Cher’s “Believe” isn’t just a chart-topping hit; it’s a sonic landmark, instantly recognizable for its groundbreaking vocal effect. For years, producers and music enthusiasts have dissected the track, eager to understand the secrets behind that unique, almost robotic, yet undeniably human voice. The truth, as revealed by Mark Taylor, the very engineer who sculpted Cher’s vocals, is a fascinating blend of vintage technology, clever experimentation, and a touch of studio magic. Forget autotune rumors; the real story is far more intriguing, rooted in the depths of analogue gear and digital ingenuity.
The journey to create the “Believe” vocal sound began with an unexpected piece of equipment: the Korg VC10. This vintage analogue vocoder, a relic from the 1970s, became the initial playground for sonic exploration. Taylor, a self-confessed gear enthusiast and Sound on Sound magazine reader, was captivated by the VC10’s quirky charm. “It’s a very rare, very groovy-looking analogue vocoder from the ’70s, with a built-in synth, a little keyboard and a microphone stuck on top,” he described, highlighting its immediate appeal for hands-on experimentation.
Alt text: A vintage Korg VC-10 analog vocoder, a 1970s synthesizer with a built-in keyboard and microphone, used in initial experiments for Cher’s “Believe” vocal effect.
While the VC10 sparked the initial concept, its limitations soon became apparent. The built-in synth offered limited sonic flexibility, and the clarity Taylor sought for Cher’s vocals remained elusive. He needed a tool that could deliver the vocoder effect with precision and intelligibility. This led him to the Digitech Talker, a relatively new piece of gear at the time, disguised as a guitar foot pedal.
“I used a Digitech Talker – a reasonably new piece of kit that looks like an old guitar foot pedal, which I suspect is what it was originally designed for,” Taylor explained. This unassuming pedal proved to be the key. Plugging Cher’s microphone directly into the Talker, and using a tone from a Nord Rack synthesizer as the carrier signal, Taylor began to sculpt the signature sound. He sequenced notes from Cubase to control the Nord Rack, ensuring the carrier signal followed Cher’s vocal melody.
This setup was crucial, but the magic truly happened when Taylor intentionally shifted the timing of the Nord Rack’s notes. “For some reason, if you track the vocal melody exactly, with the same notes and timing, you hardly get any audible vocoded effect,” he revealed. By subtly delaying the synth notes in relation to Cher’s vocal, the vocoder effect became pronounced, creating that distinctive “stepped” quality that defines “Believe”. However, it wasn’t a straightforward process. Experimentation was key. “I had to experiment with the timing of each of the notes in the Nord melody sequence to get the best effect,” Taylor admitted, emphasizing the trial-and-error nature of sound design. The effect was also selective; not every vocal passage benefited from the treatment. In some instances, the vocoding made the lyrics incomprehensible.
The solution was strategic application. Taylor meticulously edited the vocoded sections, using them sparingly for maximum impact without sacrificing lyrical clarity. “In the end, we only used vocoded sections where they had the most striking effect, but didn’t make the lyrics unintelligible. To do that, I had to keep the vocoded bits very short.” He provided a specific example: the iconic line “Do you believe in life after love?”. Within this phrase, only the syllables “belie-” and “lo-” were vocoded, yet this subtle touch was enough to create a powerful and memorable hook. Crucially, Taylor ensured that the final word of each vocal phrase remained unprocessed, preventing the effect from becoming overwhelming and maintaining intelligibility.
Beyond the vocoder, “Believe” also features a distinct “telephoney” quality in Cher’s voice, an idea that originated directly from the artist herself. Cher, inspired by a similar effect on a Roachford record, requested Taylor to replicate it. This effect was achieved through filtering, specifically using the Drawmer DS404 gate. “Roachford uses a restricted bandwidth, and filters the vocals heavily so that the top and bottom ends are wound off and the whole vocal is slightly distorted,” Taylor explained. He utilized the filter section of his Drawmer DS404 gate to shape Cher’s vocal tone before it even reached the Digitech Talker, adding another layer of unique character to the sound.
Alt text: A Drawmer DS404 four-channel noise gate, a dynamic processor used to apply a ‘telephoney’ filter effect to Cher’s vocals in “Believe”, restricting bandwidth and adding distortion.
The creation of the “Believe” vocal sound was a solitary and intensive process. Taylor spent hours in the studio, painstakingly processing Cher’s vocals, unsure of how she would react to such a radical transformation of her voice. “Basically, it was the destruction of her voice, so I was really nervous about playing it to her!” he chuckled. His anxieties, however, were quickly dispelled. Cher’s response was immediate and enthusiastic: “it sounds great!”. Her positive reaction validated Taylor’s creative risks and cemented the now-iconic vocal effect in music history.
The rest of the recording process for “Believe” was surprisingly swift. The track was completed in approximately 10 days, and the monitor mix, initially intended for review, became the final version with minimal adjustments. This efficiency highlights the organic and intuitive nature of the production. Taylor’s approach of “adjusting things as I went along and running everything live on the computer” allowed the mix to evolve naturally alongside the creative process. Mastering at Townhouse studios was equally straightforward, requiring only minor tweaks.
Looking back, Taylor cherishes the experience, particularly his collaboration with Cher. He initially anticipated a “Hollywood” persona but found her to be “really great and easy to get on with.” The success of “Believe” catapulted Taylor and the Metro production team into high demand, leading to projects with artists like the Gypsy Kings and Gary Barlow. While the future of their collaboration with Cher remained uncertain at the time of the interview, the impact of “Believe” and its revolutionary vocal sound was undeniable.
“It’s a great song with a fantastic chorus, and the weird vocoder effect on the vocals makes it special,” Taylor concluded, perfectly capturing the essence of why “Believe” continues to resonate with listeners and inspire producers worldwide. The story of “Believe” is a testament to the power of experimentation, the fusion of technology and artistry, and the magic that can happen when creative boundaries are fearlessly pushed.
