Advice needed - Recording Vocal Performance Audition to Camcorder

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J

ja2002

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OK, here is what I have to work with, Behringer UB802 Eurorack mixer, Sennheiser E-835 microphone and a HD camcorder to record audio and video.

Objective: Easy setup to record musical theater audition tapes for my daughter. Many venues accept video taped auditions. So I would like to be able to make audition tapes with reasonable vocal quality. She has perfect intonation, so I don't need things like autotune or chorus effects. Basically I need to combine her stereo backing track with her voice. But obviously the vocals sound a little dry. What would you guys suggest that would bring life to the vocals and be easy to use and budget friendly. I want to record the combined vocals and backing track straight to the camcorder. Would an Alesis NanoVerb possible help? Will the equalizer on the mixer be adequate?

Thanks,

John
 
out of your mixer - use the rca out to the camcorder in - you can do all the fancy mixing on the board and utilize the rca out into the video in on the camcorder - you will be please with the results - you can do this live with a long rca cord to quarter or eighth jack

bweston
http://bweston.yolasite.com/
 
How about processing? Would a NanoVerb do the trick? Or should I be considering something else?
 
I have 2 Nano-verbs that I was using until very recently. They're actually decent sounding reverbs.
 
just a touch of reverb is good for the singer - not to much. I dont know anything about the nano verb. Nothing brings life to vocals like a great mic - start with the best mike you can afford.
 
I'm confused...

Are you doing an audition video with sound for musical theatre? How does your daughter holding a dynamic microphone work in this context? What, apart from singing, does she do in the video?

If nothing, and she's just singing into a mic and the video is just so people can see her, and this is really important to her, AND you don't get sufficient quality with the Sennheiser (which is an excellent live mic, but I've never used it for recording...), then consider a decent LD condenser.

If I were doing it, I'd also be recording the vocals separately from the video and syncing them together later, but perhaps I'm not understanding what you're trying to achieve...
 
Yes, you got it right. Just needs to stand and sing. I also have a Akg C1000s, if that is much better? Main problem is as follows, her background tracks are usually very lush and have a lot reverb similiar to a hall, especially piano tracks. I have no control if this.. When I record her voice on top of the backing track it sounds a little out of place. When I once had a Tascam Pocketstudio, I double tracked her with a delay and added a little reverb. But now I would like to keep it simple so she can do it herself. Is there a portable, budget processor that would accomplish this. Or am i going down the wrong road?
 
The NanoVerb should work, but if you can spare another $60 US you would be better served by the Alesis MicroVerb 4:

Alesis MicroVerb 4 | Sweetwater.com

The NanoVerb is geared more toward guitarists, while the MicroVerb is more of a general-purpose unit.

In use, you would connect the "FX Send" on your mixer to the left input on the MicroVerb. The left output on the MicroVerb should be connected to the Left/Mono input on your mixer. You would then set the amount of reverb with a combination of the "FX" knob on your mixer on the channel the mic is plugged into, the controls on the MicroVerb, and the "AUX RETURN" on your mixer. If you have any problems with this post them and I'll try to help you...
 
bdenton said:
The NanoVerb is geared more toward guitarists,
Click to expand...
I was using it on drums and vocals with great results. It's a reverb.
In use, you would connect the "FX Send" on your mixer to the left input on the MicroVerb. The left output on the MicroVerb should be connected to the Left/Mono input on your mixer. You would then set the amount of reverb with a combination of the "FX" knob on your mixer on the channel the mic is plugged into, the controls on the MicroVerb, and the "AUX RETURN" on your mixer. If you have any problems with this post them and I'll try to help you...
Click to expand...
Why not use the left and right outputs? The way you're doing it, you're stuck with a mono reverb. I also prefer to route the outputs to 2 channel strips, not to the AUX return, but that's just me.
 
Not having any experience with an outboard reverb unit let ask another question. The MicroVerb has a "Delay" function listed. Will that give me the same effect as I got with the PocketStudio where I created two identical tracks and then delayed on track slightly?
 
ja2002 said:
OK, here is what I have to work with, Behringer UB802 Eurorack mixer, Sennheiser E-835 microphone and a HD camcorder to record audio and video.

Objective: Easy setup to record musical theater audition tapes for my daughter. Many venues accept video taped auditions. So I would like to be able to make audition tapes with reasonable vocal quality. She has perfect intonation, so I don't need things like autotune or chorus effects. Basically I need to combine her stereo backing track with her voice. But obviously the vocals sound a little dry. What would you guys suggest that would bring life to the vocals and be easy to use and budget friendly. I want to record the combined vocals and backing track straight to the camcorder. Would an Alesis NanoVerb possible help? Will the equalizer on the mixer be adequate?

Thanks,

John
Click to expand...
The problem is with the backing track most likely, impossible to tell without hearing it but it is a common problem.
Usually the backing track is already compressed and you need to use a dynamic expander on it, then mix in the vocal using eq where needed and then compress everything together.
Using only reverbs and delays is not going to get the vocals to gel as well.
 
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