My Dalek voice ring modulator

[WayneVenomous]

Wow...that's epic cool.
Could you make something that sounds like this at 0:42? Something that would fit in the suits we're making?
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers trailer - YouTube

Person I had counted on to do them for us is moving to a new job and can't do them now.

The effect in that clip is clearly done using a tape recorder (the mainstay of sci-fi effects, see the BBC Radiophonic workshop pic above!) but there's no reason why you couldn't do it digitally these days. I'll certainly have an experiment and see what I can come up with.

Passing on wrong info I guess.... But if you have ever said EXTEMINATE.... Into a fan you would see why I belived it (;

It's a good way of understanding how ring modulators work though! If you think about it, the fan blades are altering the soundwaves of your voice by a physical means, literally chopping the soundwaves at certain intervals. Ring modulators do this electronically, the oscillator being the "fan" if you like.

 

[jimmcgovern15]

Seems there's a site selling software to make Dalek voices. Can't comment on it as I haven't used it but I like the idea of not having to spend lots of money on a physical ring modulator. I'll try it out and let everyone know what it's like.

 

[Canobi]

Hi there

Just thought I'd chime in now you mention software. I've been a music producer for over 20yrs, and I've helped many a budding artist get going on a meagre budget.

There are plenty of freeware (Not hacked) apps out there (including ring modulators) that are comparable to some of the top market ones, not many, but a few.

Assentially you will need two apps, a sample editor/maker (I use sound forge, but waves lite is a good free one) or arrangement program to host the ring modulator (for this I use Acid pro, but look up reaver, it's free, has some amazing functions and is easy to get your head around).

I can't remember off the top of my head what the ring mod is I use, but I'll post links to relevant ware when I find them :thumbsup

 

[Canobi]

Here's one :thumbsup

Ring Modulator : Free VST Effects : FreeMusicSoftware.org

 

[Canobi]

Aand another one

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Audio-Plugins/RING-O.shtml

 

[WayneVenomous]

Seems there's a site selling software to make Dalek voices. Can't comment on it as I haven't used it but I like the idea of not having to spend lots of money on a physical ring modulator. I'll try it out and let everyone know what it's like.

The trouble with software-based ring modulators is you then need a laptop installed in your Dalek. Can't help but think it's less effort (and cost) to just build a physical ring modulator.

 

[WayneVenomous]

One thing that few people seem to mention is that doing the Dalek voice is all well and good, but getting it to work reliably and sound convincing in a full-size Dalek really is something else! Plus I'm not a fan of software-based effects as you can probably tell. Sure, I could've just downloaded a piece of freeware but I certainly wouldn't have had the understanding or feeling of accomplishment by building my own from scratch. Plus I've yet to find a software-based ring modulator that sounds as good as the real thing!

This is my final version being tested by a friend in his Dalek at BritSciFi 3:
Dalek at Leicester Space Centre - YouTube

And as a direct comparison here's my friend's Dalek compared to another at the same event:
National Space Centre: BritSciFi 3 - YouTube

 

[WayneVenomous]

Well, I've now enlisted the help of Sciphonix and this is what it looks and sounds like now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6WYGqbmM9A
Jim at Sciphonix has built this to a standard that I could only imagine. Had it installed in my Ironside Dalek and at the last event I was told to turn it down as it was drowning out everything else!

 

[tkt]

I'm planning to build an "Ironside" Dalek as seen in the recent Doctor Who episode "Victory Of The Daleks". This is going to be on a very tight budget and after searching through different Dalek voice generators, including the Mooger Frooger system, I thought I'd build my own.

There's various schematics around the web including some very complicated systems, but I thought I'd try the simple "2 transformers 4 diodes" systems which is probably what the BBC Radiophonics workshop used originally anyway:

Here's a video I've done explaining the set-up and doing a quick test:
YouTube - Dalek voice ring modulator

After a bit of tweaking and a bit more research, I found the frequencies for the various Dalek stories on the Project Dalek Forum. So here's me trying out the various frequencies:
YouTube - Dalek voice modulator frequency test

Have to say, my favorite setting so far is the 14.5 Hz from Destiny of the Daleks.

Nice I've tried the jaycar one which I found in the shed after loosing it for 4 years, never got it going, on you post I dont see a list of parts or a instruction how too, care to share.

is it a Center-tapped RF transformer or pulse transformer. and what Diodes are they. wouldn't mind giving this one a shot too