Honesty, please. Help me, help you.

H

HeatSinks

Member
Hi everybody, I'm a recording newbie and I am seeking your advice.

I just made my first attempt at a multitrack recording. I recorded with a Tascam DR-07 (handheld condenser mic/recorder which produced 24 bit .wav files) and did a rough mix using Audacity on a Linux laptop.

I am well aware that I have a sub-par singing voice, but I am eager to learn how I can make my vocal tracks (as well as all the other tracks) sound better, given my limited capabilities as a singer/songwriter/musician, as well as my limited hardware and software. I am not easily offended, so please be honest: What do you recommend I do to these tracks, and what tips do you have for future recordings? My ultimate goal is to learn all I can from you unbiased experts and hobbyists, so don't hold back!

View attachment draft1.mp3
 
Honestly, the best thing you can do to make your vocal tracks better, is to improve in your singing. The most important part of the signal chain is the player. I would rather hear Paul McCartney through a tin can then some amateur with a great recording.
 
Jimmy: I'll give the pop filter and de esser a shot.

Crows: Valid point! I will certainly work on my singing. But you know, a lot of my favorite artists are mediocre singers. I don't expect to ever sound like Paul McCartney, but I know there must be ways to make my vocal tracks a little less grating to listen to.

Interestingly, it seems like the lower-fi the recording, the better I sound. The first 90% of "draft1.mp3" was recorded as multiple tracks, doubled vocals, panned guitars, etc, and I did the best I could to mix it. But I think my vocals sound the least bad in the final verse. That was recorded as a single track, I was in my kitchen, I was several feet away from the mic, and I played the guitar and sang at once.
 
Pop Filter for sure and better vocal technique helps everything. As for De-essers I've always found them to alter the vocal and not in a good way. In place of a de-esser, I just use volume automation to tame the sizzle and harshness. Real sharp volume cut on the offensive parts tames them yet dose not effect the sound of the vocal at all. This might be a bit more work but it is worth it IMO.
 
Last edited:
Yeah it seems so unfair that some people just naturally sing so good and even if they did a recording in one take it's passable. And then other people have to work extremely hard to improve. It's not always easy to find someone to come in who truly has a talent to do that and most of us want to sing our own songs. I think it helps to learn the basics of singing in key, at least. Develop your ear to hear when you're not sounding so great, and sing all day long, every day. Try different styles, try to widen your vocal range, and work your way up to hitting those high and low notes perfectly. Or you can just cheat and sing over and over again until you get it perfect :D
 
I'm listening now. The premise of the song is good. It has lot's of potential. Tele solo near the beginning is too loud. I'd turn that down a little. The vocals aren't super essy. They sound distant though. If you want the vocals up front, you need to be closer to the mic. Helps to have a good LDC to record vocals as well. What mic? Also, sounds like your room is totally untreated. Nothing will help your sound as much as some good bass traps and some broadband absorption. You can especially hear the room in the vocals. As for the use of de-essers, I'm with Simman. They usually just turn esses into ethes. Does not sound natural. Cutting the vocal reverb off at about 5000 Hz will also help tame sibilance. +1 for a pop filter as well. First thing I'd do: Treat the room!
 
After the comments I was expecting someone with a really bad voice. I dont think you have a subpar voice. I think its great. I like the song too... Sort of reminds me of Bob Dylan but your voice is way better. I didnt think you needed a de esser nor did I think the electric guitar was too loud-- you should compress it though.

What I would recommend is:
1. sing closer to the mic and use the same technique u used to record your vocals. That sounded nice.
2. Leave all the instrument tracks alone. They sound fine.
3. on the bridge 2:50 where you sing ooohh oohh's try harmonizing it.
4. try to get a harmonica in there somewhere and you're golden :)

Good job bro!
 
Forgot to mention, I didnt like the recording at the end. I wish you would keep it the same as the rest of the song. Mostly because when you were recording far away I heard the noise
 
I gave up on vocals...just seem like much harder work than everything else


but for what its worth heres how I approach it

be prepared to record at least five tracks of vocals....start the first one of loose and just get a feel for the song...use each other take to focus on a different part of the vocals, say more emotion in the chorus, more annunciation of the lyrics etc etc


from thses you can generally piece/comp a vocal track together


be sure that you retain the same mic distance, and dont sing directly into the mic, try a 45 degree angle and that will help with pops and plosives


also if its your material record it in your key, if it isnt drop it half an octave and see if that suits you better??? try to keep with in your range and if its still not good enough experiment with styles until it can at least be interesting


hope there was something in there :)
 
I like your voice on this. It has a lot of character and a unique timbre that adds interest. Cool lyrics too.

The overall sound is certainly roomy and a bit distant. I know you have a preference for the lo-fi vocals at the end, but I have to say, as an unbiased stranger, they don't sound better to me, just smaller and farther away. They sound much better closer up as they are throughout the rest of the tune. Either way, it still sounds like your voice, so no huge distinction there.

I would've probably preferred some more instruments added here and there, but I guess you're going for a simple folky vibe, so maybe not needed. Anyway, overall a good effort, especially for someone as inexperienced as you describe yourself.
 
Wow, thank you all for your thoughtful responses!

Simman: Hmm, I hadn't even thought of cutting volume at the harsh parts. Now that you mention it, it seems so obvious!

Guitar Zero: I suspected the tele solo was a bit too loud. You confirmed these suspicions. You have a very good ear. In fact, the vocals were recorded in a different room than the rest, and with a lower quality mic. The pre-amp I was using for my good condenser mic kept overheating in this Texas heat (I don't have AC and it's consistently been 106 degrees recently), so I thought I could get away with using a little handheld Tascam DR-07 in my bedroom. Turns out I couldn't get away with it! I'll re-record the vocals with an LDC in my clutter-filled shed or in my bedroom closet. Think that'll suffice? Interesting idea about cutting the reverb off at 5 kHz...I'll give that a shot and see what happens.

Eddie: That's quite the compliment! In fact I lifted the words "kill without warnin'" directly from one of Dylan's songs. One big difference (of many) between Bobby and me: he could sing in key, and he had great vocal control. Certainly I can practice to become a better singer, but in a given week I rarely have more than an hour or two for music--not exactly enough to improve greatly.

Kcearl: I'll try placing the mic at 45 degrees. You also have a good point about recording in the right key. I'm kicking myself because I suspect I could sing it better a half step up, but I'm not convinced the benefits of raising the key a half step would be worth the time to re-record all the instruments.

Heatmiser: I am not accustomed to hearing my own voice, and hearing myself so clearly makes me cringe. I am still rather shy about singing, so I take comfort in the safety shroud of lo-fi. That's why it's surprising to know that you and Eddie prefer the up-front vocals to the lo-fi vocals at the end. Your comments do provide hope that my vocals may not always be unlistenable! For this song, though, I think I will keep the lo-fi bit at the end. The song is meant to reflect the emptiness, loneliness, and powerlessness I felt when a friend was killed by a hit-and-run driver, and to me, those distant vocals accomplish this.

Thanks again for all your comments! They are very helpful! I'll keep you all posted when I re-record the vocals and play around with the mix.
 
I think it is a good song, and I think the vocal delivery suits the style and arrangement. Keep working on your mic technique and you'll be able to avoid using de-essers and stuff. Get closer to the mic and you'll pick up less room.
 
Considering your hardware limitations it ain't bad. However, it seems like your singing and the guitars were recorded in different rooms, so it sounds unbalanced.

Don't get so hung up on your vocal skills. At least to me, intonation is arguably the most important aspect of singing (coming from a guitarist, mind you) and you seem to be hitting the right notes. Everything else from the phrasing, and timbre, vibrato, etc is just what makes your voice unique.
 
HeatSinks said:
...The pre-amp I was using for my good condenser mic kept overheating in this Texas heat (I don't have AC and it's consistently been 106 degrees recently), so I thought I could get away with using a little handheld Tascam DR-07 in my bedroom. Turns out I couldn't get away with it! I'll re-record the vocals with an LDC in my clutter-filled shed or in my bedroom closet. Think that'll suffice?
Click to expand...
My son lives in Texas, and he's been griping about the 105 temp every day. Sounds awful.

About re-recording the vocals, why go into a closet? I'd recommend against that, unless you want them to sound boxy. Why not just record them in the same room as everything else? Probably sound better IMO.
 
Better! I really like the song. And I agree that your vocals have a Bob Dylan vibe to them. Your vocals were a little pitchy in some places, but I think that suits the song IMO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top