miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
It's called a "segue".... 
GuitarLegend
New member
heatmiser
mr. green christmas
Yup, you're right. My apologies. I just kind of took it for granted that adding vocals for strictly monitoring purposes was widely accepted as evidenced by the initial responses and took it in another (somewhat related) direction entirely.
R
RAMI
Guest
It's all good, dudes.
It wasn't a complaint, just an observation.
It wasn't a complaint, just an observation.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I've never really thought about how realistic a recording sounds because when I first consciously started listening to records, such a consideration would never have crossed my mind. So it didn't ! Then when I got more into albums, it became even less of a consideration than it wasn't before because I was just digging the music. Then later still, I became aware of studio techniques, multitracking and overdubbing and the thought of whether or not this sounded like a real band all playing together in the same space became a non issue because I'd never heard a full band plus orchestra and brass section with electronic effects and Indian instruments in a room all playing together at the same time.
By the time I got into recording, what with electronic, disco and much of the 80s stuff, realism didn't even come into it. Anything on a record sounded real to me. The concept of recorded music playing in your front room or van/car or on your MP3/walkman is inherently unreal !
Same here. I kind of build as I go along. The only time I'd put reverb in the cans would be if that was going to be the permanent sound. I tried it a few times and regretted it every time. I was fortunate that in one of the cases, my mate that had done the original verb drenched vocal and had subsequently moved to Switzerland was over on holiday some years later and redid it. But when a vocal is recorded, I 'sculpt' it as I do with all the elements. But each new sculpt is dependent on all that is in current existence. I prefer to commit early because I don't yet have it in me to do all the big deal touring at mixdown.
heatmiser
mr. green christmas
Maybe "realistic" was a poor choice of words.
I am not making a better or worse distinction here, but I think there is a distinction to be made. In a rock, or otherwise guitar/drums/bass/vocals kind of mix, many people aspire to mix in such a way as to mimic the sound of a band playing the tune together in the same space. A somewhat traditional approach that I think a lot of listeners come to expect, but probably not conciously.
Alternatively, if you double track stuff and hard pan some dry parts while having other parts drenched in verb, you are really going in another direction which is perhaps more open-ended and less traditonal, where convention plays less of a role. I enjoy both approaches in my own as well as others' work, although I tend towards the latter.
I am not making a better or worse distinction here, but I think there is a distinction to be made. In a rock, or otherwise guitar/drums/bass/vocals kind of mix, many people aspire to mix in such a way as to mimic the sound of a band playing the tune together in the same space. A somewhat traditional approach that I think a lot of listeners come to expect, but probably not conciously.
Alternatively, if you double track stuff and hard pan some dry parts while having other parts drenched in verb, you are really going in another direction which is perhaps more open-ended and less traditonal, where convention plays less of a role. I enjoy both approaches in my own as well as others' work, although I tend towards the latter.
M
murphyd311
New member
Exactly. I was talking about reverb just for the sake of getting a better take out of a vocalist. I don't use the reverb for mixing (usually, I have kept it in the final take a couple times, scaled back). Seems like it motivates them somehow to get a better take.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
It's all good, dudes.
It wasn't a complaint, just an observation.
Just busting your chops.
You know how threads go.
I think the OP got a bunch of answers to his question....and then we just went with it.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Nah, it was the right word.
Same here. It's all Moroccan roll........
heatmiser
mr. green christmas
So, it seems like responses are split. Most do this too for the reason you mention above (among others), while some avoid it thinking it masks a poor performance or that it can throw off the vocalist's pitch. Personally, I never thought of tracking dry for those reasons, but assuming there's at least some merit to those concerns, I think I'm going to try tracking vocals dry next time - just to see if it helps. I don't know about the vocalists you've worked with, but I need help!
Illsidgus
Desiccated Member
This thread showed up just in time for me. I was getting ready to ask about the use of reverb when I record the guitar ensemble pieces I have composed. I was thinking that with classical guitar there is no amplification or effects of any kind added while performing. While reading the posts in this thread I thought back to when I was taking guitar ensemble classes in college and the recitals we had to perform in each semester. It was done in a small recital hall with a stage, tiered seating, and acoustic treatment. That is the sound I would like to achieve in my recordings, just enough reverb to recreate that recital hall feel.
gecko zzed
Grumpy Mod
Tracking vocals without reverb is unnerving for some, and leaves you very exposed. However, if you can get used to it, this can be handy, because this exposure allows you to listen very clearly to what you are doing, and in the end, may give you better control. In a way, it's the difference between soft and hard suspension in a car: the latter is immediately comfortable, but leaves you squirming around the corners, whereas the former is immediately uncomfortable, but gives you a better sense of what the car is doing on the road.
GuitarLegend
New member
Reverb plugins have various parameters such as room size and pre-delay that you can play with to get the sound you want. There are other plugins like Perfect Space that creates a similar effect of ambience with a range of adjustments and presets. If you are recording classical guitar, just a touch of reverb gives it the concert hall sound that I like very much
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
Most reverb programmes these days have presets emulating theatres or concert halls. Some even have convolution reverbs modelling a specific named hall. They're rarely exactly right to start with but, as GuitarLegend says, there are tons of settings to play with until you get it just right.
Obviously the ideal is to record your tracks in a perfect environment and get exactly the sound you want right away--I used to use a stairwell at work to get great guitar and vocals when I wanted a heavy 'verb. However, this is rarely possible so a close second best is to record in the dryest environment you can and add a nice reverb later.
If you want a nice free reverb plug in to try, download DASAMPLE GLACEVERB. Between the standard ones in my DAW and Glaceverb, that's probably 95% of what I use.
Obviously the ideal is to record your tracks in a perfect environment and get exactly the sound you want right away--I used to use a stairwell at work to get great guitar and vocals when I wanted a heavy 'verb. However, this is rarely possible so a close second best is to record in the dryest environment you can and add a nice reverb later.
If you want a nice free reverb plug in to try, download DASAMPLE GLACEVERB. Between the standard ones in my DAW and Glaceverb, that's probably 95% of what I use.
cobaltaudio
New member
Reverb can cover a multitude of sins.
This is both a good and a bad thing.
This is both a good and a bad thing.
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
So I guess we're going to keep watering down the original subject until it's just a pointless "I use reverb when I mix" thread.
R
RAMI
Guest
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
Whoah! Easy there buddy. You're starting to sound like me.
Heh, not upset or anything, just pointing out facts. "Reverb in monitors" is an interesting subject worthy of discussion. "Reverb in the mix" is a dead horse.
R
RAMI
Guest
I hear thee. I actually pointed out the shift in focus in this thread a few pages ago.
Turns out it was only a uni-cycle.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Is it ? The OP asks "does anyone else use reverb on vocals while tracking ?". Well you either do or you don't, it's kind of a yes or no answer, really, not a great deal of discussion can be had.........unless people start to point out why they do it which then leads to others saying why they don't which then leads to someone pointing out something or other about reverb which then opens up the subject of reverb which then leads to where we currently are !
That's sometimes the nature of conversations, even on the internet. It just goes to show how interelated different things can be and how one thing can spark off something else.
Or maybe many of us are just rubbish at answering a question briefly and sticking to the subject.........