Ambiance In Recordings

[bassplyr7]

I recently bought a Zoom MRS-802 and I can't seem to bring the vocals to the forefront. Every effect I try makes me sound like I'm singing in a tunnel, very distant and 1 dimensional. What is the trick to achieving 'Fullness'. I've tried doing stereo tracking to get the left and right channels going at the same time, but it still sounds hollow. Any suggestions?

 

[blueroommusic]

don't use so many effects...they WILL make your vocal sound hollow and distant...EQ, compression, doublers, light delays & verbs will make your vocal sound fat...

a lot of factors go into this as well...mics, pres, room, singer, etc.

 

[bassplyr7]

I agree. All the presents sound this way. I just want a flat response.
Unfortunately there aren't any presets that offer that.

 

[ssscientist]

There HAS to be an option to track the vocal dry.

Then, when you go to mix it save a track to bounce the vocal and an effect to. As blueroommusic pointed out, compression and EQ are the main effects used on a vocal.

 

[littledog]

If you are running the whole signal through the effect box, you have to adjust the wet/dry mix. Sounds like you are listening to 100% wet. Try backing off to more like 10-20% wet and see if that gives you what you were trying to get.

If you are using the box in an aux send/return setup, back off the aux send amount. And make sure the original (dry) signal is being heard.

 

[Chibi Nappa]

I agree. All the presents sound this way. I just want a flat response.
Unfortunately there aren't any presets that offer that.

Then don't use a preset.

If you want the vocal right up front, then get right on top of the microphone and eat it. Use the track dry in the mix.

To gradually back the vocal off, physically back off the mic as you sing (you probably want to record a little off the mic even for very close vocals).

Any reverb/delay you use will make the vocal sound farther away. Use a combination of recording distance from the mic and reverb/delay to get the percieved distance from the listener's ear that you need.