vocal recording technique using speakers instead of headphones

M

marciuxaz

New member
Hi everybody, recently i found this technique. the main idea is that you need to set up vocal microphone and put a pair of small monitors about three feet on either side of the microphone.Then using a tape you need to measure distance between speakers and microphone to ensure that they are equidistant. Next, you need to place the speakers 90 degrees off axis and point them directly at the microphone. Then, you need to ensure that backing track coming out of both speakers is on mono and polarity on one of the speakers must be reversed. The vocalist will hear the speakers, due to the distance between his or her ears, but the speaker output will be 180 degrees out of phase at the microphone capsule.

I would like to know more about it. does anybody tried this technique and if so, does sound differ much from vocal recorded using headphones? what are the difference and what are pros and cons of this technique?

P.S. I apologize for my crappy English.
 
What I like to do sometimes is use a cardioid dynamic like the SM7b and have the monitors fire at the null side of the mic. Running one monitor out of phase can make the bleed from the monitors cancel each other but I don't bother with it. The bleed is usually down around 50 dB or so since you pretty much need to get right on top of that mic.

It works good if that type of mic sounds good on the vocal. It eliminates the need to use headphones, which can make it difficult to get a good vocal performance. The balance of the vocalist to the backing tracks needs to be almost perfect for headphones to work and if it's not I find myself singing out of pitch and struggling to get the right vibe to the track. Using monitors instead of headphones eliminates this problem and while there is some bleed it's so minimal it's not really a factor.

Where it wouldn't work so good is if you wanted to use a mic that has more reach or detail like a condensor or ribbon at more of a distance from the vocalist. The mic will pick up more bleed. If using headphones for isolation in a case like that the balance has to be very good. I also find what helps a lot is cupping one side of the headphones to one ear and leaving the other in open air. It allows me to hear what I'm doing properly so the performance is much easier.
 
Yeah...it's not going to be 100% cancellation from the speakers....but people have used it when the singer is just totally against the use of headphones.

I think it's more about some singers feeling they are "in a can" with headphones, and that their voice sounds different because of the headphone isolation.
I would say....get over it, and get use to headphones, because in the end, it's simpler, safer, and provides the best track isolation, which can be a an issue later on when editing/mixing.

One alternative trick is to use a "DJ" approach...and just have the ear cup on one ear, and that way the singer gets to hear their own voice more naturally. Just use headphones with really good isolation, since you'll need to crank up the cue mix a little louder for that one ear cup, and you don't want that also bleeding into the vocal mic.

And as already said....with speakers, you'll have to be more on top of the mic....so if you need to do something more subtle and more "airy" with the vocal, the sound from the speakers will get into the mic....but by all means, you should try it out for yourself and see if it meets your needs.
 
I have one really stupid question to ask: is word "bleed" correct for using or is there some other correct term to describe it? And also, can this technique be described as "unconventional"?
 
I occasionally use the technique with monitors, but it only really works at the bottom end. The fact that the singer can hear the monitors shows how poor the cancellation is. It reduces the spill (that's what I'd call it) but if you want a clean vocal you can treat and tweak, I'd not bother in the studio. Far too much spill to be able to pitch correct or play with!
 
I was reading a thread on this very subject on another forum just the other day. Seems that there are some rather famous hits that have been recorded in a similar manner. The method described in the other thread was recording the vocalist singer his/her track, then on a separate track recording another track with just the music, no vocals, then reversing the polarity on that track, and summing the two tracks together. So in short, yes I've heard of it, and it seems to be more common than you would think.
 
I have tried it the way Chipster described. I read it might help if the singer has tuning problems. It works fine, but I prefer headphones.
 
Gimme back mah
images
Hiddphonz !
 
Both the two speakers out of phase and the one speaker with playback on a second track out of phase work fine. The thing you have to watch out for is you can't move the mic or the speaker at all, once you set them.
If the two soeakers out of ohase doesn't work perfectly, you either don't have the speakers set right (by volume or distance or angle) or you hqve a 'live' room and the bleed is coming from the reflections.

By the way, bleed is ambience that you don't want. Ambience is bleed that you do want.
 
The technique is called "Out of phase foldback" and dates back to at least the 1970s!

I have an AES journal somewhere that gives chapter and verse. Shows how you can make "cardiod" and "fig 8" speaker systems to avoid spill in specific area. The speakers have to be very good mind and well matched and, as has been said, the process breaks down a bit with increasing frequency.

I shall see if I can dig out the relevant tome!

Dave.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top