Misfit Love; Bass Talkbox?

[isher1992]

Well, I was watching a Queens of the Stone Age Live video of some of the songs off of Era Vulgaris (Which I'm sad to say, I don't enjoy as a QotSA album.), Misfit Love in particular. I saw that they're new bassist (I don't keep up after Nick left) had his mouth to a microphone, and made this really odd sound, like his bass signal was "talking" like a guitar using a talkbox. I was wondering if this is true, or if I'm being crazy.

And has anyone ever successfully built a talkbox to use with a bass?

[Bassmingo]

i briefly used a guitar talkbox with a bass with mixed results.

other than that i've never seen anyone else use one.

[bongomania]

We have had a lot of discussion about them over in the Effects forum. Go over there and search on "talkbox", "talker", and "vocoder".

[isher1992]

Originally Posted by bongomania

We have had a lot of discussion about them over in the Effects forum. Go over there and search on "talkbox", "talker", and "vocoder".

I mean, I'm talking building one. I figure it would be different than buying one.

(Considering you can choose the size of the tubing, and how long it is and such.) But it wasn't a vocoder, I'm sure. Because then while playing live, he'd have two mics rigged up. This was one mic, with what i thought was some tubing on the right side of the mic (while facing.) Come to think of it, I think I saw it in concert. But I was too far back.

[bongomania]

Oh, interesting. He wouldn't need two mikes to be using a vocoder, but yeah if you saw tubing then it was a talkbox. I think to make it work better with bass you'd need a driver which had a very small diameter but an unusually long throw. Maybe a hydraulic driver.

[Matt Till]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYw0KhwXdAY

No talkbox, sounds like he's using a little distortion and just singing in a "black metal" type voice.

[isher1992]

Originally Posted by Matt Till

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYw0KhwXdAY

No talkbox, sounds like he's using a little distortion and just singing in a "black metal" type voice.

He has a very interesting sounding voice, then...

[bongomania]

OK, I just watched that vid and I am 99% sure his mic is running through a distortion pedal and maybe a narrow bandpass EQ. No talkbox, and no that is not his natural voice, even taking "black metal" voices into consideration.

[djzap]

hmm well im pretty sure the bass is the same as the vocal in that part of the song, so maybe. "i want a thrill, i need a thrill"

[Matt Till]

Originally Posted by djzap

hmm well im pretty sure the bass is the same as the vocal in that part of the song, so maybe. "i want a thrill, i need a thrill"

That is what gives the impression of a talkbox, he's playing and singing the same melody/rhythm.

[isher1992]

Originally Posted by Matt Till

That is what gives the impression of a talkbox, he's playing and singing the same melody/rhythm.

The reason I asked was because i thought a talkbox was like an amplfier through a speaker that routes to your mouth. I'd bet it'd rattle your teeth out.

[Matt Till]

Originally Posted by isher1992

The reason I asked was because i thought a talkbox was like an amplfier through a speaker that routes to your mouth. I'd bet it'd rattle your teeth out.

I've heard that the low notes can do damage to your teeth, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.

[isher1992]

Originally Posted by Matt Till

I've heard that the low notes can do damage to your teeth, but I can neither confirm nor deny that.

I'm thinking of building my own talkbox....

Not just for bass, though, also for guitar.
The new Rocktron Banshee 2 has been wired so instead of just going to two amplifiers, you can send the wet signal back through the talkbox to send it to your amp. I'm thinking of trying to do that myself. I'll just look up schematics or so.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by isher1992

i thought a talkbox was like an amplfier through a speaker that routes to your mouth.

It is.

Watch the bassist's right hand- the picking rhythm does not match the vocal effect.