country vocal with Studiio projects C-1 (U87 eq mod)

jimistone

long standing member
I modded this Studio Projects C-1 mic. Gave the U87 eq mod a shot. The mic already sounded good. I think it makes a hell of a good country male vocal mic after the mod. It isnt as shrill as it was...although it wasnt a really shrill mic to start with.

My vocal level is pretty hot on this so you can clearly hear the detail of the mic.
My vocal on this isn't stellar but, I have no doubt that the mic would do a fantastic job at capturing a stellar vocal performance.


If Youre Gona Do Me Wrong do it right remix by jimistone | Free Listening on SoundCloud
 
Great job, on a great Vern Gosdin song.

The mic sounds really good. Is that a Recording Hacks mod kit that you used?
Dale
 
Great job, on a great Vern Gosdin song.

The mic sounds really good. Is that a Recording Hacks mod kit that you used?
Dale
Thanks DaleVO.
I'm not sure if that's the one or not.

It's the one in this link:
Studio Projects C1 Mods – Microphone-Parts.com
I was kind of hesitant to pay $69 for a mod on a cheap microphone, but after doing it I am happy.

I don't think I could get a better sounding mic for less than $300. (I'm into the modded C1 a total of $269)

I bought the C1 New for $189...you could probably get a used one for half that.

Also, the mod was pretty easy to do.

I was worried but it was no sweat at all.
 
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I know little about country, but I do know that your vocal sounds exactly like the 'sound' I have in my head for a country singer. As I only know the voices of maybe two from radio exposure, I would not have considered your vocal anything other than a pro country singer, with the pro country sound. Don;t try to guild the lily further it's not something that needs more tweaking.

What I would do is get rid of that absolutely horrible string gliss at the start that sound like a pitchbend prod - it's so unlike what real strings can do. They not bad for the rest of the song, but that lurch made my head think strings when I listened the first time through - waiting for another of them!

If you don't have a way to recreate a real string section doing that playing style, don't try it. It's like when people do the same thing with strings in the Gershin Summertime - if it wasn't recorded with the glissando, a mathematically perfect pitchbend won't recreate it.
 
That mic and the chain you're using sound really good. Very Pro. I have a producer friend who has built quite a few of the microphone-parts kits. Several different ones. They've all been pretty stellar.
 
I know little about country, but I do know that your vocal sounds exactly like the 'sound' I have in my head for a country singer. As I only know the voices of maybe two from radio exposure, I would not have considered your vocal anything other than a pro country singer, with the pro country sound. Don;t try to guild the lily further it's not something that needs more tweaking.

What I would do is get rid of that absolutely horrible string gliss at the start that sound like a pitchbend prod - it's so unlike what real strings can do. They not bad for the rest of the song, but that lurch made my head think strings when I listened the first time through - waiting for another of them!

If you don't have a way to recreate a real string section doing that playing style, don't try it. It's like when people do the same thing with strings in the Gershin Summertime - if it wasn't recorded with the glissando, a mathematically perfect pitchbend won't recreate it.
Thanks Rob.

I agree with you on the strings. It's just a karaoke backing track I got off YouTube and put my vocal on for purpose of demoing the modded C1.
 
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That mic and the chain you're using sound really good. Very Pro. I have a producer friend who has built quite a few of the microphone-parts kits. Several different ones. They've all been pretty stellar.
Thanks cavedog.
I plugged the mic straight into a presonus audio box interface. Using Cubase LE
 
What I would do is get rid of that absolutely horrible string gliss at the start that sound like a pitchbend prod - it's so unlike what real strings can do.

That melody sounds like a nod to Don Williams; I wonder if that's intentional?
It's country, though so I guess the melody sounds a nod to every country song. :P

Vocals have the sound you expect to hear. I wouldn't be suspicious if this started playing in a playlist or something.
Great sounding job!

Did you notice the skip @ 2:20 or so?
 
I have the C1 also and have toyed with the idea of getting that mod. I just ain't up for spending $70 on it yet. The mic does sound good on your vocal take.

Thnx for posting this up. Got me thinking about it again. :mad:

:D
 
That melody sounds like a nod to Don Williams; I wonder if that's intentional?
It's country, though so I guess the melody sounds a nod to every country song. :P
Steen,
I never thought about that Don Williams connection. However, I think you are correct Re: “nod to every...” This song came out in the “Urban Cowboy” honky-tonkin’ hey-days of the late 70s to early 80s. Like most of the songs of those days, I think the main goal was to get’em on the dance floor and two-steppin. My bride and I cut-a-rug or two, to this one. Ol’ JS took me back 35 years.
Dale
 
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Nicely done Jimi, sounds good!! Did you have any before and after recordings to make any comparisons?

I got my SP C1 back in 2013 for $120 from eBay. To put another $69 into it for an upgrade is tempting. I listened to the clips on Microphone-Parts and the mod does seem to give a slight boost in the bottom end. I also do country songs and I like a mic that gives a little more on the low end like this mod seem to do.
 
Nicely done Jimi, sounds good!! Did you have any before and after recordings to make any comparisons?

I got my SP C1 back in 2013 for $120 from eBay. To put another $69 into it for an upgrade is tempting. I listened to the clips on Microphone-Parts and the mod does seem to give a slight boost in the bottom end. I also do country songs and I like a mic that gives a little more on the low end like this mod seem to do.

Thanks arcaxis.
I don't really have a similar vocal done with my C1 before the mod. I have used my EV re410 on country vocals...it had a warmer tone than the un-modded C1.
But...
Here is a recording with the stock C1 I made years ago, before I bought the re410.
(My recording chops weren't very good back then though)
Listen to Lost remix by jimistone #np on #SoundCloud
Lost remix by jimistone | Free Listening on SoundCloud
 
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I will say this...
The body of the vocal can easily be manipulated with most any half way decent condenser mic. It's the sibilance that your pretty much stuck with. Most cheaper condensor mics, the C1 included, don't have a smooth sibilance and the S's and T's are harsh. If you de-ess you lose some detail.

That is where this mod impresses me the most.
Now, my C1 has detail in the sibilance but isn't harsh and in need of de-essing.
There was no de-essing used on the vocal of "if your gonna do me wrong"
 
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That C1 sound nice, full, detailed and warm. The good vocal take comes across nicely.

I love the microphone parts catalog. I had made a trade years back, ended up with some MXL 990s did full mods, and capsule swap. I like them better than my TLM103. I was talking to Matt at Micrphone parts. He’s talked me into getting some of his full mic kits. He said his full mic kits are a noticeable improvement over modding cheap mics. That C1 sounds good.
 
That C1 sound nice, full, detailed and warm. The good vocal take comes across nicely.

I love the microphone parts catalog. I had made a trade years back, ended up with some MXL 990s did full mods, and capsule swap. I like them better than my TLM103. I was talking to Matt at Micrphone parts. He’s talked me into getting some of his full mic kits. He said his full mic kits are a noticeable improvement over modding cheap mics. That C1 sounds good.
I think it sounds good too Toastedgoat.

I would love to try their tube mic kit... but it's $699.
Don't really have $700 to drop on a mic right now
 
I modded this Studio Projects C-1 mic. Gave the U87 eq mod a shot. The mic already sounded good. I think it makes a hell of a good country male vocal mic after the mod. It isnt as shrill as it was...although it wasnt a really shrill mic to start with.

My vocal level is pretty hot on this so you can clearly hear the detail of the mic.
My vocal on this isn't stellar but, I have no doubt that the mic would do a fantastic job at capturing a stellar vocal performance.


If Youre Gona Do Me Wrong do it right remix by jimistone | Free Listening on SoundCloud

That sounds so classic and very nice.
 
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