What does vocoder mean in the musical terms?

Vocoder is short for 'voltage-controlled coder'. It is an electronic device or computer program that analyzes and modifies the formants (vowel sounds) of a sound sample by using a carrier signal to modulate them.

This creates a robotic, synthetic sound that can be used to disguise voices or create special effects. Vocoders were originally used in the 1950s in military communications, but they quickly found their way into the world of music.

Pioneers like Wendy Carlos, Kraftwerk, and Jean-Michel Jarre incorporated vocoders into their electronic music compositions to generate otherworldly textures and futuristic sounds. Vocoders became the hallmark of Synth-pop during the eighties. Classic examples include Daft Punk, Air, Fatboy Slim, and many more.