How to Use a Talkbox at a Gig

What to know BEFORE sticking that tube in your mouth!

Original music by Aaron Cheney is available for streaming on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and more.

[APPLEJACKD]

I just want to say that this video was the best "How to use a talkbox" video on Youtube! I play in similar type gigs, and to hear someone say, use a 57 mic and remember the sound guy will keep it silent is the type of stuff nobody tells you until you learn at the gig the hard way. Very well done!

[scounter]

Thanks, Aaron. Perfectly paced video. No messing around, just great info and tips.

[Nelson_Win]

I can't believe you surprised me with "Man in the Box". You got me good.

[DagmaraZawiślok]

Amazing video. Only specifics and important advice. Rarely does anyone discuss the problem so clearly and waste the viewer's time. Thanks and greetings from Poland.

[rodolforibas]

Awesome tips, I’ve been playin for 25 years and I’m setting my talk box now and ALL your tips were SUPER useful (specially the 57 mic). Thanks!! Oh, and check that mole, really.

[tamaracostanza]

was having trouble using a Beta 58... thanx for the SM57 tip!

[manuelcruz]

Thanks Aaron, I just got my talk box and haven’t opened it yet till I see this awesome video of you, now I’m ready for the road, Sending good vibes from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷

[the_mad_leprechaun]

I enjoyed that! I am not a guitarist but a singer, and nosey! I just wanted to wanted to know how it worked. Very entertaining and well explained! 👍😁

[jamesmoffett]

Great video. Been using one for years. Went through so many weirdest thing was Nazareth s singer use one with bagpipes. So cool !!!

[DrJoshGuitar]

Great vid, thanks for sharing your experience

[khoehl]

There's a video of u playing with a Boston tribute band and u play let me take u home tonight.

[ajanator]

Great video, would like to add that it's probably better to leave a lot more of the tube loose if you're planning on using the talkbox to actually make words, rather than using it as a glorified wah pedal (nothing wrong with that but some people might want to do more).

[khoehl]

Livin on a prayer is a the coolest riff 4 a talkbox. Whoever invented the talkbox is badass cause the talkbox is awesome u can play on a guitar bass a ukulele a harp a keyboard and just even do it solo like Hair of the Dog Nazareth.

[stevechambers]

I have a cheap, homemade talkbox. Pretty much a 20 year old computer speaker with a fish tube duck taped over it. I plug it into the external speaker output of a really cheap Peavey practice amp. I'm surprised the [computer] speaker hasn't blown at this point (even though I haven't used it in years).

Yeah, I gotta get a real one. Lol.

[bruzzgravely]

How do you hook your guitar in it and into the amp

[waynestanley]

The 2 things i have problem with using a talkbox are.
Breath noises from my nose
Not being able to look at the fretboard.

Because my nose is now on top of the mic it gets picked up more (i think the SM57 is worse than the SM58)

I found that breathing out of my mouth made less noise, but it takes effort to breathe that way.


I had an adapter for a 2nd mic was no longer using (it is about 4 inches to the side of my main mic) and i r used it to point the tube in front of the mic

[SoobanetReeArson]

2 Questions. Are you signing or talking into the tube or just moving your mouth? Also, do you need a separate mic plugged in and next to the talk box tube?

[Geert-JanPistorius]

Thnx for the video, I'm trying to set up an MXR 222 with my quad cortex but get stuck at the volume being to low. What volume (more or less) is coming out of your tube that goes into your mouth?

[zikkicharade]

Yeah but where the mic goes i never understood what amplification and speaker a mic needs

[TakeControlUSA]

You forgot to mention getting electric shocks as your saliva creeps down the tube and hits the driver, OUCH!!! 😅⚡️🤪😵‍💫