Head movement for vocal recording

[Stuvenator]

Just a quick question that I'm sure has been asked before but I couldn't find a thread for:

When recording vocals, should you consciously move a little further away for loud notes and closer for quiet notes or do you stay in the same area and just let the compressor do the work? For example, there are intimate parts of the song, would you move closer?

 

[easlern]

Yeah, ideally a vocalist records at a pretty consistent volume and they do exactly what you describe. It's harder than it sounds I've found. I think I saw a youtube once where an engineer said he doesn't have to do any automation for beyonce because she's so consistent.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Whatever works. Sometimes I'd rather edit and compress than hear the proximity effect change the tone. Other times it sounds better if the singer works the mic. Usually it's a little bit of everything that gets the results I want. Sometimes I'll use the omni setting so the singer can work it without any proximity effect.

 

[miroslav]

Whatever works. Sometimes I'd rather edit and compress than hear the proximity effect change the tone. Other times it sounds better if the singer works the mic.

Ditto.

My own stuff...I know how I want to work the mic...though I also sometimes opt to put a very "soft-n-light" limiter on the vocal chain that will only lower the level of the extreme peaks, and even then I will still work the mic, and the limter is there just as a safety net.
That would be for vocals with a lot of extreme/opposing dynamics.

When it's more steady...I'll find the sweet spot and pretty much hold that position, and then I always do like 3 good takes, that way if I move my head enough that a word got lost, I can comp from one of the other takes and edit it in.

 

[RFR]

Just a quick question that I'm sure has been asked before but I couldn't find a thread for:

When recording vocals, should you consciously move a little further away for loud notes and closer for quiet notes or do you stay in the same area and just let the compressor do the work? For example, there are intimate parts of the song, would you move closer?

A good vocalist knows mic technique. So yeah, head movement is allowed.

 

[gecko zzed]

A good vocalist knows mic technique. So yeah, head movement is allowed.

Yep . . . I'm pleased when I work with someone who knows how to use the mike.

 

[andrushkiwt]

It's harder than it sounds I've found.

agree. i can get up to 18" away on loud parts. mmmm, but then again, my recording environment isn't the best. it's more like the worst. so, there's that.