Female Vocal Mic

Buffalo Bob

Buffalo Bob

New member
I tried several searches, but couldn't find a satisfactory answer. I need advice on the best prosumer condensor for recording alto/soprano female voice. I have a C1, which is great on male vox, but from what I've read, not optimal on female vox. I am looking at the S.P. TB1, from some recs on this board (and use of the C1). Has anyone used this mic on female vox? I'm kindof intrigued by the possibilities of a tube mic with a "toob" pre.

BTW, the signal chain is mic- VTB1 - Delta 44 - computer.
Thanks in advance.

Bob
 
How about an AT-4047. It has a trany in it so it's a little warmer. No experience with the others you mentioned.
 
Thanks, Track. The AT looks like a fine mic. Searching this and other sites, there is a vast difference of opinion! The problem with that is that very few people have experience recording female singers(evidenced by the lack of responses in this thread), and mic preferences are so subjective anyway.
Oh, what the hell.........I'll just go buy that U87!

Right.:D
 
Yo, Bob! I work with 2 female vocalists, both altos. Problem is, it's the same as male vox options. Some mics work for some singers on some songs. I haven't found the difference between male and female mic needs to be nearly as great as the difference between 2 different singers of the same gender. You still have to fit the singer to the mic.
I'm afraid the prosumer cast of characters is the same as for an unknown male singer- MK319, V67B, C2000B, AT4033, C-1, C-3, NTK, Solidtube. Frankly, I'd try TLM103 or NTK. If one doesn't work. The other probably will. You should own an NTK anyway, don't you think? But the point is, I'd put up the same mics if I were trying to fit a mic to a male singer. Best of luck.-Richie
 
SP T-3.
I've used it on female vox. I thought it was stunning.
I can't post the tune though, but the mic worked out really well.
 
Female vocal

Hi Bob,

I do have an mp3 (quick and dirty cover demo) of a
female vocal on the C1. I don't have a website, but
can email it to you if you like. My girlfriend and I have
a home project studio.....she did one take with the
C1 and loved it...it just so happened we were doing
a demo for another female singer the same night we
had the C1 to try out and she also complemented on
how good it sounded. Needless to say we bought the mic.
 
I don't get the "mic for female singer" thing either. From Janis vs Babs, to KD Lang vs Dale Bozzio, different mics for different pipes. I've recorded female vocs with both the previously mentioned MK 319 and the NTK with good results.
Cheers, RD
 
What I've found with the female vocalists I've worked with is that they don't need as much of the high-mid exaggeration you notice in a typical condenser. I tend to favor something smoother, darker, more neutral. I usually use an sm7, and I've heard no complaints. Feel free to have a listen to "That's the Way," and "Soul Sister" if you feel the urge to hear the sm7 in action on a few different chick singers: http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/?aid=1298/singles.shtml
 
Thanks for the info guys! I have a C1 and a new VTB1, haven't tried it on female vox yet - will try tonight. We're going from a 4-track minidisc to a DAW, and the learning curve is killing me. I am a rank amateur at recording, just trying to make some decent songwriting demos, so the most important thing is a big clear vocal.

man@work - that's funny about you and the GF - my wife and I have been a performing duo for about 25 years! The family that plays together.........

Bob
 
I usually find myself using a tube mic on female vocals. Usually tends to sound a bit "Sweeter". But not always.

Mark
 
A friend has a Studio Projects C1 and he recently recorded his sister-in-law with it. Her voice is quite strident and nasal in the upper-mids... the result?... Yeech!! BAD MATCH!! Then I tried one of my C3's which was better, but still the screech factor was a little too much. Trying to eq out the offending frequencies tended to be only a partial solution. We then tried my Neumann U77 and things started getting closer to the mark yet again. A week later he rang me after trying her with a borrowed Studio Projects T3 tube and the response was... THAT's IT!!

So it boils down to the obvious... Always attempt to choose the mic that either tends to tame the nasties or enhances the excellent or... a combination of both.

The mic that gives a dark velvety vocal a crisp tangeble presence it never had in the first place, is going to be the wrong choice for Kate Bush on Wuthering Heights! ;)
 
I've had good results with a BLUE Baby Bottle - proximity really warms it up - if you want more presence back up about 6 inches. Pretty flexible.

Haven't tried it on a wide variety of female vox yet. MK-319 is good for extra warmth on a more strident voice. At least mine is - they're reputed to be pretty uneven.
 
Buffalo Bob said:
Thanks for the info guys! I have a C1 and a new VTB1, haven't tried it on female vox yet - will try tonight.
Bob
Click to expand...

Female vocals are more difficult to record. There is either too much high end, or not enough low end to the point where you have to tell the vocalist to eat the mic.

Tubes generally do better on female vocals, but there is no rule set in stone. It is whatever works, expensive or cheap, but I always prefer a tube mic on females. Try adding some tube on your VTB-1 and see if that helps. Try different proximities as well. If not, it is not that the C1 is bad, it just may not work for your wifes voice. The C1 is not the only mic out there!!

Katy Cassidy just did the re-make of David Cassidy's "I think I love you". It is getting lots of airplay and rising in the charts. In fact, ET did a segment on TV with video of her singing...and yes, it was a C1!! So again, the mic is good, but it just may not work for your wife. Keep at it, you will get what you need.
 
Chessrock -

I just have to ask - who wrote and arranged "That's The Way"? That is one incredible song! Aside from the writing, the vocal kills, and I particularly love that tight bass! Is that a DI'd bass? Through what?


Bob
 
I tend to try the C-1 first when recording female vocals and run a little more tube in the preamp to warm it up some more. Later, when eq-ing in the mix I'll boost a low shelf at 200hz and cut highs a db or two at 10Khz, and that usually seems to do it for me. I did once 'dull down' a soprano with my Oktava 219 and she sounded great that way.
 
MBHO Mics for Female vocals

Hi folks,

I have found that MBHO Microphones in particular their modular system and the "Lollipop" mics are fantastic for Female vocals.

I have used their mics a lot and can say that they are brilliantly manufactured. They are a German based firm and make a lot of mics for other mic manufacturers. Check their dealers website in England:

www.gargantuansound.com

Greetings from the UK
 
Re: MBHO Mics for Female vocals

bullringBrummie said:
Hi folks,

I have found that MBHO Microphones in particular their modular system and the "Lollipop" mics are fantastic for Female vocals.

I have used their mics a lot and can say that they are brilliantly manufactured. They are a German based firm and make a lot of mics for other mic manufacturers. Check their dealers website in England:

www.gargantuansound.com

Greetings from the UK
Click to expand...

MBHO mics are pretty good, but they are also very expensive..:)
 
They're actually not *that* expensive, at least compared to other German brands. Interestingly enough, hardly anybody knows or even uses MBHO mics in Germany. I suspect their main source of income is either OEM stuff or the capsules that they make for "boutique" brands such as Brauner and others.

A friend of mine tested MBHO small diaphragm mics against other brands, and I was significantly underwhelmed with their performance. They sounded pretty thin to me, almost no low end. Some may like that for overhead work, but I don't. I can always cut some low end on the mixer, if I have to. Before the test, I had actually planned to buy a pair of those mics, as they were roughly half the Neumann price, and I was told they sound similar. But when I heard them they were off the list. I've never heard their LD mics, though.
 
Rossi said:
They're actually not *that* expensive, at least compared to other German brands.
Click to expand...

They are expensive in the US. The least expensive capsule with no body is about $500.00, so here they are expensive, there they may be cheap.
 
Thanks for all the information, guys. I just ordered the T3 from 8th Street. Should be here Tuesday or Wednesday. Kudos to Alan Hyatt for all his help, too!


Bob
 
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