Playing With a Talk Box

February 3rd, 2022
jammer, music, tech
Sometimes I describe my goal in playing around with different ways of making music as trying to maximize my musical information rate: how many bits per second? With my hands I'm generally playing keyboard or mandolin, and they are very busy; compare to trumpet, where one hand is choosing combinations of only three buttons and the other hand is just holding the horn in position. My feet are generally occupied with drums, which leaves the mouth as the remaining high-bandwidth option.

I've played with controlling a synthesizer by whistling and using a breath controller to control volume/expression, but recently I got a talk box. This is a speaker with tube to pipe the output of an instrument into your mouth, where you adjust the shape of the mouth to filter the sound. They are most commonly used to make an instrument pretend to talk, but you can also use it as an effects pedal.

I'm still learning how to make a good use of it, but here's where I am right now:

Referenced in:

Comment via: facebook, lesswrong

Recent posts on blogs I like:

Where I Donated In 2024

All Grants Fund, Rethink, EA Funds Animal Welfare Fund

via Thing of Things January 17, 2025

2024-25 New Year review

This is an annual post reviewing the last year and setting intentions for next year. I look over different life areas (work, health, parenting, effectiveness, travel, etc) and analyze my life tracking data. Overall this was a pretty good year. Highlights …

via Victoria Krakovna January 15, 2025

The ugly sides of two approaches to charity

What's neglected by "magnificent" philanthropy, and by Singerian global poverty focus The post The ugly sides of two approaches to charity appeared first on Otherwise.

via Otherwise January 13, 2025

more     (via openring)