Setting up for basic vocoding

This tutorial describes how to connect and use a typical vocoder setup. We assume here that you have a MIDI keyboard connected. For details on the parameters, see “BV512 parameters”.

Vocoding vocals in real-time

The most common usage for a vocoder is probably the typical “singing” or “talking synth” sound, using vocals or speech as modulator. Since Reason supports live audio input you can sing and play in real time. This is a basic example of how to route your signals:

1.	Create the instrument device you want to use for the carrier signal.

This could typically be a synth or a sampler. In this example we choose a Subtractor synthesizer.

2.	Set up the carrier device (Subtractor) for a sustaining, bright sound.

It’s important to have high frequencies (a lot of harmonics) in the carrier. On the Subtractor, a simple but effective carrier sound would be based on a sawtooth wave, with the filter fairly open. For more about choosing carrier sounds, see “Choosing a carrier sound”.

3.	Select the carrier device (Subtractor) and create a BV512 Vocoder.

If you flip the rack around you will see that the Vocoder is automatically routed as an insert effect for the carrier device (using the Carrier Input jacks).

4.	Connect a microphone to your audio interface and manually patch the appropriate Audio in jack on the Reason Hardware Interface to the Modulator Input on the BV512.

5.	Make sure the Master Keyboard Input is set to the carrier device track.

6.	Also make sure the “Dry/Wet” knob on the BV512 Vocoder is turned to “Wet” (fully clockwise).

7.	Play some notes or chords on your MIDI keyboard and sing through the microphone.

The result will be the classic vocoded vocal sound.

8.	Try the different filter band options and note the difference in sound.

9.	You can also adjust the vocoder sound by clicking and dragging the bars in the lower display.

Each bar corresponds to a frequency band, with low frequencies to the left and high frequencies to the right. You adjust the level of a band by dragging its bar up or down. Clicking and dragging across the bars allow you to change the levels of several bars, much like drawing an eq curve.

The upper display shows the spectrum of the modulator signal, for display only.

To reset a band to ±0 dB, press [Ctrl](Win) or [Cmd](Mac) and click on it.

You can also reset all bands to zero by bringing up the context menu for the Vocoder device and selecting “Reset Band Levels”.

10.	If the vocoder sound is “muddy” or indistinct, try raising the “HF Emph” knob on the Vocoder.

This parameter (High Frequency Emphasis) boosts the high frequencies in the carrier signal.

11.	Try out the other parameters if you like.

See “BV512 parameters” for details.

Recording the vocoded audio

If you want to record the vocoded audio in the example above on an audio track in the sequencer, you can do like this:

1.	Create an audio track.

2.	Click the “Rec Source” button on the Vocoder Mix Channel device in the rack.

3.	Select the Vocoder Mix Channel as input in the Audio Input selector on the audio track in the sequencer.

4.	Select the carrier device (Subtractor) track in the sequencer and deselect its “Record Enable” button.

5.	Click the “Record Enable” button on the audio track in the sequencer (but don’t select the audio track!).

6.	Click the “Rec” button on the Transport Panel to start recording.

The vocoded audio is now recorded on the audio track as you sing through the microphone and play the keyboard.

Refer to “Recording audio from Mix Channel outputs” for more details on how to record Mix Channel outputs.

Vocoding an existing audio track

If you want to apply vocoding to an existing audio track, but also keep the original sound, a flexible way is to do like this:

1.	Create the carrier device (a Subtractor, for example).

2.	Select the carrier device and create a BV512 vocoder.

3.	Patch a cable from the left Insert FX “To Device” connector of the audio track device to the Modulator Input on the BV512.

4.	Set Master Keyboard Input to the carrier track.

5.	Click “Play” in the sequencer and play some notes or chords on your MIDI keyboard.

The result will be the classic vocoded vocal sound.

If you don’t want the original sound of the audio track to sound, click the Mute button on the channel strip in the Main Mixer (or lower the Level Fader to silence).

6.	At this point you may want to record the notes or chords you play for the carrier device.

As Master Keyboard Input is already set to the carrier device track, all you need to do is start recording and play along.