Vocal Micro Booth

audiojacked

New member
Hello forum,
We are recording vocals and I had an old mic. Everything sounded fine, maybe a bit bassy on the vocal (heavy rock) and popping a lot so thought I would treat myself to a new vocal mic. New mic is a cardioid condenser mic. (I have since read posts suggesting this is probably not my best choice!)
Now suddenly the mic is such good quality it is picking up the room sounds. Wooden floor. Nothing on the walls or ceiling. Very live.
I have purchased some acoustic tiles and making a small vocal booth. Testing this weekend. I have read many posts on here. Lots of people love the live room sound, but once the vocals are compressed it really takes them out the mix.

Any tips or tricks very welcome.
 
Hi audiojacked,
Distance from the microphone is probably the important variable.
If you sing even a few inches further away from a microphone than you did before then background noise and reflections from the room will be much louder relative to your voice.
That's like the difference between talking to someone across a crowded room, or going over and whispering in their ear.
Unfortunately condenser microphones are much easier to upset with airblasts/plosives, so working up close isn't always easy.

It may also be that your new microphone has much better high frequency response. You could experiment with a low pass filter to prove the theory, if you like.

If that's the case then treating the room or altering your position within the room might be necessary.
For example, try recording with an area of dense materials over your shoulders (wardrobe/closet/bookshelf), rather than a bare plastered wall.

If none of these is helpful, an alternative might be to return/sell your mic and pick up a decent dynamic.
Whether it's a cheap and cheerful 58 or something like an re20/sm7b, it might be better suited.

If treating the room is an option have a read in our studio building section.
Lots of people buy rockwool or similar and make 4'x2'x4" panels.
Whether they're fixed+mounted or portable is up to you. I have four portable ones here that I bring out when I need them.
 
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Long cable, record in a [clothes] closet. If you can't find an isolated space, make sure the cardioid pattern is being used to the best it can by orienting it so the bulk of noises are coming from behind it, and close-mic as much as possible with a good pop filter (or 2!). A small booth with a couple panels doesn't sound promising, TBH, but there's a thread here about a guy that built an fairly soundproof *small*, free-standing booth. Don't know if he posted any recordings though.

Ooops, overlapped [MENTION=43272]Steenamaroo[/MENTION]'s post. Yeah, what he said.
 
Thanks for the tips. Really appreciate it.
I'm going to give it a test tomorrow. I just recorded back to back spoken words with the same level of compression we use in and out of the 'micro booth' and I am very happy with the change.
 
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