mix feedback (rap vocals)

[Physical Ill]

I've been using doubling/stacking or whatever on my vocals for a thicker sound, but it still seems kinda...off. I basically make 1 main track with compression/EQ, and 2 back tracks panned left/right with heavy compression/EQ. What are some other things I can do with the back tracks? Here's where I'm at with mixing now:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/595460234f2a1d9f/

[LouieV702]

Originally Posted by Physical Ill

I've been using doubling/stacking or whatever on my vocals for a thicker sound, but it still seems kinda...off. I basically make 1 main track with compression/EQ, and 2 back tracks panned left/right with heavy compression/EQ. What are some other things I can do with the back tracks? Here's where I'm at with mixing now:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/595460234f2a1d9f/

I do my own mixing in rap and hip-hop and to me first, you need to align your adlibs (back tracks as you explained), that's your first problem. Make sure you are putting reverb on the the main verse and adlibs from the same aux track therefore it sounds the same and thicker....just my 2 cents!

[killthepixelnow]

If you want your vocal sound thicker try... singing thicker. It's a matter of technique, not plugins or digital editing. You guys re being really lazy, relying on software plugins and stuff like harmonizers. Look at this picture:



Seventeen vocals tracks. The guy who record that shit is no less than Freddie Mercury for the song Bohemian Rhapsody. No digital duplication, no octaver, pure analog stuff. So, next time you're tempted to be lazy and duplicate your track, think about this wonderful song and how Queen achieved that sound with HARD work.

Now, to your song... let's see...
Problem is you're experimenting some kind of delay so your vocals sound weird. If you want to reinforce your lead pan your bG vocals like 11 and 1 o clock' with a pinch of reverb. I noticed you abused the digital verb too. The goal is to make it sound natural, not overprocessed. Try running a de-esser on your track to remove the sibilance. And don't overuse it.

Good luck.

[Physical Ill]

Alright so I tried it differently this time...I tried to make it more subtle. Check the first two songs on http://www.myspace.com/philbridgez

[LouieV702]

Originally Posted by Physical Ill

Alright so I tried it differently this time...I tried to make it more subtle. Check the first two songs on http://www.myspace.com/philbridgez

mixing was more audible to listen too and I see you fixed your adlibs there!
but personally bro, honest criticism, you need to work on your delivery of the flow, and put more rhythm (or what we call SWAG) into your rhymes. And also it sounds to me like your just reading off your notebook when your spitting. You need to train yourself to remember not all but atleast part of your verses and trust me when it's time to record them, it will come out better! Just practice spitting your verses without recording until your sick of saying your own rhymes than that's when it's time to record! Good luck man and keep up the good Music!

[LouieV702]

Originally Posted by killthepixelnow

If you want your vocal sound thicker try... singing thicker. It's a matter of technique, not plugins or digital editing. You guys re being really lazy, relying on software plugins and stuff like harmonizers. Look at this picture:



Seventeen vocals tracks. The guy who record that shit is no less than Freddie Mercury for the song Bohemian Rhapsody. No digital duplication, no octaver, pure analog stuff. So, next time you're tempted to be lazy and duplicate your track, think about this wonderful song and how Queen achieved that sound with HARD work.

Now, to your song... let's see...
Problem is you're experimenting some kind of delay so your vocals sound weird. If you want to reinforce your lead pan your bG vocals like 11 and 1 o clock' with a pinch of reverb. I noticed you abused the digital verb too. The goal is to make it sound natural, not overprocessed. Try running a de-esser on your track to remove the sibilance. And don't overuse it.

Good luck.

This is all very true, but has nothing to do with rap vocals, sorry! Most of the time you have a Main Verse track, than a left pan adlib track, and a right pan adlib track. Not duplications of the main verse track, and maybe a hype track in the background. That's it when it comes to rap music! I mean some rap artist do dubb there verses sometimes but it's rarely heard! And I know your point is hard work creates good music, but this guy does not need a Queen reference song right now, he needs practice on delivery and emotion!

[Mart[1001]]

Originally Posted by LouieV702

And I know your point is hard work creates good music, but this guy does not need a Queen reference song right now, he needs practice on delivery and emotion!

Yep...I felt the same as Louie. Always been a fan of rap/hiphop mostly 90's and mostly NWA stuff but know nothing about the production or performance side but I agree that your rap needs slight improvements in the delivery and punch Physical Ill but that's not to put it down dude cause the potential is definately there, if it wasn't, I would just say 'yea...sounds ok' but your rap is better than ok, you just gotta learn more about the productive side so keep with it.

As for the beats...do you write your own ? cause I just love that music, it's exciting and full of emotion.

You're on to a good thing mate...keep at it...

Mart.

[Physical Ill]

I didn't make the beat for the song I put on zShare, but I made the other one (the second one on the myspace page). Although I sampled so I don't take credit for like...playing everything.

And yeah I wasn't too emotional on the track I posted, I agree but it wasn't meant to be one of my more emotional ones.

[RD423]

Just like the others said, You just mainly need 2 work on your delivery because like the other said you have potential but I can tell you are reading off of your paper. So practice, practice, and practice some more before you record. And the beats you are using are nice but they don't "fit" your voice. If you get tracks that fit your voice then it will make the song easier to mix because everything just seems 2 mesh. But also some of that has 2 do with the gear you are using and the setting you have on them.

[Physical Ill]

Alright I deleted a couple of the songs cuz they were old and I kinda forgot about them...

As for the mixing yeah I should upgrade. Right now I just use an AT4040 mic which is good, backed with Auralex Xpanders, but it's just connected to my PC with nothing else...I have no hardware really, and I mix in Acid Pro 6.0.

Anyway are you guys talking about the way I deliver in terms of rhythm, or just emotion? Or both?

[LouieV702]

Originally Posted by Physical Ill

Anyway are you guys talking about the way I deliver in terms of rhythm, or just emotion? Or both?

Delivery is flowing to the beat nice, yeeeah in a way it's rhythm, but more about how you execute your words and making sure they land on time. Carrying some words so they hang just right. Also not speeding up too much to fit a sentence in one bar. That's what I hear from WAT.mp3..Your saying too much and it makes that overall sound amateur. See at first, I used to freestyle and battle kats on stage, but when I hit the studio to record some major shit, I was horrible with timing, pronunciation, emotion, all that. You have to practice your flow, and over time you have a concrete style that you've mastered! Only than it's time to track songs and make albums. Good luck bro!