How To Use A Vocoder
Using A Vocoder For More Than Vocals
Vocoders are one of the best tools to give your mix an elevated electronic feel instantly. Luckily, these plugins oft come up with DAWs, or at the very least, tin can be purchased at a super affordable price. While vocoders are primarily used for their signature robot-like vocal processing, they take many applications. We'll interruption down vocoders below and bear witness you how to incorporate them into your mixes.
What Is A Vocoder?
For starters, it'south important to understand what a vocoder is. In its simplest form, the vocoder tin can be cleaved downwardly into 2 elements: a carrier and a modulator. A vocoder takes a carrier sound and alters information technology with the harmonic data of the modulator sound.
The modulator point is divided into unlike bands or points at which the carrier audio is contradistinct across the frequency spectrum. Depending on the harmonic information presented by the modulator sound, the vocoder moves these bands higher or lower, producing that Daft Punk-like sound we all know and beloved.
Breaking Down The Parts of A Vocoder
Before putting your vocoder to practiced utilize, it tin can be helpful to break down the principal parts so that you lot're able to inform your audio efficiently. Hither are some of the master elements to identify:
- Carrier: This determines your carrier type. The carrier can be gear up to an external source (like a synthesizer as pictured above), a modulator, noise, or pitch tracking setting.
- Unvoiced Knob : This represents some of the sibilances in your carrier sound. For example, in vocals, this could exist harsh "s," "p," or "t" sounds. The vocoder automatically sets this value to -inf so that you don't hear them, only in the event, you want more sound clarity, yous might start to bring in these frequencies.
- Bands : This is how many bands you want the vocoder to use when altering the signal. Generally speaking, the more bands bachelor, the clearer the original sound is.
- BW : This is the width of each filter inside the vocoder.
- Depth : This is how deep you lot desire the cuts on each filter ring to become when processing your signal. Depth goes hand and hand with set on and release, respectively.
- Formant : Formant knobs use filters to change the tone of your sound.
- Dry/Wet: This represents how much of your processed signal blends with the original sound.
I of the best means to grasp an understanding of the individual parts to a higher place is to experiment! Once y'all have your vocoder fix with a carrier racket and modulator, play effectually with each parameter to hear how different settings affect the sound.
How To Use A Vocoder
Now that nosotros understand what a vocoder is and how it works, it's time to start experimenting! Below, I'll demonstrate a couple of means yous tin incorporate a vocoder into your sessions. I'll be using Ableton Live for this demonstration, merely you can replicate similar results in whatever DAW .
Method ane: Modulating A Voice
Modulating is probably the virtually recognizable utilise of a vocoder. In this method, y'all'll ready your carrier type to "external" so that you'll have two sounds (In this case, a synthesizer and vocal) interact with ane another. To showtime, I just recorded a voice memo that sounds similar this:
Audio File
I likewise picked out a stock synthesizer that sounds similar this on its ain
Audio File
Next, I went to my track that has the phonation memo on it and placed the vocoder. I set the carrier type to "external" and selected the synthesizer.
Voila! It sounds similar this:
Audio File
As you can come across, I also played around with the ring and formant settings. Feel free to play around with your setup and cater your sound as you lot come across fit.
Method two: Modulating Instruments and Melodies
Some other way to utilize a vocoder is to modulate other instruments and melody lines. You can do so with the traditional method higher up, but you can likewise use the "modulator" carrier blazon to have the vocoder process a audio through itself for some added interest and control.
Permit'due south use a bassline for this case. Here, I've mapped out a basic bass line with a stock bass instrument. It sounds like this:
Audio File
Adjacent, I can add a vocoder onto the rails and set the carrier type to "modulator." This action will procedure the bass through the vocoder itself. I went ahead and set information technology to 20 bands and left the other setting where they are.
Audio File
As you can see, this use of the vocoder is more than subtle. However, I call up playing around with the carrier type and settings is certainly worth a try! In my case, the vocoder tin serve as a unique way to cut out some of the high-end frequencies I don't need in my bassline while still keeping most of the feel intact.
Method 3: Modulating Drums
This vocoder use instance is and then unproblematic all the same and so effective. It'southward no hush-hush that many EDM producers and other producers alike utilize white dissonance throughout their mixes to bring interest in color. This method takes that principle and automates it using the vocoder, giving your drums a bit more power and presence.
For this example, I just grabbed a elementary 80's inspired drum loop. Information technology sounds like this unprocessed:
Sound File
From there, I added a vocoder and set the carrier type to "noise." I and so played with the dry/wet knob to go a blend I was happy with.
Audio File
Information technology may not seem similar a huge difference, but you tin really tell the deviation in the context of a mix. Here is an instance of automating the dry out/wet knob of the vocoder while playing the drum loop and the bassline.
Sound File
As y'all can run into, the automated noise tin help sounds swim and create interest throughout your mix.
All in all, vocoders are wonderful tools to have in your sound pattern arsenal. Hopefully, this brings y'all one pace closer to making more interesting, circuitous sounds!
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How To Use A Vocoder,
Source: https://emastered.com/blog/vocoder-usage
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