Warming vocal

dsealer

New member
I'd like to make my vocal warmer, not so harsh. Here's my setup up.
TLM 03 / Art Pro pre / DBX processor / X Air 18 mixer[SUP][/SUP] / DAW Reaper.

Looking to make the vocals warmer.
Thanks,
Don.....
 
Get a different mic, pre, compressor and interface. I'm not a fan of any of them and have used them all in the past.
I'm sure everyone will pile on with eq suggestion etc etc etc for what you have so YMMV in advance.
 
My friend has an AKG XLS - now that has warmth. Run it through a Focusrite pre. I have to trim a lot off the bottom end to mix it.
 
Love the way you guys roll in with "spend money, lots of money",
And "you bought dud gear".

Hardly any helpo to someone who has what they have. SHeesh.
 
Love the way you guys roll in with "spend money, lots of money",
And "you bought dud gear".

Hardly any helpo to someone who has what they have. SHeesh.

Well, not quite. The TLM 103 is not exactly a budget mike, and an Oktava mk 219 is not exactly top shelf.

and someone saying they don't particularly like the OP's selection of gear means nothing except the person doesn't like it.

However, I do agree that it would be useful to give the OP clues about what to do with what they have. That's what I would assume the OP was asking, but it can be equally assumed that the OP was asking for alternative to the gear he had.
 
Thanks for the replies I guess. Buying all new gear is out of the question. I'm retired and spending lots of money on new equipment is not in the budget. Some of my guitars are almost 40 years old. The TLM, pre amp and processor are more than 15 years old. I was hoping for suggestions that focused on EQ settings, gear setting, mic positioning, and overall approach. I have methods that I've used in the past. I thought I might get some different ideas in these areas. It seems to me that the TLM sounds different going into the Xair 18 and Reaper than it did going through the VS 1680, even though I'm using the same outboard equipment.
Don.....
 
Since you're using Reaper, I wonder if a plugin might achieve a bit of 'warmth' (?)

Google search for 'vst plugin warming'

What is the dbx processor you have in the chain? Guessing a compressor(?)
 
Yes it's a compressor
Thanks, I'll check Reaper. I just started using Reaper about 2 months ago, but I'll see what it has to offer.
Don.....
 
Thanks for the replies I guess. Buying all new gear is out of the question. I'm retired and spending lots of money on new equipment is not in the budget. Some of my guitars are almost 40 years old. The TLM, pre amp and processor are more than 15 years old. I was hoping for suggestions that focused on EQ settings, gear setting, mic positioning, and overall approach. I have methods that I've used in the past. I thought I might get some different ideas in these areas. It seems to me that the TLM sounds different going into the Xair 18 and Reaper than it did going through the VS 1680, even though I'm using the same outboard equipment.
Don.....


EQ is EQ. There's little I can tell you that you can't figure out better,
but in the past I have run a duplicate/parallel of my track, aggressively eqd (usually highs down), and heavily compressed it.

That, alone, sounds squashed and dull, of course, but dialling it in with the original can beef things up nicely.
Also, you might play with mic placement, particularly rotating the mic so it's off-axis slightly.

Pop the headphones on and experiment. Whether it's acoustic or amp you can get a huge range of tone just from minute adjustments in position (L,R,U,D) and axis rotation. :)
For vocal the axis thing can be useful but, also, the difference between putting the mic forehead height and pointing down, compared to chin height pointed up, can be huge!
 
About everything I record is 45-deg off-axis - usually pointing towards the carpet. Tape and tubes, stock plugs, and I can stick a mixer up front, etc.. I've only got 2) LDC and one deserves EQ up front. I'm not often tempted to put my voice in front of a LDC : )
 
I'd like to make my vocal warmer, not so harsh. Here's my setup up.
TLM 03 / Art Pro pre / DBX processor / X Air 18 mixer[SUP][/SUP] / DAW Reaper.

Looking to make the vocals warmer.
Thanks,
Don.....

whats an example you have of warm? Adele is warm imo, Ballad R&B warm, LEtItBe-atles is warm....elvis singing white christmas is warm.....

hounddog, twistnshout and many others not so warm?

this tune is warm male vocal- with some pop

MXL 990 mic
1176 blackface

hit the top of billboard...great example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa5Mawz92xU
 
hahah. I thought I had forgotten that song. haha.I happened upon some plug tutorial the other day and the tutorial warmth was irritating. Downright heavy. I checked my tone controls
 
maybe you tried forgetting it.
its one of the few off the top of my head I knew the mic and compressor for.

warm..... now theres a word I havent been able to use.

"tube warmth" said the marketing man.
 
Thanks for the replies I guess. Buying all new gear is out of the question. I'm retired and spending lots of money on new equipment is not in the budget. Some of my guitars are almost 40 years old. The TLM, pre amp and processor are more than 15 years old. I was hoping for suggestions that focused on EQ settings, gear setting, mic positioning, and overall approach. I have methods that I've used in the past. I thought I might get some different ideas in these areas. It seems to me that the TLM sounds different going into the Xair 18 and Reaper than it did going through the VS 1680, even though I'm using the same outboard equipment.
Don.....
I'd like to make my vocal warmer, not so harsh.
:)
When I first saw this thread was tempted to say something flippant like 'Low Pass filter?'.
Then figured 'nah, he's prolly looking for the 'new gear solution :D

Maybe the best course would to narrow it down and get into specifics -real world'. Post an example.
Then we can go 'this is what I have', 'and what I've done to get to this specific place'. Then talk cause and solution. Much better than tossing around random 'warm-how to?'
 
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