Alvino Rey - how'd he do it?

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 16 Apr 2003 1:40 pm

How did Alvino Rey make the guitar 'talk'. It's rumored he never revealed his secret, but it involved his wife singing into the mic attached to the guitar. There were no Heil Talk Box's then right? Can someone explain?

cheers,
Chris

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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon"
www.book-em-danno.com

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 16 Apr 2003 1:50 pm

Mirrors!

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 16 Apr 2003 1:56 pm

ain't the web great - I just found this

"The vocoder (Voice Operated ReCorDER) combines two audio sources by imposing the dynamic frequency spectrum of one onto the other. The most common vocoder effect, a "talking" musical instrument made by superimposing human vocal utterances onto an instrument's audio, was first attained by a device called a "talk box", where audio from the instrument was piped, usually by a tube or neck-mounted speaker, into the player's mouth, where it could be enunciated and picked up by a microphone. Steel guitarist Alvino Rey used a 1939 talkbox called the Sonavox to create his early "talking steel" hits. "

Anybody remember a device called the Sonavox??

Chris

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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon"
www.book-em-danno.com

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 16 Apr 2003 4:36 pm

I remember Alvino's "talk box" and watched him use it once at the Iriquois Gardens in Louisville Kentucky. He used a small transducer (something like a speaker) on the side of his throat and sometimes hidden by his collar. I didn't know it had a name though (i.e., Sonavox)

Doug Seymour · Post by **Doug Seymour** » 16 Apr 2003 5:37 pm

I knew that name, but had forgotten it till now! He was one of the first ped steel players I heard growing up. My older brother,
Bob Seymour (Bobbe's Dad) was into big band
stuff & i think that's how I got to hear Alvino. I saw him a Chautauqua NY once with the King family when they had the TV show & I
thought he only used a thumb pick?? Is that right, Al?? Al Marcus from MI was an Alvino fan as I recall.

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 16 Apr 2003 6:35 pm

Right Doug: He used (uses) a thumbpick and strums those big chords. He, at one time, attempted to get into fast-finger technique styles, but decided that was not his bag. I talked to Alan Oldfield, his chief arranger, recently, and he said that in spite of his very fast guitar playing, he never got into it on steel. Alvino also plays finger-style nylon (Classical) guitar, and has made many appearances with symphonies as a solosist. With such great technique, one wonders why he did not apply it to the steel--probably did not have time with all his assignments and engagements. He studied Classical guitar in Spain with the great Segovia: Need I say more. Alvino will be 95 this year and still doing well; he pledged his orchestral library to the Univ. of Utah, but continues to play and record. As some of you may know, my present album, when finished, will be A Tribute to Alvino Rey. His name was translated into Spanish early in his career: Alvin McBurney--Sp. for Alvin is Alvino. The King sisters took their name from their father whose middle name was King. King in Sp = Rey. A few weeks ago, Alvino sent me some tapes which he rejected because of bad engineering and/or bad vocals. I plan to re-hash some of them and write new arrangements for my album. ....Hugh

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 16 Apr 2003 9:04 pm

That's right Doug, he used his guitar flat pick. As Doc, says he liked those big fat strum chords and I do too. He turned me on to chord style playing back in about 1937. And , thanks for the input, Dr.Hugh, no slouch yourself. Alvino was a great classical guitarist and he loved it.

Imagine that! Then he showed us the way to playing E6th modern chord style pedal steel.

He used some kind of mic or throat mike for the talking bit. If I remember when I saw him back in 1938, Yvonne King was backstage using the throat mic to pick up the vibrations , then running it through his steel. If I remember she said it made her throat a little sore.
He was an electronics expert and a ham radio hobbyist. Ask Reece Anderson, Buddy Emmons or (Curly Chalker), if they ever
were influenced by him. Quit a lot of talent, I would say.......al

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 16 April 2003 at 10:09 PM.]

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 17 Apr 2003 8:04 am

: Alvin McBurney--Sp. for Alvin is Alvino. The King sisters took their name from their father whose middle name was King. King in Sp = Rey

The German translation for Alvin is "Friend of" and Rey in Spanish is"King". So his name means "Friend of Kings". I always thought that was clever for someone working with the King Family.
I worked in a music store after high school, in Camarillo CA, when Alvino was living there and his son was one of the guitar teachers at the store. They had allot of his old Fender guitars on consignment for awhile. Some of those Jazzmasters from the early '60 with the bright paint jobs on the bodies and pegheads. I think they had about six or seven different ones at the time. The worse thing about it was that I was the banjo instructor at the store, and that's all I did at the time, and could care less about some electric guitars. If I had known then what I know now, I would have bought a couple of those guitars.

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 17 Apr 2003 2:24 pm

Alvino is also a good banjo player (as is Chuck Wayne--the original guitarist with the Geo. Shearing Quintet). Several months ago I contacted Don Hewette and asked him to do a piece on Alvino Rey during his "60 Minutes" magazine show. Well, Don is "retired" now, so I suppose my idea was trashed in favor of something more sensational whatever that word might mean today. --HJ

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 18 Apr 2003 10:44 am

Thanks gents - for sharing your wonderful memories in information.
cheers,
chris

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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon"
www.book-em-danno.com

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 18 Apr 2003 6:44 pm

Being over 20 as I am, I used to watch Alvino in the Bay Area in the early 50s and I also saw a demo of the talking guitar using two small speakers about the size of head phones placed on the throat backstage in front of a mike and PRESTO, it talked.

Terry McBurney · Post by **Terry McBurney** » 19 Apr 2003 5:22 am

As as recent entry into the "world of steel", I continue to be fascinated, intrigued, and pleasantly proud to share in the music and friendships this step in 'later' life has afforded.

So many names to learn and so many rich personalities to enjoy...and so much education.

A common thread that seems to run very deeply is a story of dedication and desire that continues to enrich the beginner and the "professional" alike. The ability to make music, regardless of the level that one's own personal ability allows, is a privilege.

Thanks to Bobby Lee and his effort to provide a well-run format that encourages topics of value.

Alvino Rey...McBurney...what a treat it would be to meet him...and to listen to history.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 19 Apr 2003 8:21 pm

Here's a great picture of Mr. Rey.[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 19 April 2003 at 09:21 PM.]

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 20 Apr 2003 7:23 am

Thanx for the Pic Brad
now what kinda Gibson is that ?

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Steel what?

Paul Warnik · Post by **Paul Warnik** » 22 Apr 2003 6:06 am

That is a very fine picture-Rare looking Gibson-if it does not have a "E-H" model type designation perhaps it is a prototype of the Console Grande???

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 23 Apr 2003 9:55 am

That wasn't the guitar he played at the time. I saw him in person and watched him all night and he originally had a Gibson Console Grande on a vibe pipe stand with wheels. He also in 1938 , was experimenting with pedals as on the right side he had a couple of wires hanging down with tiny pedals on them.
The next time I saw him was "battle of the bands" with Charlie Barnett , a jazzy band in cleveland, Charlie had a good jazzy band, but Alvino's was equal to the taks. He had his Gibson Electra -Harp on that trip . That was on like of vibe stand with wheels too.
It had a big tin cover over it for shipping.

I watched him all night, stood right by him, it was the Pre-War Electra-harp, with a changer similiar to the Multi-Kord which came out later, of which only 7 were made according to ted McCarty ,Pres: of Gibson. I got one too, of course , I had to have one to copy all the stuff Alvino did.

I played all his solos, "On the Alamo, "St.Louis blues","Rose Room", "Hindustan", "Mama blues","Tiger Rag",
These were some of his big hits, and so many more. We made it talk with the big tone control on the top on "Mama Blues".
Just think how long ago that was? BE, Reece and Curly were about 2 or 3 years old when Alvino was Pushing Pedals. ....al