Easiest way to sound like a robot? (Daft punk)

[Ouenben]

My friends birthdays coming up he's a big daft punk fan, and I wanted to try and get a way to sound like a robot so me and his friends could record some things for him.

I have a pc and a microphone, is there programmes that do it with just that?

or would I be better with a talkbox (which looks cool, I'm considering get one)

[cavalcade]

My friends birthdays coming up he's a big daft punk fan, and I wanted to try and get a way to sound like a robot so me and his friends could record some things for him.

I have a pc and a microphone, is there programmes that do it with just that?

or would I be better with a talkbox (which looks cool, I'm considering get one)

Your option is either a hardware or software vocoder, a talkbox, or some pitch correction/manipulation software or finally a ring modulator.

A vocoder relies on a carrier and modulator signal, usually a droning sound and a voice to create the 70s classic sound. Plenty of VST/DX plugins available that will do that for you, some of them free. Hardware wise dedicated vocoders had a resurgance in the late 90s, so you could pick up something from then if you scout about on eBay. Cheapo multi effects units from that vintage (e.g. Zoom 1201) also tended to have basic vocoding presets built in. There is also a fantastic Korg vocoder pedal from that era (that I have!), a brushed silver thing, built like a tank with somecracking presets in it, but to be honest, software is probably the way to go. Again, you can get software talkbox simulations (not a million miles from a vocoder of course, the difference being with a talkbox you actually stick a tube in your mouth and shape the sound physically, rather than electronically blending two sounds together), and I'd recommend sticking with them as real talkboxes are messy (spit everywhere), and liable to vaporise your gums.

For a more modern robotic sound, pitch correction software (or hardware) used creatively can make your voice sound robotic. These are the tools used most famously in that awful Cher song, but also on about 90% of pop records these days as either an effect or to mask the fact the talentless muppet can't sing. Free pitch correction plugins are available, and some of the main sequencing packages have pitch correction tools built in. It's a little more tricky to get a robot out of the box than using a vocoder, but the benefit is you can often robotise a single source without requiring the blending of two audio tracks.

You also have other options, which is to try frequency shifting plugins, ring modulation plug ins, or indeed any of the myriad of free DX/VST plug ins available to destroy your sound. Indeed, blending a series of frequency mangling plug ins togeter may be the way to go.

A good place to start might be to pick up Future Music or Computer Music (the magazines) which normally have a DVD packed full of free stuff to get you started (sequencers/plug ins/loops) and then take it from there. I would recommend specific plug ins but these things change so frequently, you're probably best doing your own research and seeing what gems you stumble on.

Oh, and for a robotic noise without any input from you at all - try the deeply disturbing Delay Llama, which defies description really.