Mimicking A Talkbox

gubble

I'm not wanting to spend the money on a talkbox just to play living on a prayer but it's being added to our set.

Has anyone any suggestions on how to mimic the talkbox effect without the actual unit?

not_the_dj

I just use a wah, but IIRC the Line 6 M5/M9 has a talkbox effect. 

Teetonetal

Don't add Living on a prayer to your set? Problem solved.
Some people use a wah, others a filter. Neither sound like a talk box really.

not_the_dj

Teetonetal said:

Neither sound like a talk box really.

Girls just want to scream out the chorus so they don't really care if a covers band isn't using exactly the right effect. It's a bugger for a lot of singers though!

Roland

not_the_dj said:
It's a bugger for a lot of singers

We play it in B. It was either that or castrating the singer. It makes for some interesting voicings, and puts the solo around positions 5 to 9.

not_the_dj said:

I just use a wah, but IIRC the Line 6 M5/M9 has a talkbox effect. 

It’s one of those situations where keeping it simple sounds a lot better than having the “right” equipment. I’ve played around with talk boxes, digital formants, and other effects. At the end of the day a wah, set to the right frequency range and Q, gives the best sound.

EricTheWeary

I used to know someone who did this, he used a pinch harmonic technique. IIRC where the riff is played on the neck you don't get the harmonics as such but that kind of stutter. Long time ago so I'm not sure how successful it was; maybe in conjunction with something like cocked wah. 
He was a pretty good guitarist, not a three chord twat like me.

    

drwiddly

The closest I got was with the synth talk effect in the Digitech gsp1101. Digitech did a Synth Wah pedal which did the same effect (but not much else you'd want!) and you might find one cheap on eBay.

You can get pretty close with a Wah pedal and some drive though.

John_A

I use a phaser, good enough for pubs and as said, no one cares anyway

JMP220478

wah will suffice - the vocals and harmonies however are a different thing entirely ..  

viz

We use a wah for the woh-woh-wohs and the audience for the chorus in G. 

https://youtu.be/V0uModuawSs

poopot

I use a modified ehx iron lung!.

in standard trim when you kick it on the effected vocal comes through the pa and guitar through the amp. Not the best.

mines modded so when it’s kicked on the vocal and guitar go through the amp...

for livin on a prayer it it works really well... also use it for the doh doh doh’ on uptown funk and also for get lucky...

have in in the past routed the singers mic through it without him knowing and kicked it on when he least expected it

mistercharlie

not_the_dj said:
Girls just want to scream out the chorus so they don't really care if a covers band isn't using exactly the right effect. 

Girls?

not_the_dj

mistercharlie said:

not_the_dj said:
Girls just want to scream out the chorus so they don't really care if a covers band isn't using exactly the right effect. 

Girls?

Yes, as a wise man once said "Girls, Girls, Girls"

They love a bit of 80s rock round 'ere.

bingefeller

The Jerry Cantrell wah mimics a talkbox somewhat eg the intro to Man In The Box.  

Teetonetal

bingefeller said:

The Jerry Cantrell wah mimics a talkbox somewhat eg the intro to Man In The Box.  

He uses a wah himself now for that.

hubobulous

I use the Danelectro Free Speech. Cheap and nails the sound 

gubble

thanks guys - i'm going to experiment with a wah and a phaser to try and get an approximate sound.