 16 buttons into keys...

I should also mention that whenever I try a new preset(?) I have to turn the "Direct Level" knob in order to hear my voice through the system. If I don't turn the Direct Level knob, then nothing comes through. So all my attempts at using the vocoder have consisted of turning the vocoder back on (because it keeps getting turned off when I try different buttons or keys), and then trying different presets(?) on the screen, but having to turn the Direct Level knob each time in order to hear what that particular preset or timbre sounds like. Meanwhile, none of the other vocoder knobs or buttons have any effect..

I should also mention that I can only get sounds out of it when the vocoder button is flashing. I haven't been able to produce any voices or sounds whatsoever when the vocoder button is fully lit (and not flashing).

axxim · Post by **axxim** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:00 pm

Hi wpickard,

You need to connect the microphone, adjust the input level via the voice potentiometer, select a vocoder program and play some notes while you speak into the mike. Be sure that the switch at the rear input is set to microphone and that the input LED lits when you speak in the mike.

If you know how to load patches with the sound editor, then you can also go to my web page (on the footer) and download such reobotic patches to try them out. Ther also you will find a little basics about vocoders.

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:11 pm

If you don't have the Radias keyboard, then you need to buy a midi keyboard to play notes, or hook the Radias to the computer, download and install the USB-midi driver, and use some software midi keyboard (or the Radias editor librarian software). That explains why you can't hear anything when using vocoder programs. You must be playing notes somehow.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:47 pm

Don't just look in the manual, look at the panel & what you are doing:

On the right hand side, there is a section called '16 keys'. This controls what the 16 buttons along the bottom of the unit are doing. Press the button until the LED for 'Keyboard' lights up.

Now the 16 keys along the bottom will play notes for the selected program. It's not great, but it's fine for programming/auditioning sounds, and some basic needs. Beyond that, you'll need to connect up a MIDI controller or some kind of sequencer.

Also, pressing the 'Vocoder' button turns on the vocoder function with a few default settings for whatever patch you are on. These settings may not be appropriate or the sounds may not lend themselves well to vocoding. Instead, you should go through the presets (easiest using the 'big knob' or 'alpha wheel' when on the main program-play performance screen) and find ones where the vocoder button is already lit. There should be a whole bank in the factory presets of vocoder programs with names like 'robot voice' and such.

gdh · Post by **gdh** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:05 pm

Hey Warren, glad you found this site. How is your quest coming along, where are you at now. Sorry my hd went bad and don't have the patches that I recorded for you last month. Keep us up to date, there are a few very good programmers on this board to walk you through the process. g

wpickard · Post by **wpickard** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:26 pm

Hey Greg,
Thanks for checking in on me..
I found a fellow on YouTube who gave me some advice that opened everything up for me.. So now it is all starting to make sense! The manual certainly wasn't written in an easy-to-understand format. Needless to say, it is a fairly complex piece of gear. But I've now made major headway on figuring out the basics for making robot voices... I still need to learn about any additional tricks, but that will come in time..
Thanks again!
Warren