"Loud" Vocals have brittle quality?

[frankthetank727]

I recorded some vocals of a death metal vocalist through a Shure Sm7B and when played back and when attempting to mix the vocals, it sounds to me that the vocals have the tonal quality of something like a whisper, even though he was growling rather forcefully. I was wondering if anyone can shed on this/understands what I am talking about. I have provided a clip below to help illsutrate my concerns. I was actually pretty happy with the music, but the vocals sound really "separate" as compared to the rest of music and I am trying to figure out how much of this is related to mixing and how much of it is related to how the vocals recorded, the room, the vocalist, etc. I really just feel like something about the "tone" of these vocals is what is bothering, or maybe some harmonic issues that I can't seem to figure out. Maybe a condenser mic might have worked better, or more extreme isolation? Any ideas would be useful.

 

[Carny1122]

It sounds to me like his voice just isn't made for that type of vocals. That may very well be the type of vocals that he wants, but it doesn't go low enough, hence the "brittle" sound that you mentioned. I would keep the SM7b, that's a killer mic for D.M. vox, but perhaps work with him to tighten up the sound of his voice, especially if he's going that low. Google Melissa Cross, order the DVD's, and have him re-track the vocals in 3 weeks!

On another note, after a second listen, try to re-mix your drums and guitar to add more high-end EQ, and work on making the snare stand out more. (and pull up the right guitar some, maybe). It sounds like you threw a LPF on everything but the vocals at like 4kHz. In this sort of music, you don't want the vocals to ride above everything else like they are. Take it from this perspective - the vocals (tonally, e.g. the way that the mic sounds) sound good. Work on everything else to compliment that tone and work with it.

 

[TripleM]

To me the vocal delivery was done in a falsetto, "whispery" style. I think it needs to be done in "full voice." It didn't seem "brittle" to me though.

 

[ocnor]

He sounds like a prepubescent cookie monster. Maybe you should wait for is nads to drop before recording him again.

 

[phriq]

He sounds like a prepubescent cookie monster. Maybe you should wait for is nads to drop before recording him again.

Listening to the clip after reading this post. I can't help but picture this:

 

[ecktronic]

I would cut some lows and low mids from the vocals. This should help them fit better in the Mix.

G

 

[TrustMeScience]

Part of this is performance for sure - But another part is the mix. The main backing tracks are very thick and murky-sounding, which makes the vocal sound thin and divorced from the rest of the mix by comparison. Since the whole band is taking up all the big, beefy-sounding midrange frequencies, there's no room for the big full-sounding portions of the vocal to shine through.

Once you start cutting some murk and sludge out of the guitars, drums and bass, there might be some room for the chest and beef of the vocals.

I would cut some lows and low mids from the vocals. This should help them fit better in the Mix.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. I don't hear any of the lows or low-mids of the vocals. Just the raspy top end. It's everything else that probably needs low-mids cut.

Good luck! And don't be afraid to push and treat the vocals more: compression, aggressive parallel compression, maybe even some parallel distortion. They could use some extra edge. These sounds like good basic tracks that haven't really been "mixed" yet. But for rough mixes, they're not bad at all. With a little more experience or the right ears helping you out, you could take them far.

 

[ecktronic]

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. I don't hear any of the lows or low-mids of the vocals. Just the raspy top end. It's everything else that probably needs low-mids cut.

I hear low mids in the vocal that could be cut for definite. They are 100% there. I'm just saying what my ears tell me.

 

[Bisson820]

I would double track them, cut the lows, and add distortion and reverb and delay to really doctor up the poor performance.

oh and pan left and right of course

 

[Bisson820]

not to mention... wtf is this song!?!?

 

[ecktronic]

I would double track them, cut the lows, and add distortion and reverb and delay to really doctor up the poor performance.

oh and pan left and right of course

Double track? Why would you record another "poor performance", that means twice the badness and a good chance that the tracks wont match enough.

delay and reverb and distortion can be good for masking mistakes yeah.

G

 

[soundchaser59]

I hear low mids in the vocal that could be cut for definite. They are 100% there. I'm just saying what my ears tell me.

I agree, they are there, but I think cutting them out of the vocal is the wrong answer. I hear the problem as the vocal and the guitars are all in the same frequency band, and the guitars will always win that battle. This may be a perfect example of why metal guitars do the "mid scoop" thing, to make room for the vocals that are mid and low mid heavy. First thing I would do, contrary to every bit of pro advice you might get, is slap a compressor on the vocal track. The guitars are naturally compressed by the amp distortion, the vocal is likely not compressed at all. The playing field is not level.