Can I get a decent vocal take with a dynamic Mic?

Lucky99

New member
I am into writing fairly lo fi music, sort of like umm..The Beatles, I guess. Wondering if it's possible to get a decent vocal take with a dynamic mic? What else would I need? I've done a few takes and was told the vocals don't really match the music, but I think maybe it's an issue of mixing.
 
People do it all the time and many great [vocal] recordings have been done with a dynamic mic.

Without hearing your mix, it's really impossible to say. If people tell you it's not fitting the music, I don't think a microphone is the first suspect.

Attach an MP3 of your recording (if you can - don't know the rules).
 
I don't really have anything finished yet to send through. What I had played for someone was a very rough cut anyway. What do I need besides a mic though...do I need to place something in front of it? I am not very educated when it comes to tracking vocals. I am more of a guitar player lol.
 
...do I need to place something in front of it?

Your face. :D

Maybe a pop filter...though dynamics are less prone to that than condenser mics.

Of course, the mic then needs to go into a preamp...either on your interface or a standalone pre...depending on the rest of your recording rig.
Oh...and yeah...there are plenty of dynamic mics that get used for vocals by top pros...it's really about matching the mic to the voice, and for some people, dynamic mics rule for their vocals.
Consider that 90% of live band vocals are usually captured with dynamic mics...and the vocal quality is quite good.
 
Don't forget that the Beatles were never lo-fi. Their equipment was state of the art, their engineers amazingly skilled and the only lo-fi part of the chain was the 45rpm record once worn. The transmitter chain was pretty decent too for the time. The remasters show clearly how hi-fi it was, with the distribution chain being responsible for end quality. Sure - early limitations of track count meant mix compromises, but the actual quality level was very high - like those early Buddy Holly recordings, incredible and modern sounding.
 
I'd offer most dynamic (or their 'close design condenser versions), even while they already incorporate screening, can benefit greatly with a decent additional screening.
For one most of them can use the extra filtering. But just as important, you can set it back an inch or two to keep you out of that sometimes (often!) crappy exaggerated proximity irregularities.
Overall, the closer you are to a mic the more small distance mistakes mean big changes in -tone and volume-
Volume' can be a pretty easy fix. Not so much with tone and volume all over the place.
Either a screen a good foam boot -which can also be pulled back a bit to keep us off the ball some.
 
Of course, the mic then needs to go into a preamp...either on your interface or a standalone pre...Consider that 90% of live band vocals are usually captured with dynamic mics...and the vocal quality is quite good.

I am obviously new at starting to take my recordings more seriously. Would the M Audio interface that I have be considered the preamp? I have the M Audio interface and I run the mic through that. I then record in Acid Pro.
 
I'm not sure which model M-Audio interface you have...but if you've been using a mic with it without issue, then it's most likely one that includes mic preamps.
It probably has "Mic/Line" notation on it...which means there is a preamp there, and at most you have to select between Mic or Line...if there's only one input connector per channel. I will assume it's probably a 2-channel interface...?
 
Wondering if it's possible to get a decent vocal take with a dynamic mic?

The guys here are right but it depends which dynamic mic!
If we're talking about a cheap plastic thing that came with a tape player, the answer is probably not, or no.

There's nothing wrong with dynamic mics as a type of microphone, though. I use an sm7b more than anything else I have.
 
There are better dynamic mics out there for vocal but it can be, and has been, done.

I'd get some good pop-filtering with a 57, for sure. It'll need it. :)
 
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It's a Shure SM57.

Just tonight i saw a clip in a documentary where Tom Petty was recording with a 57.

I've recorded lots of vocals with a 57.

Lots of artists have used either 57s or 58s on live shows that were recorded.

Nothing at all wrong with using those mics.
 
Definitely need pop protection on a 57!

The mic is hardly ever the problem, the ROOM is. Almost all "domestic" rooms sound dreadful. At best the general acoustics are poor, at worst you get "flutter echos" .

The solution or reasonable palliative is a rather daft construction involving duvet, blankets and any other soft materials you might have to hand.
You want a 'wall' of softies in front of you, at least to head height (and always stand to sing if you can and have the mic slightly above cake H so you open your throat) . As important is a similar wall behind you to catch the reflections coming back over your shoulder/head and hitting the mic.

How you construct such device I shall leave to your imagination. Tip: Push-together plastic waste pipe.

Do NOT for a millisecond consider a "vocal booth" In fact sing in the biggest room you can.

Dave.
 
thats what got me on the Shure KSM and having a bunch of 57's around and a owned the SM7b...the SM7b imo is worth the money because its got the grill and all that housing/eq built in and the foam comes with it but the SM57 sound is so close and cheaper price. This is where a lot of disagreement/conflict comes is some say "whutta ya mean the dynamics ARE FINE FOR MY VOICE!????" while others are doing some normal to quiet side or even whisper side of the spectrum saying..."my preamp is max'd and has a waterfall sssshhhhhsssss noise with my SM7 something must be wrong?"

The KSM27 and mics with -14mv/pa range are pretty well suited imo. They arent too sensitive to pick up the flys and fans in other rooms, while they arent so de-sensitive to require a bunch of gain....a happy medium, in my closet-crap HR no budget place. ymmv

again, I think if youre a screamingmachine and loud and strong vocals the SM7 /SM58 are tough and work well but for silent, low volume soft normal singing acoustic guitar strumming & wanting hifi sound of acoustic vocal combos LDC..

note: KSM27 is very close to the KSM44 (if you put on a foam pop filter 27 as SOS mentions, my tests were exactly the same, a big difference w foam..wow?!)

but then again...the SM57 might be more directional and cut out the noise of a noisey type room so that works better for you..... I went somewhere in the middle of crap-room and yet not too horrific so a LDC KSM27 is cool and doesnt pick up too much of the dogs barking outside.

Really for $250 you could get a SM57 and a KSM27 used(with $5 pop filter)and roll your own tests...

of course to confuse things more.... the SDC's are very cool mics for crisp and focus...:confused:
 
:)

Just to toss this in..
I go to WindTech for my foam booties'. Great stuff, any size options etc etc.
WindTech Microphone Windscreens

But one from the 'Top 20 search there
8. WindTech PopGard 2000
WindTech PopGard Microphone Pop Screen
Bought a few, looked nice and handy and all but... Not particularly effective. Mainly they mount too close to LDC to be really effective. That and it won't do the option to set the screen for the good min distance you might need.
 
I am into writing fairly lo fi music, sort of like umm..The Beatles, I guess. Wondering if it's possible to get a decent vocal take with a dynamic mic? What else would I need? I've done a few takes and was told the vocals don't really match the music, but I think maybe it's an issue of mixing.

Hell yeah. I'VE gotten great vocals from a share sm 58 and a sennheiser 835. depends on who's singing
 
I have recorded loads of vocals using SM58's in the studio with great results, usually when I am tracking vocals with the band playing in the studio at the same time. One of the live sessions with SM58 vocals was released as bonus tracks on an international album once. Last 3 tracks on this LINK they were in fact demoing songs for the next album live in the studio even using monitor wedges from my PA and loved the energy and live feel so much it ended up on this release. Note the page says country US but in fact it was Australia.

Alan.
 
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