Backing vocals.

[ChristopherDawn]

I just don't get it.

I'm trying to have the main vocal center and then have a backing vocal sing that is in the background of the mix also center that will be heard and distinguishable.

How is this done? Reverb tactics?

Whenever I try it just gets masked by the lead vocals or is too loud so it's fighting with the lead.

Dammit dammit dammit.

 

[jazzrich9]

more info please

is it the same vocalist? why does it all have to be dead center?
who was that masked man?

If it's the same vocalist, that makes sense... it's all about the mix though... try messing with the eq... I'll give you more when I understand the situation better...

Is it the same part in harmony, or different backing vocalss... ooh ooh ooh... and other great lines in harmony?

let us know...

you will make the perfect mix....

 

[ChristopherDawn]

Well it doesn't have to be dead center, but when I pan them out it sounds strange.


I have the main vox center.

Different vox for backing.

It's not a harmony, just him kind of screaming along. I'm sure it's a problem that they kind of sound pretty similar.

I just don't really know how to go about mixing it in so it's not just cluttering up the mix instead of being there and being heard without taking the main vox out with it.

 

[jazzrich9]

My simplest recommendation then is to move it just slightly off center, and do some tight eq shifts de-emphasizing the range in the background vocals that are most prevelant in the lead vox. If you have a decent parametric eq this shouldn't be too much of a problem... at the same time, if you can boost the lead a touch (about 1db) in that same range, you should get enough of a distinction... however... depending on the type of music, it's possible that the guy screaming in the background might actually be clashing with one of the instruments... you might want to solo the 2 vox, make sure they work together, and then add each track back individually...

not trying to be simplistic, just methodical... so you can get past this hump.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Rich

 

[donkeystyle]

if you sing far away from a mic, you hear less low end and more room sound than you would if you were close to it...... so to me it makes sense to roll off or scoop a lot of low end from the background vocal and even add reverb.

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Chris @ Dawn:] [too early for me]

You might try running the main vox through a good mic pre and from the pre into a compressor -- then to recorder.

For the backing vocal, run mic directly into recorder and use the fader and maybe a tad of the recorder's mic pre.

Use stage reverb for the main vocal.

Use much less reverb for the backing vocals.

Don't know your gear but something similar to the above will work with most gear.

Green Hornet

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Chris @ Dawn:] [too early for me]

You might try running the main vox through a good mic pre and from the pre into a compressor -- then to recorder.

For the backing vocal, run mic directly into recorder and use the fader and maybe a tad of the recorder's mic pre.

Use stage reverb for the main vocal.

Use much less reverb for the backing vocals.

Don't know your gear but something similar to the above will work with most gear.

Green Hornet