Vocals Sounding Muddy, Help

[The Engineer]

I do a eq cut off on my preamp from 60, then it sounds tiny. When I record normally my vocals tend to sound muddy and real close up, even though I'm not spitting that close to the mic, maybe 6 inches or so.

Equipment:
AT4040
E-mu 1212m soundcard
Roland MMP-2 preamp
Closet 4X5X8 covered with 2" acoustic foam


Any help on this, I'd really appreciate it.

[Dogman]

Engineer, I have the same mic, and have had a bit better luck turning the pre up, and moving back maybe 12-18". But I am loud. I also use a RNC compressor, to tame some of my loudness. I still have to eq a bit on the pc when done recording, and it by no means is great, but at least now my voice isn't really thin.

Hope this helps a bit.
Ed

[The Engineer]

Well If I stand back it sounds weird, because my booth isn't acoustically treated, when I stand back my vocals sound "boxy." So I have to stay pretty close for it to sound good, just don't know where the muddiness is coming from.

[chessrock]

Originally Posted by The Engineer

Well If I stand back it sounds weird, because my booth isn't acoustically treated, when I stand back my vocals sound "boxy."

Very likely due to the fact that you're singing in a box, basically. Honestly, looking at a typical vocal booth ... isn't it just basically a big, rectangular box-like object? Is it really surprizing that things sound "boxy" inside that box?

[The Engineer]

True, well actually it was my friends voice who's was sounding muddy, I recorded some stuff yesterday and it sounded fine, although is there anything to fix that boxy sound? I know studios that have the same size booth as mine, but theirs was professionally made, and they're don't sound boxy, I don't know what to do about it, but any help is appreciated.

[chessrock]

Originally Posted by The Engineer

is there anything to fix that boxy sound?

Stand closer to the mic.

[FALKEN]

cutting up to 60 should have almost zero audible effect. you should be able to cut up to 250. maybe cut 12 db. I always use low cut on vocals.

[giraffe]

250

don't think i've ever gone that far

[AlexW]

If it makes it sound better, do it.

[ecktronic]

Try recording in an average room in a house with a carpet and no tiling etc.
Sing up very close to the mic, almost eating it! and compress it on the way in to ensure a good level. Try attack of 5ms and release of 50ms,with ratio of about 2.5:1 and play bout with the threshold to get a decent level.
Or you could use a limiter or hard compressor. Watch when using the later two though as your vocals might end up sounding unnaturally dynamically changed, and there isnt anything you can do about that once its recorded like that.

[The Engineer]

When I use a lo-cut on my preamp my vocals sound robotic and very thin/tiny. I just use a lo-cut on my mic, that's it.

ecktronic my open room has a more natural sound, kind of a big reverb though, but actually not that bad. lol

Thanks everybody

[Clit Torres]

Hey Engineer, check your pm's.

[ecktronic]

The engineer, this type of room could be contirbuting towards your muddiness if it isnt the mic or the pre amp. I have always found that getting any room reverb in a vocal recording makes it sound muddy. I tried a really nice Neumann mic for vocals once, but it was too sensitive and picked up all ambience in the room, so i used an NT2 and got 100 times the results! Sometimes price isnt everything in getting a good recording.

[The Engineer]

Well the open room has a reverb, not my booth. It was the guys voice I suppose, cause only his voice sounds muddy on my mic.

Thanks for help everybody.

Torres I'll check my pm's too.