I am looking for A mic that will work well with my voice. It has a very strange property to it and always sounds muddy. I always have to have my mic turned up hotter than other peoples to have my voice heard over others. I've considered an NT-1a. I probably need something that is not dark sounding- my voice is dark enough already. Any suggestions? Maybe I will post a clip in a couple days when I get a chance.
My voice is impossible to eq
- Thread starter gtar02
- Start date
slobbermonster
New member
are you talking live or for recording?
mshilarious
Banned
What mics have you tried?
I think you should be open-minded about 'dark' sounding mics as the problem with your voice might be the quality of the mids, not the amount. Thus the solution might be a mic to clean up the mids, not add highs to muddy mids.
If you've used something like the typical SM58, try a Beyer M88 instead. That will work for live too.
I think you should be open-minded about 'dark' sounding mics as the problem with your voice might be the quality of the mids, not the amount. Thus the solution might be a mic to clean up the mids, not add highs to muddy mids.
If you've used something like the typical SM58, try a Beyer M88 instead. That will work for live too.
I have tried micing my voice with a 58, and than place a small condensor (Oktava 012)a few inches back and above it. It keeps the plosives from being as prominent for the condenser, and I can a/b them. I keep the one I like the best. I have had more success with this technique on other people's voices than my own, although the oktava does sound a little better. I also have an ev pl-80, which I haven't tried because it has a darker character, but I could give it a try. I don't know why I haven't yet
justharold
New member
You really need to try some mics out to know for sure. What type of mics have you tried (both live and studio)?
Here are some of my suggestions, though...
Live: 1) Shure Beta 87 - It is not the loudest mic in the world, but it seems to cut thru a mix quite well. It is a condenser mic and will require phantom power. (2) Sennheiser E855 - The Sennheiser stuff ROCKS. I own several (though not the E855's). I do own the E865 (which is the condeser in the line) and it is a great mic. The reason, however, that I suggest the E855 instead is because it is supposed to have more of a high-mid boost.
Studio:
This might be a little harder to recommend without you hearing them. Also, you could end up spending a MINT! The NT1A isn't a bad choice, though it tends to sound a little "metallic". Another possibilty would be a Studio Projects C1. The ones that I have used that seem to work well on muddy vocals, however, cost a bit more. Like the Nuemann TLM103, the Shure KSM44 and the AKG C414 B-ULS. The Shure and the AKG especially have a tightness to their low-ends that are full without the mud. The Neumann, however, seems to be more mid-rangy (in a good way, to my voice).
Another thing to consider (and I do not know what you have now) would be your pre amp. I recently upgraded my pre's. It has made a WORLD of difference. I don't have to eg anywhere near as much as I did to get rid of the "mud" (200-300Hz range).
Here are some of my suggestions, though...
Live: 1) Shure Beta 87 - It is not the loudest mic in the world, but it seems to cut thru a mix quite well. It is a condenser mic and will require phantom power. (2) Sennheiser E855 - The Sennheiser stuff ROCKS. I own several (though not the E855's). I do own the E865 (which is the condeser in the line) and it is a great mic. The reason, however, that I suggest the E855 instead is because it is supposed to have more of a high-mid boost.
Studio:
This might be a little harder to recommend without you hearing them. Also, you could end up spending a MINT! The NT1A isn't a bad choice, though it tends to sound a little "metallic". Another possibilty would be a Studio Projects C1. The ones that I have used that seem to work well on muddy vocals, however, cost a bit more. Like the Nuemann TLM103, the Shure KSM44 and the AKG C414 B-ULS. The Shure and the AKG especially have a tightness to their low-ends that are full without the mud. The Neumann, however, seems to be more mid-rangy (in a good way, to my voice).
Another thing to consider (and I do not know what you have now) would be your pre amp. I recently upgraded my pre's. It has made a WORLD of difference. I don't have to eg anywhere near as much as I did to get rid of the "mud" (200-300Hz range).
Basically what I have listed is what I tried. 58/57s do okay. I tried a beta 58 and it was worse. I've tried the oktava mk 012's, which are somewhat better, and that's about it. I need to try the pl-80 I have. I'm planning on getting a LDC mic sometime in the future, when I get a chance to see what fits my voice.
justharold
New member
The Beta 87 sounds nothing like the Beta 58. Since it is a condenser, it does not have the same proximity effect, etc. as the 58 which could definitely muddy up your sound.
Roll off the lows and then adjust the gain to hit unity again. That will get rid of excessive "warmth" and "mud".
As a general rule, roll off lows to make things stick out, and roll off highs to bury them.. if you do this, and then group vocals into a compressor, you'll get great results with very little gear.
As a general rule, roll off lows to make things stick out, and roll off highs to bury them.. if you do this, and then group vocals into a compressor, you'll get great results with very little gear.
Arif Driessen
New member
Don't get lost in a world of options. Remeber what's at heart at the recording... The Performer. It may sound good to you, from within your own body, but If there's nothing obviously wrong in the recording chain, get used to the fact you just have a muddy sound. Try recording as pure as you can. I.e. no EQ, no hardware effects or compression. Once in the computer, take a short break and come at task with fresh ears.
A typical method for finding out problematic resonances is to use a parametric EQ with gain to full, and scan across the spectrum untill you find this 'muddy' sound at it's worst. Now bring down the gain, and cut away this frequency, only use as much cut as you need, using any more can harm the sound and reduce the Q untill this muddy sound starts making a reappearance. Only deal with one EQ at a time as again, don't get lost in a world of options! In the music tech world there really are a fair few!
A typical method for finding out problematic resonances is to use a parametric EQ with gain to full, and scan across the spectrum untill you find this 'muddy' sound at it's worst. Now bring down the gain, and cut away this frequency, only use as much cut as you need, using any more can harm the sound and reduce the Q untill this muddy sound starts making a reappearance. Only deal with one EQ at a time as again, don't get lost in a world of options! In the music tech world there really are a fair few!
OneArmedScissor
New member
tallman said:
Yup. That's why it's always good to screw with the EQ on stuff when you are listening to the whole mix, maybe even if you think it sounds "perfect" as-is. There's no telling how it will sound in the mix unless it is being done in the mix, and that the mix is really all that matters in the end.