What's a Talkbox?
Well, the talkbox is that cool device that makes your synth talk. But don't think it's a vocoder! The vocoder is typically an electronic process that shapes a synth's waveform with your voice's envelope whereas the talkbox is pure acoustics. It's like a synthesized alternative to your vocal chords. You play a keyboard who sends the sound through the talkbox. The talkbox then sends that same sound through a plastic tube, right into your mouth and, using your mouth, throat and larynx, you shape words to make that sound talk.
How does it work?
The talkbox actually uses a kind of speaker called a compression driver. These drivers were primarily designed to be used with public address systems or in specially designed speakers, with horns. The talkbox uses a mid-range driver with a frequency going from an average 400 Hz up to 8 kHz. A length of vinyl tubing is inserted into the open end of the driver. The other end of the tubing is placed in the performer's mouth to modulate the sound. Most talkboxes are not amplified and thus, need the help of an external amp to feed the right sound. So it generally has to be connected to the speaker output of a guitar amp. But we'll see other options and details further.
Who invented it?
The origins of the talkbox are not clear, so far. Doug Forbes is said to have invented it with his "Voice Bag", back in 1963. But Bob Heil also claims he has invented the talkbox for Joe Walsh in 1971, then gave it to Peter Frampton for Christmas. It seems really that both men came up with the same idea, but with different designs. Another urban legend says that the talkbox was invented in the 60’s, to try and have organs sound like brass horns (to no avail). But long before that, in the late 40’s, a device pretty similar to the talkbox was used for various sound effects in motion pictures and advertising : the Sonovox. The sound was sent through a pair of tiny speakers that you would hold on both sides of your throat, thus allowing you to make the sound speak. The first talkbox performers were of course guitarists like Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton but later on, the talkbox was taken a step further by the world-known Roger Troutman from the Zapp band. The talkbox then entered the world of funk music and nothing would ever be the same…