How to Use a Talk Box — Tips for Success

If you want to learn how to use a talk box, you've found the right guide. Using your mouth to control your guitar tone is a unique experience that requires a bit of experimentation to master, but with these tips you'll be talk box-ing like a pro in no time. Let's take a look at how to use a talk box with your guitar, how to set up your talk box, and other tips to get you started.

How to Set Up a Talk Box

Modern amplified talk boxes like the MXR M222 and the Rocktron Banshee 2 are as simple to set up as any other guitar effects pedal:

1. Connect the output of your guitar or keyboard to the input of your talk box.
2. Connect the output of the talk box to your next effects pedal, or your amplifier
3. Set talk box controls such as Gain, Tone, and Volume/Output around 12 o'clock to start with
4. With the talk box in bypass mode, make any necessary adjustments to your instrument's sound
5. Hold the end of the surgical tube in the side of your mouth by lightly biting it
6. Engage the talk box effect — you will no longer hear your instrument in your amp
7. Play your instrument while mouthing words and vowels
8. Adjust talk box controls to taste
9. To amplify or record the talk box effect, use a vocal microphone just as if you were singing
10. Bypass the talk box effect to play your instrument like normal

Understanding how to set up a talk box can be confusing at first, because the sound of your instrument is literally coming out of your mouth. Unlike other effects pedals, when the talk box effect is engaged, your instrument signal is no longer being sent to your amplifier. In a live performance on stage, you can “sing” with the talk box into a vocal microphone, and hear yourself in the vocal monitors. If you're playing at home, you can connect a vocal microphone like the Shure SM58 to a powered PA speaker with mic input, a mixing board, or the mic input on your audio interface for recording.

How to Use a Talk Box for Guitar

Whether you want to play Peter Frampton and Bon Jovi covers, or explore new soundscapes, the talk box opens up a ton of creative potential for your guitar rig. And while vintage talk box effects required a separate amplifier to operate, modern talk boxes feature a built-in amplifier that eliminates the need for an external amp. You can place your talk box right on your pedalboard in series with your other effects pedals.

While most players recommend placing your talk box first in the signal chain, like a wah pedal, you are of course free to experiment with putting different effects in front of the talk box. Overdrive or fuzz could be used to give you more harmonic content to chew on, although the Gain control on the talk box itself could offer that too. Placing a compressor pedal before the talk box can enhance your guitar's sustain, which could make slow, extended phrases easier to perform (think the opening of Aerosmith's “Sweet Emotion” as an example). In other words, you can try other pedals in front of your talk box, but there's plenty of sonic territory to explore even when it's first in your signal chain.

How to Use Talk Box Like a Pro

Now that you've set up your talk box, you're ready to learn how to use talk box like a pro. Here are some pro tips from No Fear Guides Jay Leonard and George Pennington:

Don't know where to start? Try rhythmic phrases [0:52 in video]

To get acquainted with your talk box, the easiest place to start is simply opening and closing your mouth rhythmically. As you get more comfortable moving your mouth while holding the tube in place, you'll be able to use your talk box like a wah pedal to create vocal-like modulation. Pay attention to how your mouth shape and movement changes the talk box effect's tone and volume.

Don't bite too hard [5:32 in video]

While you do need to hold the talk box hose firmly in your mouth, don't bite down too hard on it. As Jay Leonard demonstrates in the video, clamping down too hard on the hose will reduce volume and harmonic content. Spend some time experimenting until you find just the right placement that allows you to hold the tube firmly in your mouth without biting all the way down on it.

Fix the hose to a mic stand [5:57 in video]

Since the talk box effect is designed to be captured by a vocal microphone anyway, the smart place for your talk box hose is on your mic stand. Use a bandanna or cable wrap to secure the talk box hose alongside your vocal microphone, and it will always be in the perfect position.

Don't speak, just “mouth” words [7:13 in video]

You don't want to hear your natural voice when using a talk box, just the effect itself. Try mouthing basic vowel sounds like “o” and “e”, then try forming basic words and phrases like “oh yeah”. Smoother sounds and vowels only require you to change the shape of your mouth, but hard plosives like “d”, “p”, “b” and so on take a little more practice. You need to pronounce these harder sounds for the talk box effect to sound defined and articulate. So for a word like “party”, you would pronounce the “p” sound at the start, mouth the “ar” sound, pronounce the “t” sound, and mouth the “y” at the end.

It sounds more complicated than it actually is, and with a bit of practice you should be able to form words and phrases without thinking about it.

Get a black tube for a cleaner look [9:37 in video]

Your talk box probably came with a length of clear surgical tubing. And because it's clear, well, you're going to see when it's getting dirty. For a cleaner look on stage or on camera, you can get the same tubing in black from a hardware store, and as a bonus you can cut it to your ideal length.

Crank the Gain knob for more sustain and articulation [10:32 in video]

If you're using your talk box with a guitar, maximizing your sustain is the best way to create the iconic talk box effects heard on classic recordings. And the easiest way to do this is to crank up the Gain control on the talk box itself. Increasing the gain can compress your guitar's signal, enhancing sustain that allows held notes to sing out longer. Increasing the gain will also add more harmonic content, giving you more expressive range to explore as you move your mouth.

How to Use a Talk Box Well

Learning to use a talk box well can be made easier when you keep a few things in mind. First off, positioning is crucial — fix the hose to your mic stand and make sure you can address the tube easily, without having to turn your head away from the mic. If you're struggling to keep the hose in your mouth, you won't sound your best.

Once you're comfortable with the basics of using your talk box, focus on exaggerating the shapes you're making with your mouth. As Jay Leonard demonstrates in the video, the more you exaggerate and over-emphasize your mouth movements, the more expressive and articulate the talk box effect becomes. Have fun with it — you'll soon find that the more animated your mouth movements are, the better the talk box effect sounds.

When you're ready to take your talk box chops on stage and you're setting up for a show, get the vocal microphone dialed in for your voice first. Then make sure you can sound check the talk box effect. Leave the vocal mic optimized for your voice, and adjust the Gain, Tone, and Output controls on your talk box to compensate for any volume and EQ needs — it may help to have a band member out front to give you the thumbs up when it sounds best.

Don't Fear the Talk Box!

Learning to talk box is one of the most fun and creative ways to connect with your guitar in a whole new way. And beyond the classic talk box tunes we all know and love, talk box offers a limitless world of soundscapes and textures to explore. With these pro tips, you'll be on the fast track to talk boxing like a pro.