Do you like this vocal sound?

[cdmorten]

I was out on the Sonar BB asking for some mixing help and someone recommended that I post this song here for you guys to check out because they really liked the vocal sound that I got on this song and were stunned by what cheap equipment I used.

The song is called "You Never Left Me Alone" and you can hear it at www.mp3.com/finn

Here's what I used/did:

Marshall condensor mic, (cheap), into a 6 channel Behringer MX 602, into an RNC Compressor ($175), straight into SoundBlaster Live (I know, I'll get a real card with my next PC). I sang it
twice on different tracks and left both track in the center of the mix.

For effects I sent both tracks into an aux bus where I used Sonar's fxChorus, (fattner, vocal, quad, subtle setting), I used Sonar's compressor, (light vocal), a bit of the old Cakewalk delay (98 bpm setting, very subtle) then EQ'd to my liking. The main thing is to sing it twice on 2 tracks which creates a chorus effect. I'm not the most accurate singer so it's really a way for me to cover up mistakes.

Anyway, I just thought you guys might find the tip useful.

Warm regards.

 

[badgas]

That's really good CD.

It sounds like you've had a lot of practice recording. Those tips are interesting.
You've a lot a lot of good songs there.

 

[redbrick]

Not bad in an 80s sort of way

Hey...I actually listened to your tune the other day from the Sonar reference, but I didn't feel like I had anything to offer that hadn't already been said on the board. Sounds pretty good...especially considering the SBLive part of things, though the vocal is pretty heavily "effected", so the clarity of it is not that important.

The only complaint I'd make would be with the drums...not even the way they are programmed really...(I'm a drummer, so I'm a buit picky, but these are programmed well enough), but the sounds...especially the hi-hat...too loud, maybe too much "highs" on them. The only problem with them is that they sound programmed, not in a Depeche Mode kind of way, though, unfortunaely. It's like you wanted them to emulate a real drummer playing, but the sounds are distracting from that realism.

Good tune...I especailly like the way the intro works with the radio voice panning. The whole thing reminds me a bit of Golden Earring.

redbrick

 

[Chris Shaeffer]

Yeah, the vocals sound good to me. The mix is (nicely) thick and that helps to cover any fussiness that may be in the vox due to cheap equiptment.

I think the style of music lends itself to the sound that you have. It isn't amazingly clear, but it fits the song really well.

Your performance is spot on, too, and that helps up the quality of the track. Nothing highlights a cheap sound like a dissonant vocal harmony...just listen to my stuff...

 

[jgourd]

I like the vocals. It sounds really nice regardless of the equipment you used to create it. Good work!

I hate fake drums though. I should start an online service that takes fake drum recordings and returns real drum recordings that can be used to replace fake drum tracks