Vocals - Why Are They So Hard To Get Right?
The two most asked questions are what's a good mic for
acoustic guitar and what's a good mic for vocals. Most people actually want one mic for both, but if you've been following this whole thread, you know that the mic requirements for
acoustic guitar are different than the mic requirements for vocals. So, what's so special about vocals and vocal mics?
There are three types of mics that are usually used for vocals:
1. Large condenser mics
2. Dynamic (moving coil) mics
3. Ribbon mics (a special class of dynamic mic design)
There are two types of patterns usually used for vocals:
1. Cardioid (most typical)
2. Bi-directional (Figure 8)
All of the above mics and patterns have "proximity effect" in common (more upper bass boost as you get closer to the mic).
With these mics, you can adjust the distance and the angle between the singer and the mic to get a wide variety of tonal effects till you find the right balance for a particular singer and song. Off axis response will often vary dramatically with large condenser and dynamic mics, and when coupled with the "proximity effect", you have a wide range of tones to choose from.
The general working range for most LD condenser and ribbon mics is anywhere from 6 to 18" away. Dynamic mics are usually best under 6" away. But there is no hard and fast rule there. For intimate softer ballads, you may want the singer to "eat the mic", recording them from 2" away, or even closer. Up close, wind blasts are a concern and a pop stopper, foam wind screen, or even both may be required.
Remember that "proximity effect" starts in the upper bass (around 400 Hz), and this is exactly the start of the human vocal range. It can add richness to a thinner voice, but as with most things, it can be overdone. You adjust "proximity effect" by adjusting the distance between the mic and the singer - closer for more, further back for less.
Use different mic angles to adjust the high frequency response - straight on for maximum highs, off axis for less highs.
As mentioned earlier, most singers breath blasts are aimed slightly downward, so try to get the mic above that blast when possible. I try to mic from about nose or forehead high, aimed slightly down towards the mouth, but if a person is more comfortable with a stage mic at mouth level, don't be afraid to give it a try.
Some condenser mics tend to have some bright high end peaks which may help a singer that doesn't have a lot of high frequency content in their voice, but it's all too easy to just end up with an overly bright vocal. You usually look for a mic with a smooth top end (like a ribbon), or a mic with a gentle high frequency rise.
With mics like the AKG C3000, some of the Rode mics, or the lower end LD ATs, watch for peaky high end response that may result in an overly bright vocal track that high end eq can't fix later.
Try to choose the mic that doesn't require any eq when recording, if possible. That's where the right sound begins. Use compression sparingly when doing the tracking - you can always add more later.
I try to avoid commiting to any effects while tracking, so that I have more options available during mixing. You can't turn the vocal reverb down later if you record with it during tracking.
Chris Fitzgerald has been doing some experimenting with upright bass mic placements and he might want to share some of the things he's found so far.
After that, we'll discuss miking drums, then grand pianos, then horns, and exotic instruments.
