Please help me recreate this 70s vocal sound

  • Thread starter Thread starter fritsthegirl
  • Start date Start date
Great info here from everyone, but I noticed that none of the responses mentioned microphones. If you to achieve this particular sound, you should probably use a high-end dynamic mic (think Shure B7 or an EV RE20) to track both the lead and the mult; that's what a lot of producers and engineers were doing back then. All of the vox on the album "Thriller" were recorded using a Shure B7.

That being said, I agree with a lot of the other input: definitely de-ess the mult track quite a bit OR try not to sing the sibilants when tracking it. And depending on what sound you're going for, I would process the mult track a bit differently in terms of compression and effects. Where you place in the mix relative to the lead track depends on how thick you want the mult to sound. Also, there *might* be use for a phaser or flanger on one of the vocal tracks to give it that thick sound.

Just my two cents. Good luck.
 
As everyone has noticed the vocal stacking, no need to comment on that. However in browsing through the replies, I did not see anyone commenting on the dramatic EQ on the tracks. If I were mixing this I would start with a low cut filter at about 150 hz and then take out more bottom using a shelf at about 250 hz. I would then use reverb using a small room reverb setting. It should not be hard from there to nail the sound you want. Also the Kristy balance had the harmony vocal much higher in the mix.
I did listen on my studio monitors
 
I like that sound myself, 60's early 70's.

There are two effects that are a must in getting that sound:
1. The invention of the Aphex Aurel Exciter Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter Plugin | Waves

2. JoeMeeks optical compressor. http://www.joemeek.com/mc2.html
Fritz,

These little boxes will amaze you if you want that sound, you can find them used on Ebay for 120.00 bucks. Doubled tracks made with this unit will give you that exact sound!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JoeMeek-VC3...l_Processors_Rack_Effects&hash=item3a852765dc
 
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Thanks for the advice everyone, some really good stuff here that I will definitely be using for this song, and for future stuff as well. I wonder if a mic would make much of a difference. I use a condensor. Well it may make a difference but I guess I won't find that out for ages because I just spent all my pocket money on a bass. :D Thanks again, I really appreciate the time ya'll have taken to help me.
 
The record in my sig is done with a "B7". I don't hear a link.
What condenser do you have, out of interest?

You got lots of good processing info there. Cutting the bass is probably the main thing.
 
Steenamaroo said:
The record in my sig is done with a "B7". I don't hear a link.
What condenser do you have, out of interest?

You got lots of good processing info there. Cutting the bass is probably the main thing.
Click to expand...

Funny, I have never heard the SM7b called a B7 until now. Must be an 'over the ocean' thing. I apologize for being a dick.
 
Steenamaroo said:
The record in my sig is done with a "B7". I don't hear a link.
What condenser do you have, out of interest?

You got lots of good processing info there. Cutting the bass is probably the main thing.
Click to expand...

Yeh for deffo. I have a AT4033. It's not officially mine, and so I was thinking it might be an idea to get my own mic before my luck runs out and I break it.

I can never figure this thing out. If I get too close I sound like I'm inside the mic, so I take a teensy step back and it immediately sounds like I'm in a cave. It's not the mic. I'm sure it's my technique and lack of room treatment.
 
fritsthegirl said:
I can never figure this thing out. If I get too close I sound like I'm inside the mic, so I take a teensy step back and it immediately sounds like I'm in a cave. It's not the mic. I'm sure it's my technique and lack of room treatment.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the room's likely to have a lot to do with that.
I used a 4033 briefly (repair job) and didn't get on well with it.

I have a pretty bad room and use dynamics all the time, so I put it down to that.
 
"That squeezed sound"

The sound you're hearing is the result of chorusing, a form of tight delay. The delay times run as follows:1-6ms is flanging, 6-10ms is chorusing, and higher is doubling or delay. I think her voice may have been run through a harmonizer which pitch shifts the sound to create the effect of a harmony line. Try using a delay effect and set it at about 8ms and see if you are happy with that sound. of course you can also just double track the vocal so they chorus in a more natural way. The effect is not so mechanical sounding. Good Luck,
Rod Norman

fritsthegirl said:
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:

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Michael Hann
The Observer, Sunday 30 September 2012 quoting KM's once husband Steve Lillywhite & The Brd of Barking.:
{One of the many joys contained in They Don't Know is MacColl's voice. The time spent practising the vocal parts in Good Vibrations was echoed down her career. She adored Brian Wilson, and used to layer her own voice to create distinctive velvet harmonies like the Beach Boys had done, which became a trademark. "She would sing like a keyboard," Lillywhite remembers. "She sang without vibrato and when you don't have vibrato you have this wonderful glassy sound, which is how you can get that Beach Boys thing."
"She knew how to use her voice," Bragg says. "She'd tell the engineer where to put the mics, and she'd tell the producer what she was going to do next. She did this amazing thing where she'd do a take, then go round into a different position and do another take to layer up this amazing sound, then: 'That's all. Let's go to the pub." }
This would suggest that the use of a chorus effect, in a cheap British studio hired by ever stingy STIFF Records, was unlikely.
There's more:
Kirsty MacColl: the great British songwriter who never got her due | Music | The Observer
 
rayc said:
Michael Hann
The Observer, Sunday 30 September 2012 quoting KM's once husband Steve Lillywhite & The Brd of Barking.:
{One of the many joys contained in They Don't Know is MacColl's voice. The time spent practising the vocal parts in Good Vibrations was echoed down her career. She adored Brian Wilson, and used to layer her own voice to create distinctive velvet harmonies like the Beach Boys had done, which became a trademark. "She would sing like a keyboard," Lillywhite remembers. "She sang without vibrato and when you don't have vibrato you have this wonderful glassy sound, which is how you can get that Beach Boys thing."
"She knew how to use her voice," Bragg says. "She'd tell the engineer where to put the mics, and she'd tell the producer what she was going to do next. She did this amazing thing where she'd do a take, then go round into a different position and do another take to layer up this amazing sound, then: 'That's all. Let's go to the pub." }
This would suggest that the use of a chorus effect, in a cheap British studio hired by ever stingy STIFF Records, was unlikely.
There's more:
Kirsty MacColl: the great British songwriter who never got her due | Music | The Observer
Click to expand...

That article was great Ray, I read it at work. She's a woman after my own heart. She was an awesome chick. It is very sad we never got to hear where she was headed. I like how they described her voice as having no vibrato, and that "She would sing like a keyboard". It was kind of why I chose that song to cover. I'm not big on vibrato myself, I can't even do it, so. :)
 
Rod Norman said:
The sound you're hearing is the result of chorusing, a form of tight delay. The delay times run as follows:1-6ms is flanging, 6-10ms is chorusing, and higher is doubling or delay. I think her voice may have been run through a harmonizer which pitch shifts the sound to create the effect of a harmony line. Try using a delay effect and set it at about 8ms and see if you are happy with that sound. of course you can also just double track the vocal so they chorus in a more natural way. The effect is not so mechanical sounding. Good Luck,
Rod Norman
Click to expand...

It's definitely double-tracked on that song and not delayed. You can hear slight pitch differences between the two lead takes occasionally, usually at the beginning of phrases.
 
Rod Norman said:
The sound you're hearing is the result of chorusing, a form of tight delay. The delay times run as follows:1-6ms is flanging, 6-10ms is chorusing, and higher is doubling or delay. I think her voice may have been run through a harmonizer which pitch shifts the sound to create the effect of a harmony line. Try using a delay effect and set it at about 8ms and see if you are happy with that sound. of course you can also just double track the vocal so they chorus in a more natural way. The effect is not so mechanical sounding. Good Luck,
Rod Norman
Click to expand...
EDITING to keep peace.

I'm feeling all Ghandi tonight. Or is that Randy? I'll go shave my head and see it if gives me a hard-on. :eek:


Frits, it's double tracked.
 
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