The Ableton Vocoder Part 2 of 2

Huston Singletary explains and demonstrates the Ableton Vocoder.

[@riccianojamez]

Huston, Yo! This is Ricco Lumpkins. U are still a beast on that vocoder. One of the best bro. B-Brown- You Got Me Wrapped I am finally on the Ableton now.

[@jonscholtz8817]

Very helpful stuff man. Straight to the point yet practically constructed. Thanks!

[@aaronzilch0]

@TheAdventuresOfKhris Traditionally, the modulator signal is never heard coming through a vocoder, the modulator basically just opens up the filter bands to allow the frequencies it shares with the carrier ( which is what you are actually hearing, a filtered version of the carrier sound ) at a given time to come through. That is why you want a spectrally rich, "thick", sustaining sound for the carrier ( such as a pad, noise, or square wave based synth sounds ) and a spectrally dynamic modulator

[@lsc9x]

Ableton has it's own keyboard controller for your computer keyboard. But really, I spent $99 on an MPK Mini and it's a wonderful little keyboard if you are in tight spaces or working with a laptop. The keyboard button is on the upper right of the screen next to the word "key".

[@antichris78]

great tutorial, big thanks. love the pitch bending at the end!

[@Auriculum]

Top notch stuff! Keep'em coming!

[@dudewhatthehellman]

I was thinking the same thing! must be a pretty common set of chords I think but if you look at the bit where he records them you can probably make out the chords

[@IBlameEdison]

Great tutorial, I'm buying a midi keyboard tomorrow and I can't wait to do some vocoding.

[@skatechatham]

turning up portamento or glide on your synth makes good effects, or using a pitch bend envelope

[@stealthbopper]

Excellent tutorial - very detailed and clear. Thanks p.s is that a Speak & Spell behind your head? Circuit bent?

[@Slierm]

microphones and speakers are based on the same principal, essentially they are the same but they have opposite signals

[@scottjknox]

@hevanescencarrillo Sounds like you may have to adjust your Driver Error Compensation. There is a lesson in Ableton on how to do it. Hope this helps!

[@KennyParkz]

@Brainbox97 yup.. you can change your audio... "voice" while keeping your midi.. or vice verse you can keep the audio but change the notes of the midi

[@rediculum]

Awesome! I was able(ton) to reproduce the lyrics of Daft Punk's "Within" within a few minutes.

[@ferrellms]

Very professional, thanks

[@Jorge.O85]

So what about Pitch Tracking ? When and How to use it. ?? 😁 You explained everything very well in part one and two. Thanks ! 👍

[@synthoelectro]

Amazing tutorial, thanks a lot, very entertaining as well.

[@KonradBogen]

That was amazing!!!

[@scottjknox]

@hevanescencarrillo Sounds like you need to adjust your Driver Error Compensation. There is a lesson in Ableton on how to do it.

[@flaresama]

Me too! I want to try this out!

[@ctmexperiment]

@sobitech1 not even. you can write in the notes you want to play without using a keyboard. If you don't have a midi controller, ableton uses your computer keyboard as a default controller if you feel the need to "play" something. Otherwise just write them in by hand.

[@mauricegregory]

This is great my problem as just been solved, thanks much for the intel, thanks much.

[@TheUltimateRecords]

Hey man, can you explain me how to play it live? Whitout building feedback from speakers or however you call it

[@BrvoGrlY]

Super helpful, thanks!!

[@DjASHERBLAZE]

thank you, great tutorial !!

[@TheUltimateRecords]

You didn't show how to play it live wihtout building feedback from speakers. Anyone?

[@zildjiandrummer1]

great tutorial! i just subbed

[@jenglish1986]

Huston: As with all your videos this so clear and concise. One question: How can you reduce the results using one audio and one midi to a single clip that you may want to add to an arrangement. I always seem to have to add both to get vocoder effect.

[@ericodesk]

Amazing video! Can the DAW accept both a USB micrphone (Blue Yeti) and USB MIDI controller (MIDI keyboard) simultaneously, since these two devices need to input at the same time?

[@qoaa]

Thank you! I've been wondering how to set this up...major newbie but starting to get the hang of it

[@mattleontis1735]

doin it right. everybody well be dancing and we're doing it right

[@toru_dj_uk]

brilliant tutorial... imogen heap here i come.

[@amphitheatre]

GREAT vids, been waiting for an easy explanation like this. One question, how much power do you recommend in a Mac running ableton? I'm about to buy a macbook, mostly for music production.

[@EEZAL]

golden tutorial !!!!

[@xfist2facex]

MIND = BLOWN.

[@Una_Hereeee]

great tutorial!

[@jmas848]

very helpful, thank you

[@FD-lo8xr]

Thank you Huston for the excellent tutorial its just what I was looking for whilst being clearly explained. Is it possible to use the vocoder on audio that is already recorded?? if so how? surely this is possible somehow :) this would be awesome to know Kind regards Famoss

[@RobVln]

I can't wait to get my ableton. I have LE version APC edition and there's no vocoder :( i really want to try out using my violin as a carrier. Do you think I can get some cool usable effects for my tracks? Did you use not-synth sounds for vocoder carrier?

[@mrjaywilliams7729]

Can you do a live clinic on the Texas instrument ?

[@fermixx]

what would be the result of using the same audio recorded for the carrier input? i need to try this out when i get a mic. anyways for those who havent a mic, you can plug your big headphones into a mic input and talk to the ear part and the audio will enter the computer anyways. dunno why but it works.

[@uprightboy]

Nice post! I am enjoying the Ableton vocoder's capabilities. It has more capabilities than the retro analog Korg that I've used in the past. I have a curve to get past, though... After I have recorded my audio, and have my midi notes in place, everything plays back fine. When I export the master, the vocoder is not there. Any help would be appreciated. Maybe a video on exporting the vocoder would be great. Thanks!

[@RealBassPhat]

hey, what headset are you using? great video....

[@igorpierre6094]

The vocoder sound full of white noise ? How can i get a cleaner sound ?

[@Tacadoband]

Im confused - when you show us the brass synth sound by its self its very clean, but when you use the instrument on the vocoder combined with your voice, the sound seems to have a slight reverb/echo at the end. Did you add a reverb or is that just the way it works?

[@IkkeBareAnders]

@hevanescencarrillo That happened to me to when i used a midi track with a late attack, just raise the attack ore use an other track ;)

[@mitch7568]

Thanks a lot!!!

[@djseriousbizness]

Righteous!

[@sobitech1]

One thing I didn't quite get... I need a MIDI Keyboard and use it with the vocoder to make robotic vocals?

[@theformidablerabbit]

Anyone happen to know what the three chords he plays when saying 'Or i could play all kinds of chords' are..? They sound really nice together! =]

[@Sarel98]

I don't have 'Brass brassinski' in my library. Can I download it from somewhere?

[@quantumhorizon]

This is an awesome tutorial, unfortunately when I stop recording I am not able to play back recorded audio. The vocoder does show where it's interacting with the recorded audio though so I'm expecting it's a beginner mistake. I've checked that my UI has the same options selected as the ones you present, any thoughts as to where I am going wrong?

[@Sulihin]

Was that an intentional Coil reference at the end or just accidental?

[@kingzomusic]

MAN I LOVE U!

[@OMGlvl86turtlepilot]

amazing video. how would i go about vocoding a vocal sample? I have some rap acapellas that i wanna vocode, but when I drag the sample into the vocoder and try to use a carrier, it only plays that chord whenever there's sound.

[@theformidablerabbit]

@jabes88 Wow thanks that did help! You're somewhat of a pro! =DD

[@djarnollds]

Hi. It would be possible to use synthesizer sounds to play a guitar through the vocoder. How would you call? Not having any midi instruments.

[@jabes88]

He's playing F#maj7 (F# A# C# F) then G#maj triad (G# C D#) then finally on the word "Chords" he plays D#maj Triad (D# G A# D#) Hope that helped! :)

[@joshbarker1669]

I'm struggling to record the vocoder. I got the vocoder to work live and it's a dream come true, but I can't get it to record like you do. I have the exact same set up as you do and I select both tracks, hit the arrow on the master panel, and it seems like I recorded it. I can see the audio waves but I can't hear a thing during playback. It's quite frustrating.

[@joshbarker1669]

Figured it out! If you can't hear playback, make sure you change your audio monitor to auto and not "in". I had everything set to "in" so nothing would sound. Thanks for the awesome tutorial!

[@Videogametourist]

Does Ableton require a piano-type keyboard or can I just use my desktop keyboard?

[@heartpeep]

@asfbi me too, DO YOU NEED A GOOD MIC FOR THIS TO WORK DECENT?

[@ltitruck12]

Thanks..

[@djkoopz]

I want to work for Ableton!

[@unic0de-yvr]

When you vocode an audiosignal *against itself*, the result just sounds like a really excitable comb-filter.

[@Brainbox97]

So i could play and record separately and it would still work?

Ok this is easier than I thought! thank you... but I cant get the vocoder play exactly when I sing, it has kind of a delay, in other words: I sing a note, and like a second after the vocoder plays the note, how can I make the vocoder play when Im singing? :(

[@JakeVerDugt]

I'm having problems with hearing my recorded vocoder audio. I have it set up just like the video. I click record, like you did, but when i play back i hear nothing. What are some things I might have missed?

[@superaxel1981]

Fking amazing... I am gonna do a vocoder-based track right away lol

[@parkota]

ive gotten the vocoder to work but the output with the phrasing of my voice comes out to slowly(not like seconds slow but surely out of time) ... im using the fl studio rewired playback as my carrier (it plays just fine and in time without the vocoder) is this the problem??.....or could it be beacause im using the mic from my headphones and those are the ones lagging?? as i also note the bars dont go up just as i speak, they also lag... or maybe something i didnt set up right within ableton??

[@devssaluja2865]

2019 !!

[@FreestyleEntOnline]

@rounce55 same here did you already figoured it out?

[@luppotion]

excelent

[@pescaboy]

@frankiecutlass1985 but you have to admit. he is a monster! haha

@IkkeBareAnders Thanx! but im new into MIDI and into Ableton... how can I raise the attack? :(

[@johnnykilroy9394]

I really need to update to Suite 8...

[@djp1234]

how do you extract that clip, and use it as a loop? I am seeing it as a loop, but don't hear any audio from it...

[@khrispants01]

maybe i'm not completely understanding how it works, but what exactly are you doing when the sound output is just the vocoder and your actual voice stops coming through?

[@madeyouthink]

really nice video, but from a product standpoint there a way too many steps. You should be able to select the vocoder as a filter and have it automatically ready to play.

[@SuperInfomonkey]

when I try to record myself I don't hear the words I say very well and hear the synth more even though the synth is "muted", what am I doing wrong?

[@Gav_in]

@IBlameEdison what keyboard u getting ?

[@michaelseifert3525]

I can't get my words to be clear while using the vocoder. When I enable it and use it I can't understand the words I'm saying. Any ideas anyone?

[@OMGlvl86turtlepilot]

also, when i try to record external sounds (my voice) i get building feedback that nearly blows out my ears. how do I fix this? do i need a sound card, or mic?

[@MellienMusic]

this is fucking awesome! :D

[@rct3isepic]

so I don't get the vocoder anywhere in either live 8 or 9 and the closest thing I can find is the "voice vocoder" and all that it does is just act as a simpler. all other vocoder vst's I have tried do the same thing. please help!

[@DmytroRyzhkov]

rct3isepic Which version of live do you have? I think its only available in standard and suite

[@rct3isepic]

it turns out it is only available for standard and suite but I only have 9 lite

[@jasongheyman]

DAMN!

[@madeyouthink]

Yeah, your right. Who wants easier to use software anyway. 10 clicks is too few! They should make everything take 20 clicks. Wouldn't want to pre-chew users food.

[@em0jr]

I need a MIC!!!

[@museric2007]

i got the vocoder chain going and everything sounded right. problem is tha the vocoded voice lags abot a second after i say it. pretty useless for, well, anything

[@guillaume1306]

Eric Larsen do you use ASIO?

[@lairdriver]

I gotta get me a microphone stand, trying to do this and holding the mic sucks the balls.. I can play like him to lol... blues and funk are my back. I have dropped my mic a couple of times trying to miracle it..lol

[@Goldempireent]

This won't work with USB mic huh?? Couldn't get it to work

[@NickyXplicit]

you have tyo make sure its on ususally latent

[@khrisnakhristian5419]

nothing came out from my mic, weird :/

[@b1na276]

now can you sing Hide & Seek? :)

[@vtmband]

I can play octaves.... or very low stuff

[@DeadWhiteButterflies]

It'd be interesting to use, but then i'd probably spend too much time doing Portal jokes. XD

[@ZeroCool_Numbers]

awesome tutorial... but you need a bigger shirt haha

[@rcecil88]

That channel 1 sitting nicely in the red the whole time....gain structure ffs

[@Doomsday459]

He has a limiter on the master bus, it shouldn't matter.

[@nahneenkula]

It would have been funny if he did the whole tutorial with the vocoder turned on the whole time. lolololol

[@lucamontefiori4128]

damn pitch bending

[@xfist2facex]

MIND = BLOWN.