Vocal Help

Sunflower23

New member
I have attached a link to my vocal without effects, with effects, and in the mix. I think the original take without effects sounds slightly naturally distorted and possibly has some comb filtering. Is this why I am not able to get my vocals to sound clean like professionally recorded ones? Or do you think the issue is more in my mixing?

I am going for a clean vocal sound similar to AJR, Jon Bellion, or even Twenty One Pilots to name a few.

I am still trying to develop my ears to hear where the problems are - Any input on what frequency ranges are causing the issues? Ideas for fixes? Any input is appreciated

Sound Cloud Link
 
To me it sounds like an artifact of the pitch correction is taking something away from the clarity.
Apparent on the word HAD at 00:03.
On the un-effected track, at that same point there is a breath event, so maybe it just needs a bit of fader automation.
 
I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on possible frequency issues but I imagine it's as much to do with your mics performance as anything as they all have different characteristics and suit different vocalists. Experiment with different mics if you can and also your distance from the mic. Either way it's a good vocal that sounds decent in the mix so don't be overly self critical

Mark
 
Listening to the vocal in the mix, it seems to have quite a few points of a gritty distortion, like the levels are pushed too high. It really doesn't sound like a "clean vocal". Even the "no effect" vocal has that phasey autotune sound to it.

I don't know how you would be getting a comb filter sound with just a vocal mic. That should be clean and well under any point of distortion.

What are you using for the mic and interface?
 
Listening to the vocal in the mix, it seems to have quite a few points of a gritty distortion, like the levels are pushed too high. It really doesn't sound like a "clean vocal". Even the "no effect" vocal has that phasey autotune sound to it.

I don't know how you would be getting a comb filter sound with just a vocal mic. That should be clean and well under any point of distortion.

What are you using for the mic and interface?

Thanks for the response. I am using the JZ Black Hole 2 with the Apollo Twin. That phasey and gritty distorted sound is what I am referring to as comb filtering, so perhaps I am just using the wrong term. As for the level, I will try to experiment some more, but I have been trying to keep it around -18db rms.
 
I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on possible frequency issues but I imagine it's as much to do with your mics performance as anything as they all have different characteristics and suit different vocalists. Experiment with different mics if you can and also your distance from the mic. Either way it's a good vocal that sounds decent in the mix so don't be overly self critical

Mark

Appreciate it! I don't get many opportunities to try out other equipment, but am always trying different distances and heights for the mic.
 
I think the vocals sound great, but I think the chords behind it clash with the melody. Try using the chord progression B, F#, G#m, E (1, 5, 6, 4 progression).
 
Listening to the vocal in the mix, it seems to have quite a few points of a gritty distortion, like the levels are pushed too high. It really doesn't sound like a "clean vocal". Even the "no effect" vocal has that phasey autotune sound to it.

I don't know how you would be getting a comb filter sound with just a vocal mic. That should be clean and well under any point of distortion.

What are you using for the mic and interface?

afaik it is totally possible to get comb filtering with a single mic from the reflections of surrounding hard surfaces, happens all the time to my stuff if I am not careful.
 
afaik it is totally possible to get comb filtering with a single mic from the reflections of surrounding hard surfaces, happens all the time to my stuff if I am not careful.

PS - I also agree with you, I don't think this is comb filtering, I think it is an artifact of both audio processing on the raw track, and the soundcloud mp3 processing. All my tracks have fuzz around the high end when played from Soundcloud, and Soundcloud played over bluetooth (like in a car) is the absolute worst.
 
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