Any tips for recording hand-claps?

[Greg_L]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Just listened again, and Rami is right. With fresh(er) ears and a clearer head, the delays and shifting and stuff don't work. Re-tracked 4 tracks of claps (man are my hands stinging), rolled off the lows, slightly boosted around 1500 for some 'pop', added slight compression and some clean medium-sized room reverb with a quick decay, and that seems to have done the trick so far. Sounds pretty good in the rough mix. It has a pretty natural clean "group" sound.

 

[xfinsterx]

I guess that doesn't really help much.

Thats funny

 

[TragikRemix]

i would put a 57 about 6 inches away and a condesnor 18-24inches away and record them both. record them to a stereo track.

hit mute.

record 5 more times and then turn them all on.

theres a whole audience full of clapping.

 

[zed32]

hey, let's all record our own clap and send it to Greg, haha.

that way he can say "Homerecording.com gave me the clap."

it'll be like a collaboration.

 

[A Reel Person]

Just...

record yourself slapping your butt cheeks, and maybe it will sound like hand claps!

 

[TragikRemix]

record yourself slapping your butt cheeks, and maybe it will sound like hand claps!

i have a wonderful 'your sister' joke for this, but i will refrain, since you are a nice poster for the most part

 

[A Reel Person]

Don't hurt me, Hammer!

..................

 

[A Reel Person]

Hey,...

... for the most part

Wha'd'ya mean, for the most part?

When was the last time I lashed out & gratuitously flamed someone mercilessly? I was even nice to Derek Verner, though he constantly provoked me! You too! I've been nice to you, haven't I?

Anyway, 'your sister' jokes are fair game, if you want 'em.

I slapped my wife's butt cheeks last weekend (and a 57 worked fine), but this is a straight forum and not the Cave!

Speaking of caves, how is your sister?

Heh, heh.

 

[FALKEN]

Burn!!!!!!!!

 

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

I recorded some claps and they sucked balls, then I compressed a bunch with the free SSL listen mic compressor, and suddenly it went into the acceptable range.

 

[A Reel Person]

Okay, back on topic!

I think if u stage yer recording mic in a small, enclosed area, the hand claps will seem fuller from "natural room ambience". Anyone ever heard of that??

For instance, in a walk-in closet, a closed-off hallway or bathroom "recording booth" would beef up the sound of hand claps, naturally and without techy gimmickry. Sometimes recording in the corner of a room will help with ambience, though a closed off small area would do better.

Just my 2¢.

 

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

I think if u stage yer recording mic in a small, enclosed area, the hand claps will seem fuller from "natural room ambience". Anyone ever heard of that??

For instance, in a walk-in closet, a closed-off hallway or bathroom "recording booth" would beef up the sound of hand claps, naturally and without techy gimmickry. Sometimes recording in the corner of a room will help with ambience, though a closed off small area would do better.

Just my 2¢.

I think they would sound just as bad as anything else recorded in a closet or whatever.

 

[RAMI]

I think he found his solution a page ago...

 

[A Reel Person]

Yeah, right dude.

I think they would sound just as bad as anything else recorded in a closet or whatever.

I don't have a problem with my hand clap recordings, so I guess I'm not qualified to answer this question. Sorry!

 

[ermghoti]

I have seen a tip to take a seat, and record slapping both hands against your knees/thighs. The mic doesn't know the difference, the source sound is meatier (depending on how meaty you are) and you get two for the price of one. If you can keep from asking yourself "who's your daddy?" during tracking, this might be a winner for you.

 

[ecktronic]

Id probably use a nice condensor vocal mic and layer the claps a good few times. Make them stereo also by double tracking the layers of claps. CLose mic your hands )) to get a fuller sounding clap. The further away the mic is the thiner the claps will sound. Same applies for vocals.

Eck

 

[ecktronic]

I think if u stage yer recording mic in a small, enclosed area, the hand claps will seem fuller from "natural room ambience". Anyone ever heard of that??

For instance, in a walk-in closet, a closed-off hallway or bathroom "recording booth" would beef up the sound of hand claps, naturally and without techy gimmickry. Sometimes recording in the corner of a room will help with ambience, though a closed off small area would do better.

Just my 2¢.

Id record the claps in a vocal booth to make them dry, and add reverb at mix down. Using natural acoustics (if your room isnt like a church!) will most likely make them sound thin and distant rather than sharp and cutting like you probably want them to sound like.

Eck