Recording vocals ????

[NikLEye]

Using an audio-technica 3035 condenser mic and wondering if anyone with xperience could tell me if you get a better vocal sound by making the input hot and getting space between you and the mic or getting closer to the mic and lowering the input ? Using and Edirol UA-5 to interface with the sound card so I have control over both situations???

[chessparov]

That's a classic "it depends" kind of question.

Sometimes you want the vocalist to be up front to get a more intimate sounding performance. General advice from the "pros", however, seems to be around 8 to 10 inches away in a good sounding room would be a starting point on most LD condensers.

If you have a vocalist who tends to be a "blaster" (like me!) it's better to have them far enough away from the microphone to avoid "pops", breath noises, sibilance, whatever...

Chris

[Richard Monroe]

As Chessparov said, that depends. Vocal mics usually are directional, and therefore have proximity effect, which boosts bass on signals that are very close to the mic. This can be good or bad. My voice has a lot of highs, and lacks a good bass floor. To compensate for this, I've been close mic'ing myself with a B.L.U.E. Kiwi at about 3", using 2 pop filters to control 'plosives.
Other mics, like C-3, I back off to the traditional 8-12", because it really sucks on my voice up close. To tell you the truth, I was having trouble getting the sound I wanted out of the KIWI until I got right on top of it, and it just came out of hiding.-Richie