Need a good vox processor for live gigs

arcadeko

arcadeko

Illuminatius Overlordious
basically needs decent compression and limiter functions - some reverb wouldnt't hurt, and maybe even some subtle harmonizers and even on-the-fly minor pitch correction.

I have seen these things in the store but hadn't paid too much attention, but I am trying to get GIG READY and I think i am gonna need some effects help

recommendations?

thought thee rack was better than singing and vox... since i am looking for gear :o
 
Are you looking for floor model units or a rack unit? Either way I like the TC Electronic units HERE are some different ones. Floor models are the nova series, rack are the D-two and M-one.
 
moresound said:
Are you looking for floor model units or a rack unit? Either way I like the TC Electronic units HERE are some different ones. Floor models are the nova series, rack are the D-two and M-one.
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I primarily need a compressor/limiter to keep the volume even. You think the RNC or RNLA would be good for live use in this manner?
 
there's gonna be 'verb in any PA you go thru so you really don't need to spend extra for that unless there is some specific 'verb you want.
I think for live use you might be best off with something intended for that exact purpose.
The TC floor units are where I'd start. They have vocal processors with ALL the things you mentioned tweaked for live use and they also have those Nova things which have a single FX for cheaper.
They do have a comp one.
 
arcadeko said:
I primarily need a compressor/limiter to keep the volume even. You think the RNC or RNLA would be good for live use in this manner?
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It all depends if you want a unit for just your vocals, or across the whole PA, or one that can be used as an insert, or one that can be set up in an AUX feed-return.
Many ways of doing this set up.


Lt. Bob said:
there's gonna be 'verb in any PA you go thru so you really don't need to spend extra for that unless there is some specific 'verb you want.
I think for live use you might be best off with something intended for that exact purpose.
The TC floor units are where I'd start. They have vocal processors with ALL the things you mentioned tweaked for live use and they also have those Nova things which have a single FX for cheaper.
They do have a comp one.
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+10000000000000000000000
 
moresound said:
Probably the better one would be the TC
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Lt. Bob said:
How is THIS 3000 dollars?

TC-Helicon VoiceTone T1 | Sweetwater.com

:confused:

The one you mentioned has more stuff on it so go with that if you got the bucks but this one's 130 bucks, not 3 grand.
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My bad - I clicked Moresounds link and when I narrowed to compressor there was only one TC rackmount thing
TC Electronic Compressors / Limiters | Sweetwater.com

Then when I checked those pedals I zoned out and didn't even realize that one was TC :p

I found this guy for $199 - has EQ/dessing/compression/etc.
TC Helicon Correct XT Vocal Effects Processor Pedal at AmericanMusical.com

GC said they would price match

thanks guys! :)
 
moresound said:
Be warned though Wes ..... they are a little noisey!
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Cool, I'm sure it will be fine with the music I make :p

There was an accident on 285 so I decided to wait cause I didn't want to sit in 80 degree heat for an hour on the highway

gonna try to go later tonight

I will report back once I have tested it :D
 
I have found through years of playing live that the mic and PA and the room will compress themselves. If you get up close on the mic at all, the proximity effect will create compression at the mic. Most places have a compressor in the chain anyway. Even if they don't usually the PA and the speakers are working hard enough that they are themselves compressing, or loud enough that the room is compressing the sound. I am a very dynamic singer, when recording I generally have to use 2 agressive compressors for many dB of compression, but playing live nobody has ever had a problem with the vocal sound. I will tell you one trick though, buy your own vocal mic-anything that sounds better than a 58. A sennheiser es-something would work well. it has to be a dynamic.
 
So the TC Helicon Correct XT is what I got and it seems to work pretty good. I'm glad it came with the auto-feedback filter cause now I get a hella lot more feedback than I use to.

The pitch-corrector seems to work pretty good although the chorus effect takes a little getting used to.

I think I could do with a little more compression, or maybe I need a limiter...

Mainly because sometimes I sing LOUD and sometimes I am singing pretty quietly, I would like for the quiet parts to be boosted a little and the louder parts to be reduced in volume - I can't really screw with faders in the middle of a set...
 
FALKEN said:
I have found through years of playing live that the mic and PA and the room will compress themselves. If you get up close on the mic at all, the proximity effect will create compression at the mic. Most places have a compressor in the chain anyway. Even if they don't usually the PA and the speakers are working hard enough that they are themselves compressing, or loud enough that the room is compressing the sound. I am a very dynamic singer, when recording I generally have to use 2 agressive compressors for many dB of compression, but playing live nobody has ever had a problem with the vocal sound. I will tell you one trick though, buy your own vocal mic-anything that sounds better than a 58. A sennheiser es-something would work well. it has to be a dynamic.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree with your conclusions. An undersize PA might go into clip/limiting or the speakers might go into power compression, but you can't generalize about PAs from that. On any decent PA a dynamic singer is just as dynamic as ever. Proximity effect simply does not create compression. Maybe the sound guys are compressing your vocal and not telling you, or the system is running out of headroom, or you sing differently live because of how it sounds to you, or you just aren't hearing your dynamics live. Having mixed hundreds of shows on dozens of systems for thousands of individual performers in venues ranging from coffeehouses to theaters to festivals I feel pretty confident about this.
 
arcadeko said:
I think I could do with a little more compression, or maybe I need a limiter...

Mainly because sometimes I sing LOUD and sometimes I am singing pretty quietly, I would like for the quiet parts to be boosted a little and the louder parts to be reduced in volume - I can't really screw with faders in the middle of a set...
Click to expand...

But you don't know how you sound to the audience in the full context of the mix. That's why there's a sound engineer, to make that judgment. If you compress your vocal signal in your monitor it's likely you'll unconsciously compensate and sing with even more dynamics. That can lead to voice strain and it can increase the chances of feedback. You should be hearing all the dynamics so you are more prone to evening yourself out with good mic technique, and let the person mixing do the compression appropriately for the main mix.

Much of that applies to reverb. You don't know what it really sounds like out there so you will probably use too much because it sounds cool or too little because it's distracting. Let the engineer handle that. An exception to the rule is when you have a special effect that has to be done on cue and the person mixing hasn't rehearsed it with you. Even then it's nice to send pre- and post-effects signals to the board so the engineer can make it right for the audience while also giving you what you need in your monitors.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
I respectfully disagree with your conclusions. An undersize PA might go into clip/limiting or the speakers might go into power compression, but you can't generalize about PAs from that. On any decent PA a dynamic singer is just as dynamic as ever. Proximity effect simply does not create compression. Maybe the sound guys are compressing your vocal and not telling you, or the system is running out of headroom, or you sing differently live because of how it sounds to you, or you just aren't hearing your dynamics live. Having mixed hundreds of shows on dozens of systems for thousands of individual performers in venues ranging from coffeehouses to theaters to festivals I feel pretty confident about this.
Click to expand...

ditto ....... +1

bouldersoundguy said:
But you don't know how you sound to the audience in the full context of the mix. That's why there's a sound engineer, to make that judgment. If you compress your vocal signal in your monitor it's likely you'll unconsciously compensate and sing with even more dynamics. That can lead to voice strain and it can increase the chances of feedback. You should be hearing all the dynamics so you are more prone to evening yourself out with good mic technique, and let the person mixing do the compression appropriately for the main mix.

Much of that applies to reverb. You don't know what it really sounds like out there so you will probably use too much because it sounds cool or too little because it's distracting. Let the engineer handle that. An exception to the rule is when you have a special effect that has to be done on cue and the person mixing hasn't rehearsed it with you. Even then it's nice to send pre- and post-effects signals to the board so the engineer can make it right for the audience while also giving you what you need in your monitors.
Click to expand...
another big old ditto!
 
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