"Best" room ambiance for vocal tracking w/ no vocal booth?

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zip

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I use the term "best" loosely here because my "studio" is in my bedroom.

In order to get away from the PC noise I have two choices..the bathroom where it sounds great when I sing and the closet where the sound is VERY flat. I've done most of my tracking to date in the bathroom - am I making a mistake?? Do I need an area with less resonance??

I do understand the concept of experimentation but before I waste too much time doing so - are there "guidelines" for better tracking...links to articles I can read...??

My signal chain is currently AT4033 >> Presonus mic pre >> Soundcard...although I will soon be adding a Valley Audio stereo compressor after the mic...

Since I'm a vocalist and it's the best part of my self recorded "music" any tips would be appreciated...

Thanks,

zip >>
 
Recording in the bathroom

Recording in the bathroom to utilize the "natural reverb" as been a honored tradition since recording (or bathrooms) were invented - which came first?

I think you answered your own questioned when you said "the bathroom where it sounds great when I sing ". If it sounds great, then there isn't a problem.

The only reason you would want "less resonance" would be that the resonance sounds bad (too bright, etc.) or if you have specific effects you want to apply to a dry sound (reverb, delay, etc.)

IMO is you have a room where your vocals sound great - be very greatful - don't change a thing.
 
This thread actually posted?!?

I don't believe it!! I hit add thread like 5 times and it kept crashing...hmmmm.

What you said ...led me to track in the bathroom. But I started to think - vocal booths are very dead...

maybe I should be tracking in a "deader" environment for better results...
 
I just got my music/bedroom carpeted and moved my settup closer to the closet. I'm going to try some closet recording this weekend and see how it sounds. Wondering now if I'm gonna have to move it all again nearer to the bathroom. LOL.... its always something...
 
before you move...

Hang tight and see if some of the "pros" chime in...
 
I'm on vacation, and have spent most of it tracking.. I have a walk-in closet that I used for guitar tracking. I put the crate amp facing the back wall an inch from the entry way so the door can close, and stuck one of my cheapo cardioid mics dead center about 6 inches from the speaker cone. The carpeted floor is covered with a variety of common household crap, and a few clothes are hung up on either side. Much to my astonishment, I have gotten the best mic'd guitar sound I have ever recorded to tape. No eq, no fuss, no muss.. not even a preamp for godsakes..

Parallel and a few feet away from the closet is the master bathroom. I cut vocals, again using a crap ass mic and a pop screen. It's a square room with the bathtub against the the back wall. I stood in the exact position as my amp stood in the closet, with the door open, facing bathtub, and belted out some vox..

Again, excellent sound, with the reverb just the way i like it (just enough for a natural and not muffled sound).. again, no eq.. and I don't as of yet own a outboard preamp, my only option using the preamp off the mixer..

I know it's the acoustics providing me such luck.. I can't wait to hear the results with a better mic and preamp..

Cy
BOC
 
Interesting...maybe my mic position is poor...

I sang with the door closed and the bath enclosure to the SIDE. Now that I think of it - singing into the enclosure makes more sense for a more natural "rebound" effect...

Any other ideas....Keep em' coming!!...............:)

zip >>
 
Re: before you move...

zip said:
Hang tight and see if some of the "pros" chime in...
Click to expand...

Who's to argue with what sounds good? If tracking vocals in the bathroom is providing the sound you want, then this is certainly not "wrong".

I hate these posts where the person thinks that some "technical" information is going to replace good ol' "try it and see" experimentation. Even us "pro's" a lot of times "try it and see". For sure, we maybe have done a lot more "wrong" things, but they aren't ALWAYS wrong. Hell, I once recorded a lead guitar to ADAT with the track clipping almost all the time. Sounded perfect for the song and solo in it!!! Just one little example of "breaking the rules" to achieve what is best for the song being recorded.

Experimenting is NEVER a waste of time!!! You should feel ashamed for making such a comment!!! ;)

Ed
 
Point well taken Ed....

But...when you have kids and VERY little time to begin with...getting a good sound starting point REALLY helps...

That being said...what have YOU found to be better in YOUR experience to be better for vocal tracking...

...dead or not???

Your perspective will be appreciated.....

.......I'm going to hide in shame now..................;)

zip >>
 
I would record as dry as possible. Reverb can always be added, but cannot be removed from a recording.

FWIW -

- Wil
 
"I hate these posts where the person thinks that some "technical" information ".......

Actually Ed...on second thought...don't bother...

If a post isn't WORTHY of your reply...why reply at all?? Hit the back button.....

At least others are offering helpful perspective which is all I've asked for.....I KNOW I have to try it and see - just looking for some good ideas for starting points to save a little valuable time.

Your reply added NO VALUE...

A usually not this way...

zip >>
 
I have to Quote Steven KIng from Pet Semitary when he wrote "Sometimes dead is better".
Get that pure uncolored sound tracked and then try out different plate reverbs on it till you find the one that you really think is awesome.

I even have a patch on one of my digital reverbs called "Zip's restroom".:D
 
for slow to mid-tempo tunes where you know you're going to want to get some reverb in your vocal, recording in the bathroom is great; however, for uptempo tunes where less reverb is used, you might want to do something else if your bathroom is really ringing.

having said that, why can't you put the PC into the closet you were talking about? buy extenders for the pc monitor, keyboard, and mouse then you can record in your bedroom or the bathroom.

i've got my PC in an adjacent closet, and it enables me to track in the 'control room', since the control room is my only room.
 
zip's restroom....hehe

Is that a preset?? Shouldn't I be getting royalties for the use of my name....;)

Crosstudio...

I actually tried something similar...the only problem I have is a long room which requires a long extension. For the monitor that works fine but I loose too much signal strength from the keyboard and it won't work. They make a signal booster I may have to invest in but it's like $70.

Good advice by both though...I love plate reverb on vocals and a very good point about tempo...

...a uptempo passage could easily get muddy with a lot of ring...

So far I have three really good ideas to try...

- dead room w/ plate reverbs
- open door w/ different mic positions
- checking tempo changes in the less dead room...

Great places to start...thanks!!

zip >>
 
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