Please help me recreate this 70s vocal sound

fritsthegirl

fritsthegirl

Taste of home
I know this question has been asked a billion times probably...you know, give me the secret to make my voice sound like this...LOL. I did a quick search on here but could only find vocal rap advice. It's a far cry from the sound I'm after.

Please can someone tell me what vocal effects you can hear on this tune? I think it's compressed, and there's a bit of reverb, possibly some delay and or echo. What's the difference between those two anyways? Is delay just the length of time between an echo?

I've tried all these 3 things in combination but I still can't get that squeezed sound they've got going on. Do you get what I mean by that, squeezed?

I mean, maybe it's the rest of the tracks that are throwing out what I'm hearing but I've singled out the vocal track and compared it, and I'm pretty sure it's not sounding quite right. I'm happy to keep playing around with it, if you think I'm on the right track with my chosen effects. Could well be the recording itself, highly likely. I just want to make sure I'm not missing something really obvious. Thanks in advance.:cool:

 
It sounds like the lead vocal is doubled, so that might help. You can tell because there are slight moments where the 2 tracks are slightly out of tune. Other than that, it sounds pretty dry to me effect-wise. Pretty squished by a compressor plus a short delay or verb, but that's about it. To my ears it sounds like there was some distance between her and the mic when it was recorded also. Can't be certain though...just listening on my ipad now.
 
Ah cool, thanks man. You reckon the main vocal is doubled almost the whole way through, that's on top of the harmony? I wondered about that too.

My speciality is dry vocals, that means hardly any effects right? Maybe the distance from the mic is an idea. I'll try that tomorrow when my flatmate is at work. :o

I'm going to let it all hang out here and upload a cut of the Frankenstein I have created so far. Probably helps you to hear what I'm hearing.

 
fritsthegirl said:
Ah cool, thanks man. You reckon the main vocal is doubled almost the whole way through, that's on top of the harmony? I wondered about that too.

My speciality is dry vocals, that means hardly any effects right? Maybe the distance from the mic is an idea. I'll try that tomorrow when my flatmate is at work. :o

I'm going to let it all hang out here and upload a cut of the Frankenstein I have created so far. Probably helps you to hear what I'm hearing.

Click to expand...

Yep sounds like it's doubled the whole way through. The only part that isn't is when she goes "Baaaaaby!" lol :D In fact, all the harmonies sound like they are doubled as well. I like your version so far and definitely think you're on the right track! And yeah dry meaning very little effects.

As for the mic distance, it could just be the delay/verb on her voice making it sit back farther in the mix so it's not so up-front, but you could always give it a shot and see. Maybe from like half a meter away or so?
 
Definitely doubled throughout. Harmonies too by the sounds of it.
There's no obvious reverb, but that doesn't mean there isn't one there.

She's giving it a lot more strength that you, which I think could be important.

Apart from that, I don't think the vocals are going to be the hard bit.
Try focusing on the guitar and backing instruments in her mix.
Hear how everything kinda blends together and it can be difficult to tell what's being played sometimes?
That can make a massive difference to how the vocals are perceived.
 
Thanks heaps guys, it was worth checking in here to ask, since I didn't realise/hear that everything was doubled.

Steen, yeh the backing stuff is a bit of a can of worms, every time I listen to it I hear something I've not heard before. In retrospect this was maybe not the easiest song I could have picked as my first cover, but I could sing along and play the guitar part so I figured it was possible. Bit too confident maybe. :D It's for definite that I'll be playing around with this for a wee while yet.
 
It helps that Steve Lilywhite was her husband (though he didn't produce this song).
He was/is an excellent producer and engineer before that.
Def double tracked & then harmoonies stacked too.
Cover doesn't necessarily ean replicate.
I think your vocals double tracksed (& you've demonstrated you can do that well), harmonies when you feel like it and some minimalist backing would be great.
The original has an almost wall of sound feel with chiming guitars on top.
Since it was recorded for Stiff records it's likely that the regulars played on it. I can't find any realm info though.
Ullman's version is in a different key - the original in B & Tracey's in C. Tracey Ullman - They Don't Know 1983 Video - YouTube
The producer, Liam Sternberg, did the 1st Rachel Sweet album too. That has some great stuff on it.
Oh, from the same era, well not really - Jill Read singing "Maybe" (A Bunch of Stiffs) is actually Dave Edmunds - amazing fake job. Jill Read - Maybe [HQ Audio] - YouTube
 
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Kirsty was a great technical vocalist. It's definitely doubled on that track and I suspect there's a bit of compression involved in the double and main vocal as well. She used to be proud that every word she sang could be understood... I miss her...

I have her Kite album, which is excellent... and a few others which are perhaps not so great but have some good stuff.

She was also very good at doing her own multi-layered vocal harmonies... you'll find they're probably at least doubled as well..

I love doing harmonies... awesome fun and you can get some really interesting sounds...

Looking forward to hearing the results!:D
 
rayc said:
It helps that Steve Lilywhite was her husband (though he didn't produce this song).
He was/is an excellent producer and engineer before that.
Def double tracked & then harmoonies stacked too.
Cover doesn't necessarily ean replicate.
I think your vocals double tracksed (& you've demonstrated you can do that well), harmonies when you feel like it and some minimalist backing would be great.
The original has an almost wall of sound feel with chiming guitars on top.
Since it was recorded for Stiff records it's likely that the regulars played on it. I can't find any realm info though.
Ullman's version is in a different key - the original in B & Tracey's in C. Tracey Ullman - They Don't Know 1983 Video - YouTube
The producer, Liam Sternberg, did the 1st Rachel Sweet album too. That has some great stuff on it.
Oh, from the same era, well not really - Jill Read singing "Maybe" (A Bunch of Stiffs) is actually Dave Edmunds - amazing fake job. Jill Read - Maybe [HQ Audio] - YouTube
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Yeh I need me a producah husband as well. :D Ulman's version has bells instead of piano, which is probably what I'll go for as well. It actually prompted me to hunt out some of Tracey's old skits, I forgot how funny she was, I really looked up to her when I was a kid.

Oh yeh, it's not going to be an exact copy, I wish...I'll be happy if it sounds 'something' like the original at this stage.

Cheers for the facts and links, I'll check those out. :)
 
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Mr Clean said:
+1 for this. I'd concentrate on your own particular sound and make the song your own. Kirsty MacColl was a hell of a singer to try and imitate.

Be youself :thumbs up:
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Aye, you're telling me, she was amazing, such a cool and perfect voice. I won't get near that perfection but trying to copy/mimic her has been really good exercise for my vocal chords.
 
Armistice said:
Kirsty was a great technical vocalist. It's definitely doubled on that track and I suspect there's a bit of compression involved in the double and main vocal as well. She used to be proud that every word she sang could be understood... I miss her...

I have her Kite album, which is excellent... and a few others which are perhaps not so great but have some good stuff.

She was also very good at doing her own multi-layered vocal harmonies... you'll find they're probably at least doubled as well..

I love doing harmonies... awesome fun and you can get some really interesting sounds...

Looking forward to hearing the results!:D
Click to expand...

Yeh, she's got the skills alright. I really wish she was still around too.
 
FYI. I just doubled everything this afternoon, and it sounds heaps better. Thanks a lot to all you guys taking the time to reply and advise me, I really appreciate it. :)
 
Steenamaroo said:
Can we hear, please..:)

I forgot to say anything positive in my last post!lol. Sorry about that.

Sounding great so far. ;)
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No worries at all. I only expect positivity once I deserve it. :D Yeh cool, if you want to have a listen. Here it is:



I haven't done anything to the vocals yet, no effects, just as they were recorded with a bit of volume adjustment. So it's 2x main vocals and 2x harmony now. I tried to sing a bit louder as well. Hope it does actually sound better...LOL.
 
I reckon that's a good solid starting point. :)

I'm gona have to do a cover or two soon.
I know someone said do your own thing, and that's cool, but I get a lot of out trying to imitate something as closely as I can.
It removes any element of bluff, you know?

Whatever you do, I'd be keen to hear it.
 
Cool great progress so far! And I agree with the others that your first version sounded great as well. I just assumed from the title that you were trying to directly copy the sound :)
 
guitaristic said:
Cool great progress so far! And I agree with the others that your first version sounded great as well. I just assumed from the title that you were trying to directly copy the sound :)
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Thanks. :) I just had another listen this morning, vocals still aren't right, bit flat in places. :mad: Yip...I'll be doing them again. That 'baby' is going to be the hardest bit, it's so exposed, there's no hiding. The way she does it is so relaxed. It's definitely the intention to copy it as much as I can, but it'll still totally sound like something I did. :D
 
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