CB Radio sound on vox

[Theron D]

I am looking to get a "CB Radio" sound as a vocal effect for a weird Beck-like acoustic project that I am working on. (think "High-5" off of Odelay) Any recommendations besides the obvious of purchasing one? Or any CB Radio recommendations for anyone who has done this......


Thanks
Theron D

[NeglectedFred]

I recently recorded a message left on my cel phone, and threw it it the very end of a track.. It inspired me to do this:

I want to have a singer throw on a pair of cans call my cel phone on a land-line, I'll throw a mic in front of him or her for monitoring purposes, sing, sing, sing.. Then I will put my cel on speaker phone, check my messages, record into my K2 with a ton of compression (that's how I did the message, it was a really cool effect). Then I'll just have to line up the tracks.

Just something you may want to try, might save you $50 or so..

[KevinRyan]

I hit swap meets and garage sales hunting for any little piece of crap with a speaker that I can pass sound through for a good lo-fi sound. I've picked up so many old portable cassette players, dictaphones and answering machines, all of which give that nice tiny but fuzzed out sound if you blast them. One of my favorites has a fatally blown speaker but makes an awesome sound. Those micro-cassette recorders are nice - easy to record on and you can crank the speaker to the edge.

One of my newest favorites for lo-fi/CB/radio sounds is the Groovy Tunes "Electronic Guitar Combo Set". You can get it for $19 at Kay-Bee toys. It's a toy electric guitar with real strings and a real little plastic amp. The guitar is garbage, of course, but makes its own gloriously horrible sound. But the AMP - THIS has uses. It's got a standard 1/4" jack AND it comes with an equally horrible little plastic mic that can also plug into the amp. instant CB sound. Crank it up. Oh, and you get a nice, chunky blue and green plastic mic stand with the package. Only useful if you're 3 feet tall, though.

kevin

[theistheman]

filter everything out except for the hi-mids.

maybe add a little distortion.

When I do it, I use a astatic crystal mic--something similar to this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 70791&rd=1

Those mics are really cool for other things as well, like distorted snare drum and harmonica.

Also, it's not really that hard to wire up a cb microphone to an xlr.

[dungeonsound615]

Um maybe a crazy idea, but what about going to toys r us or radio shack and just buying a cheapo walkie talkie, not sure if it would work but its an idea

[loosegravel]

Um maybe a crazy idea, but what about going to toys r us or radio shack and just buying a cheapo walkie talkie, not sure if it would work but its an idea

the above trick was what was done for the beck song mentioned in the origional post. It was a cheapo radio shack mic.

[joel hamilton]

I am looking to get a "CB Radio" sound as a vocal effect for a weird Beck-like acoustic project that I am working on. (think "High-5" off of Odelay) Any recommendations besides the obvious of purchasing one? Or any CB Radio recommendations for anyone who has done this......


Thanks
Theron D

Any mic+ Distortion+EQ= that sound.

I use the placid audio "copperphone" but it is not cheap compared to the "landfill" mics that people use for this purpose.

Anything will work. i just did a thing where it sounds EXACTLY like a guy transmitting via AM or shortwave or ham radio/ CB type thing, and we used a 57 and a few tracks of automated amp farm and EQ for "signal/station drift" type of sound. amazing how a swept bandpass filter will gove you that sound, like you are in a car listening to an AM station and the WHOLE mix sweeps. Cool and fun.

[Theron D]

Um maybe a crazy idea, but what about going to toys r us or radio shack and just buying a cheapo walkie talkie, not sure if it would work but its an idea

the above trick was what was done for the beck song mentioned in the origional post. It was a cheapo radio shack mic.

Loosegravel, was it a radio shack mic or did you mean a cheap walkie talkie?

Thanks
Theron D

[Dr. Sausage]

cut off all lows leaving only a small band of hi's. Thats what I do, works pretty effective. I never thought of distorting it, that probablly makes it sound a little more "lo-fi"

[joel hamilton]

cut off all lows leaving only a small band of hi's. Thats what I do, works pretty effective. I never thought of distorting it, that probablly makes it sound a little more "lo-fi"

If you do it right, it can actually sound more "vintage" with a little drive. It doesnt have to sound like ministry... just a little. Really listen to a CB radio: distorted a LOT.

[Mudcloth]

Crazy Cooder comin' atcha. You can go to a pawnshop or junk store and buy a cheap cb radio and clip the mic. You can then convert it to xlr. It sounds like a cb mic because it is a cb mic. I found one in west Texas for a dollar and figured what the hell, why not? I couldn't get the signal near strong enough until I flipped the phantom power switch of my pre. Who new? I also found the handset mic to an old motorola military communication system. Super lo-fi. Same thing with the phantom power.

[kakumei47]

How much do you think the encoding/decoding or transmission affects the sound of CBs and telephones?

I've made some phone mics before, and while they are closer than I can get from effects alone, they aren't 100% convincing to me.

If you're trying to get a 'realistic' CB sound, I think the mic is one step, but I don't think it works totally by itself because thats not all that's going on the chain...

[kakumei47]

Anything will work. i just did a thing where it sounds EXACTLY like a guy transmitting via AM or shortwave or ham radio/ CB type thing, and we used a 57 and a few tracks of automated amp farm and EQ for "signal/station drift" type of sound. amazing how a swept bandpass filter will gove you that sound, like you are in a car listening to an AM station and the WHOLE mix sweeps. Cool and fun.

Another option to add the sweeping radio sound if you have some synths around is to use a ring modulator.
I got a pretty good shortwavey sound by sweeping a high tone thru the ring mod on my ms20, running that thru a multivox tape delay/reverb, and mixing it in kinda low. This doesn't make your whole mix sound like it's been broadcast, but it does get that sound in there and can be interesting...

[SKEETER]

Boost 1K and cut all other frequencies out. then raise EQs on either side of 1K til you get the sound you want. You may also try using some FM radio hiss in the backround, set an FM reciever off station and record the noise. Only have the noise when you want the CB to be "sending" (during talking or vocals) for effect.

[Theron D]

I went to Radio Shack tonight and purchased a set of those two way radios that are used for hiking. The sound is so lo fi and cheap. Awesome. $20.

Let the noise begin.....

Theron D