CB Radio Techniques
Author: Ockshun Jockson
I want to start recording CB radio transmissions that I personally voice and start tweaking them out. But I don't want to buy a receiver and transmitter if I don't have to.
I'm wondering if there's any alternatives I can explore? I tried to find emulators for that sound, but turned up a bunch of frequency analyzers. I can approach the sound in software using EQ and a vst, but it's not as authentic as I'd like.
Any ideas?
I'm guessing that you're trying to get the metallic single sideband sound instead of the tinny clipped mic down the throat sound. that's more complicated without having a transmitter /receiver setup....maybe try a vocoder and sweep the modulating signal while only letting 500 Hz of the voice thru?. for the tinny sound i'd use the cheapest crappiest beat to hell mic you can find, or a shure green bullet harmonica mic, keep your mouth right on the mic, (best way to keep input signal above the engine noise btw, hell sit in an idling car even) and run it through a some distortion or just use a guitar amp, roll off all the low end and re-record the output. another option might be to re-record through a 2 inch speaker. it'll should clip if you push it hard enough and it will bandwidth limit due to its size. what have you tried so far?
here's some info regarding SSB that might point towards a solution as far as playing with filters, etc...
any garage sales or flea markets around? it might be easier ultimately to offer some old lady $5 for hubby's RoadTalker 40....
thanks. i may just end up going out and hunting for a cheap transmitter/receiver combo...say i do just that, what do you think is involved as far as recording the sound from the receiver? will i just have to mic it up?
whoa sounds like a fresh idea.
i think your best bet for that specific sound is indeed to actually get a cb, although it could certainly be emulated through any of the techniques trace has outlined.
there are different cb sounds though as he has also pointed out.
as far as the output i would say mike up the speaker or go for a line out, although i am not sure how much of the cb sound comes from the shitty speaker it goes through.
personally i want to start recording through one of those throat mikes that cancer victims use... i had a weird dream about it.
yeah, i'd probably just mic it too. many CBs have an 1/8" mono output for an external speaker, so line recording shouldn't be too hard.
those electrolarynx things are more expensive than I thought they would be. what happened in the dream?
There's a mechanical larynx up on eBay right now... bidding currently at a mere $31 (reserve not met).
However it is (*ahem*) slightly used...
in the dream i was djing some weird party... i was playing some sort of freaked out instrumental version of taxman (actually sounded pretty hot... am going to do one in real life) and there was an mc toasting funny things on the beat and it sounded like he was talking through one of those things. it sounded great. i played some other songs too, but i can't remember unfortunately. gotta love it when a dream can directly inspire your craft! it has happened a few times.