vocal EQ question

[jerberson12]

Hi guys,

Assuming that you track a vocal from good condenser mic thru a preamp (assuming all the settings are off or flat, no eq, no comp, no deesser ) thru your audio interface/recording software (nothing else). After recording the track, what do you usually do if you would have to use the eq first?

If you listen to it before editing , you can hear it in full frquency from 20 to 20k or fat and wide. But if you listen to a vocal from a commercial music, it usually sounds dead center, squeeze, and small. Whats the trick? Im getting frustrated with my vocal or do I just have a crappy mic(MXL V67)?

Do they usually cut subs/basses (lowcut eq) first below, then compress?

 

[fuzzrhythm]

Generally when I EQ and compress vocals, I EQ first to cut out all the nasty stuff (low end usually, a high pass filter is good here). Then compress after cutting the low end so that junk you didn't want isn't triggering the compressor. Then EQ again after for a high boost or whatever the track calls for. Modern rock music often has a limiter on the vocal after all that, too.

 

[iqi616]

If you listen to it before editing , you can hear it in full frquency from 20 to 20k or fat and wide. But if you listen to a vocal from a commercial music, it usually sounds dead center, squeeze, and small. Whats the trick? Im getting frustrated with my vocal or do I just have a crappy mic(MXL V67)?

You're heading in the right direction. Put the commercial music through a volume control and adjust it to the same level as your mix. Play around with the EQ to see how it compares. Switch back and forth between your mix and the reference track. Doing this over a period (probably years) will train your ears.

The fact that you realize that the commercial music often doesn't use the full frequency range available from a mic means you're on the first rung of the ladder. You are getting to the point where you know what a professional sounding vocal should sound like and the next step is to learn how to get from where you are to where you want to be. Be patient with yourself and practice with EQ as much as you can.

Some notes - always listen to the vocal in context of the mix. You should do that where possible during tracking too - even when auditioning mics. Avoid solo syndrome where things sound great in isolation but bad in the mix. Another gotcha is that a lot of cheap condenser mics are bright (8-10 kHz) but lack air (15+ kHz) or presence (2-5 kHz). Learn to hear that and be prepared to use EQ to fix that (or use a different mic that works better for that song).

 

[Phuturistic]

Another gotcha is that a lot of cheap condenser mics are bright (8-10 kHz) but lack air (15+ kHz) or presence (2-5 kHz).

Would this include pretty much any condenser under $500?