Different mic techniques for vocals and backups ?

[zwh]

Ok, There is a local band that my band has been good friends with for a long time. I'm a huge fan of their music. They broke up about 5 months ago but still have remained friends/in touch. Anyways, I've convinced them to let me record them so I can/we can have some recordings of their material.


A big part of their "sound" in my opinion is their vocals, they're a 4 piece alternative band and they all sing. Only about one of them can sing better than "good", but as a group and with their music all their voices work so well. Kind of Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

Anyways......... To my point. What are some different ways I can capture their vocals?

I'm really afraid of not capturing that aspect of them. As a band playing live together, their instruments and voices all blend so well together. I don't want to record them and make the mistake of it sounding too polished and non-group sounding.

I have two different vocal condensers and some 58's and other dynamics...

Should I just mic each one of them individually ? Should I have them all sing on one mic and add some overdubs later? Should I do them in all together in stereo? I just want to capture their vocal style together well... Thanks for any help.

 

[mshilarious]

I would start with a group vocal into one mic. That's how the Beach Boys used to record--you can see pictures of them cutting Pet Sounds, all standing around a U47--and supposedly Brian did the lead vocals (double tracked) with a Shure 545 . . .

http://www.echobloom.com/media/images/petsounds.gif

Also, if you watch the Traveling Wilburys' studio vids, you will basically see the same technique. Those are two of the best ensemble vocals I can think of, so I'd start there.

http://www.morethings.com/music/tom_petty/wilburys/traveling_wilburys.jpg

You could try single mic or stereo; I'd try to use MS or especially Blumlein if you're going with stereo; with mono I'd use omni.

 

[scrubs]

If they harmonize well together and you want to capture that, there's nothing wrong with throwing up a mic (or two, or three) and just going with it. Consider a figure-8 (or a pair of figure-8's in Blumlein for stereo) to get more bodies around one mic. Also, consider placing some mics further away for more "room" in the background vocals.

 

[mixsit]

..Should I just mic each one of them individually ? Should I have them all sing on one mic and add some overdubs later? Should I do them in all together in stereo? I just want to capture their vocal style together well... Thanks for any help.

These are exactly the questions that need to be asked and thought out prior to almost any session. If they all sing and blend well, are comfortable with or in the style of an 'all at once blend? If they (you) are going to need have separate tracks and/or isolation/overdubs because the chance of them all getting right at the same time is nil?
And the headphone factor- Phones vs 'in the room blend is problematic to some singers for pitch and blend. A workaround is with only one phone speaker on with the guide track, other ear open to their voice (or voices) in the room.
Maybe break it down into a little of both -track lead voc, work harmonies as overdubs, break those down farther if 'some are getting it, but one or another of them is not.

 

[bassbrad]

When I recorded a vocal quartet (gospel, barbershop, doo wop and jazz) it was a real challenge so we tried a lot of things, mics and spaces. We wound up using a corner of my living room that is the apex of floor to ceiling bookcases with the main mic (MXL V63) set up a foot out from the corner just above eye level of the tallest member. I also set up a stereo pair just below that as well and another MXL V63 behind them for ambience. The group then stood about 10 feet away and went for it. All I needed to do was add a touch of studio reverb and bump some lows and it turned out great. The ambient mic picked up a lot of chatter so we used that to edit in some of the funny stuff.