Robot Voice
March 1, 2008 1:39 PM Subscribe
I am looking for any examples of the use of "robot voice". For example, early 80's electro, the famous Robby the Robot, or "robot voice" used for artistic purposes such as this. Any and all suggestions welcome. utubes, songs, movies, anything.
Reminds me of Joshua from WarGames (he appears around the 5m mark).
posted by knave at 1:47 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by knave at 1:47 PM on March 1, 2008
The Fearless Four, an old school hip-hop crew best known for "Rockin' It," released a song in the early 80s called "F-4000" that was entirely done in robot voice.
(Actually it's a heavily vocoder-ed rap, dispassionately delivered, clearly meant to evoke a robotic voice...I'm not sure if you're looking specifically for synthesized speech.)
posted by Ian A.T. at 2:03 PM on March 1, 2008
(Actually it's a heavily vocoder-ed rap, dispassionately delivered, clearly meant to evoke a robotic voice...I'm not sure if you're looking specifically for synthesized speech.)
posted by Ian A.T. at 2:03 PM on March 1, 2008
PRIME TIME OF YOUR LIFE.
And a bunch of other things by Daft Punk.
Like, you know, ROBOT ROCK. (It's in the name!)
Technologic, too. Seriously, most of the non-sampled vocals Daft Punk.
posted by disillusioned at 2:08 PM on March 1, 2008
And a bunch of other things by Daft Punk.
Like, you know, ROBOT ROCK. (It's in the name!)
Technologic, too. Seriously, most of the non-sampled vocals Daft Punk.
posted by disillusioned at 2:08 PM on March 1, 2008
I hope you meant that about any and all suggestions.
You can get a bunch of clips of the character JP from the movie Grandma's Boy.
posted by JaredSeth at 2:09 PM on March 1, 2008
You can get a bunch of clips of the character JP from the movie Grandma's Boy.
posted by JaredSeth at 2:09 PM on March 1, 2008
The Humans are Dead doesn't use robot voices, though. It uses Jermaine and the other one pretending to be robots. 1 0 0 0 0 0 1... hehe.
posted by disillusioned at 2:15 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by disillusioned at 2:15 PM on March 1, 2008
Best answer: Also, Kraftwerk used a lot of robotic voices in their music. "The Robots" that comes up in the search is one of my favorite songs.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 2:17 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by MaryDellamorte at 2:17 PM on March 1, 2008
I think some bands used the Speak and Spell. (Kraftwerk?)
posted by dudeman at 2:28 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by dudeman at 2:28 PM on March 1, 2008
Radiohead - Fitter Happier.
Many songs off The Apples in Stereo's New Magnetic Wonder use vocoder'd backup vocals.
Pink Floyd's Keep Talking. This is supposedly Stephen Hawking.
posted by kpmcguire at 2:30 PM on March 1, 2008
Many songs off The Apples in Stereo's New Magnetic Wonder use vocoder'd backup vocals.
Pink Floyd's Keep Talking. This is supposedly Stephen Hawking.
posted by kpmcguire at 2:30 PM on March 1, 2008
btw, the robot voice can be either a talkbox or a vocoder..
I think a lot of songs on Neil Young's Trans album have a talkbox..
Peter Frampton also uses a talkbox.
Daft Punk uses a talkbox to get their robot sound..
I guess a lot of 80s / synthpop bands use talkboxes or vocoders
posted by majikstreet at 2:44 PM on March 1, 2008
I think a lot of songs on Neil Young's Trans album have a talkbox..
Peter Frampton also uses a talkbox.
Daft Punk uses a talkbox to get their robot sound..
I guess a lot of 80s / synthpop bands use talkboxes or vocoders
posted by majikstreet at 2:44 PM on March 1, 2008
I was just listening to Radiohead's OK Computer, and a track in the middle is completely computer voices. I don't know the name of the track, and I don't remember which number it is.
posted by santojulieta at 2:53 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by santojulieta at 2:53 PM on March 1, 2008
I think a lot of songs on Neil Young's Trans album have a talkbox..
Sample and Hold, Computer Cowboy, We R in Control, Transformer Man. Was just rocking this today. It's a great (and greatly misunderstood) LP.
posted by porn in the woods at 2:54 PM on March 1, 2008
Sample and Hold, Computer Cowboy, We R in Control, Transformer Man. Was just rocking this today. It's a great (and greatly misunderstood) LP.
posted by porn in the woods at 2:54 PM on March 1, 2008
(plus the reworked Mr. Soul and the awesome Computer Age, later covered by Sonic Youth.)
posted by porn in the woods at 2:55 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by porn in the woods at 2:55 PM on March 1, 2008
Cylob's Cut The Midrange Drop The Bass and Rewind use synth voice to good effect.
Black Neon did a robot cover of You're So Vain.
posted by meehawl at 2:58 PM on March 1, 2008
Black Neon did a robot cover of You're So Vain.
posted by meehawl at 2:58 PM on March 1, 2008
some of my favorite 80s electro with the robot vox:
Midnight Starr - Operator, No Parking on the Dance Floor, Freak-a-Zoid
posted by porn in the woods at 2:59 PM on March 1, 2008
Midnight Starr - Operator, No Parking on the Dance Floor, Freak-a-Zoid
posted by porn in the woods at 2:59 PM on March 1, 2008
Response by poster: good call on trans! I actually bought that on LP. I played it around my friends who were more of a rockist crowd, and got a lot of sideways glances. So I got new friends. Here is computer cowboy aka"Skycrusher" recently featured over at moistworks.
posted by vronsky at 3:08 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by vronsky at 3:08 PM on March 1, 2008
Response by poster: someone mentioned in the MWx post that Neil had begun to experiment with robot voice because his son, who is autistic, responded to it, so he would use it to communicate with him.
Great stuff so far! Thanks everyone.
posted by vronsky at 3:26 PM on March 1, 2008
Great stuff so far! Thanks everyone.
posted by vronsky at 3:26 PM on March 1, 2008
They Might Be Giants, "Robot Parade"
Transformers theme
posted by kirkaracha at 3:37 PM on March 1, 2008
Transformers theme
posted by kirkaracha at 3:37 PM on March 1, 2008
Cylons saying "by your command" in the original Battlestar Galactica series and new series.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:03 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by kirkaracha at 4:03 PM on March 1, 2008
Milch(r), "0-0109zisch"
The easy place to find it is on Cliff Swank's Robopop set. Bonus: this mix also includes the console bit mentioned by subtle-t above.
posted by gyusan at 4:37 PM on March 1, 2008
The easy place to find it is on Cliff Swank's Robopop set. Bonus: this mix also includes the console bit mentioned by subtle-t above.
posted by gyusan at 4:37 PM on March 1, 2008
The songs "I am Electro," "Three Floors Above You," and "What Does It All Mean?" by Meat Beat Manifesto.
posted by infinitewindow at 5:15 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by infinitewindow at 5:15 PM on March 1, 2008
Benny Benassi uses computer synthesized voices and vocoders quite extensively (example [warning: creepy]).
posted by spiderskull at 5:52 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by spiderskull at 5:52 PM on March 1, 2008
I was just listening to Radiohead's OK Computer, and a track in the middle is completely computer voices.
As kpmcguire said, the track is called Fitter Happier.
I recorded a song about wanting to be a robot. Robot voice occurs around 2:25, followed by human voice morphing into robot voice.
posted by ludwig_van at 6:12 PM on March 1, 2008
As kpmcguire said, the track is called Fitter Happier.
I recorded a song about wanting to be a robot. Robot voice occurs around 2:25, followed by human voice morphing into robot voice.
posted by ludwig_van at 6:12 PM on March 1, 2008
First thing that came to mind was Beastie Boys' Intergalactic from '98. Great video, too.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 7:40 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 7:40 PM on March 1, 2008
Limp Bizkit's "Behind Blue Eyes" includes a brief bit of the Speak & Spell. (dudeman totally deserves bonus points for his link to the emulator!) Far from the lengthiest / most involved clip, but something about that little clip is downright awesome.
Seconding Pink Floyd's Keep Talking and the belief that it's Stephen Hawking.
posted by fogster at 9:28 PM on March 1, 2008
Seconding Pink Floyd's Keep Talking and the belief that it's Stephen Hawking.
posted by fogster at 9:28 PM on March 1, 2008
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk
The first track of Made from Technetium by Man or Astro-Man, where the CD introduces itself to you (sample on the linked page).
Generate Bodies by MJ Lan
posted by kosmonaut at 9:47 PM on March 1, 2008
The first track of Made from Technetium by Man or Astro-Man, where the CD introduces itself to you (sample on the linked page).
Generate Bodies by MJ Lan
posted by kosmonaut at 9:47 PM on March 1, 2008
Totally what JaredSeth said. Grandma's Boy. Although the robot voice is actually spoken "live" by the actor, there is none more memorable in what I've seen.
posted by telstar at 9:57 PM on March 1, 2008
posted by telstar at 9:57 PM on March 1, 2008
Jonzun Crew - Pack Jam
Freestyle - Don't Stop The Rock
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 - Scorpio
Man Parrish - Boogie Down Bronx
Dynamix II - Just Give The DJ A Break
Cybotron - Clear
posted by p3t3 at 6:57 PM on March 2, 2008
Freestyle - Don't Stop The Rock
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 - Scorpio
Man Parrish - Boogie Down Bronx
Dynamix II - Just Give The DJ A Break
Cybotron - Clear
posted by p3t3 at 6:57 PM on March 2, 2008
I don't know how I managed to forget this one, but it just came up on random play and I realised it's all vocoder:
I-F - Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass
Ferenc van der Sluijs's magnificent 1997 stomper is usually credited with kicking off the "electroclash" electro revival/mutation, even though he himself was pretty down on the whole thing.
posted by meehawl at 8:49 PM on March 2, 2008
I-F - Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass
Ferenc van der Sluijs's magnificent 1997 stomper is usually credited with kicking off the "electroclash" electro revival/mutation, even though he himself was pretty down on the whole thing.
posted by meehawl at 8:49 PM on March 2, 2008
Herbie Hancock rocked the Vocoder in quite a few songs...I'm thinking specifically of his Sunlight & Future Shock albums.
posted by ekstasis23 at 8:01 AM on March 4, 2008
posted by ekstasis23 at 8:01 AM on March 4, 2008
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posted by LoriFLA at 1:46 PM on March 1, 2008