Elliott Smith style Vocals?

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Seotaiji1982

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Anyone have any tips on how to do Back-up vocals (mostly oooh's and aaaah's) the way Elliott Smith does? His voice sounds like a choir almost, lots of layers and harmonies.
Whats the best way to layer different vocal keys? and what would anyone suggest be the minimum or maximum # of tracks to get this effect, and in what keys or octives? I'm kinda at a loss, but just experimenting. Bare in mind i am poor, so please no suggestions to go out and buy a $2500.00 vocal harmonizer (or anything that costs more than $100 for that matter!)

I dont know if anyone here has even heard Elliott Smith's stuff, but if you have and know the sound i'm trying to capture please help.
Thanx in advance guys and gals.!
Peace out!

-tYLeR
 
Well, I don't think there's any secret to it. First, he had an amazing, one of a kind, voice. Secondly, he wrote good harmonies. That's about it. Good mics, etc. will make your life easier, but if the performance isn't there, it won't matter.

Here is a good article on writing harmonies. I've found it helps to sit down at the keyboard (if you play keys) when writing and even while tracking harmonies.
 
Okay so i've just listened to Elliot's self titled record. This one is by far his best in my opinion and the only one I own, so its the only one I can give you feedback on.

A lot of the record sounds like the vocals were double tracked or more, but it is so sublte. Very skillful on elliot's part. it sounds like on "christian brothers" and "clementine" the double vocals come out more on the held out notes on the chorus. Alphabet town is similar but everything sounds like it was done quieter. (closer/quieter lead vox, closer/quieter double tracks, louder chain levels to get a good level on tape and then mixed quietly and subtley.)

So granted you're looking and at my newbie status and taking enerything I'm writing with a grain of salt, it seems to me that what your asking about is how to get backing "ooh"s in there with an intimate feel and not the perception of a seperate chorus of backers welling up in the background.(lets say dark side of the moon)

the first thing I would say is don't belt it out, start by having just a little more distance than you had for your main vocal, and have a loud mix of your main vocal in your headphones and listen to how your new track is changing your main vocal more than you listen to the intricacies of your new vocal.

Sorry if I'm way off the mark on this one, but I would definitely spend more time listening to the desired ohh's and thinking about how you percieve that (is it close or far off? is it one person or several? is it the exact same pitches or is it octaves or does it periodically seperate into harmonies?) Because this effect you want is all about performance and distance, not gear.

best of luck
 
Ya he was a pretty damn fine harmonist... his first album "Roman Candle" was actually done on a crappy home 4-track, so no equipment trickery there! :)
 
if you dont have the talent first off...forget about it. he was a one in a million.
. ..
he recorded roman candle and fig8 on less than decent gear..but he was such a talent that it just didnt matter, those albums are timeless. lots of layers and counterpoint harmonies. listen to the beach boys pet sounds, crosby stills nash and young deja vous or pick up some good acapella vocal groups(gaither vocal band, acapella, etc)...learn how chords and melody fit together.his harmonies were not that hard musically, but the actual main melody lines are what is so amazing about his music....the harmonies(just him layered over and over) are pretty basic....and finally..

do a lot of heroin.
 
BigRay said:
do a lot of heroin.
Click to expand...


Hmm. Not sure if it will make your composing or performance skills any better, but it'll definitely help you forget all about the fact that you have no talent. :D

.
 
I agree with chessrock...the herion will only make you forget how you have no talent...as everyone else stated Smith was one in a million...had loads of talent and didnt rely to heavily on the aids of mass processing and tricky recording...i think your best bet is to work on writting the parts and learning to sing them properly. If you cant do it then your just going to have to allow time for yourself to grow as a singer and a writter, Im sure he wasnt incredible overnight! I also think listening to other albums with similar vocal harmonies and melodies will help you hone those skills. As for achieving his sound technically....id say lots of doubling and chorus.
 
Are you sure that it's just him on most of the backing vox?

To me it sounds like there might be other people involved on some tracks.
Also, I've noticed that some tracks have what sounds like synth vocals or something. I can't think of the songs right now, but I'm pretty sure I've heard it.

That's always something to consider. If you know anyone else that can hold a note, let them contribute to your songs.

Other things:
Perhaps compress the background vox really good so they hardly vary dynamically. Also, cutting some highs/high-mids out of them might make them seem less "up front" in the mix.
Take care when using reverb as well. It can be dangerous.
 
Besides the harmonies, I know one of Smith's vocal recording techniques is that he would usually record one melody 3 times and pan 1 right, 1 left, 1 center. And I believe he kept the center track dry while reverb was added to the left and right. For one of his best songs that show off his vocals, check out the last song on XO, called "I Didn't Understand". It's a beautiful, a capella tune. Anyone have any article, interviews, pictures, etc. that talk about or show him recording, list of gear he used, etc? I know he used middle of the line gear and I'd like to know what exactly.
 
Sloan said:
Are you sure that it's just him on most of the backing vox?

To me it sounds like there might be other people involved on some tracks.
Also, I've noticed that some tracks have what sounds like synth vocals or something. I can't think of the songs right now, but I'm pretty sure I've heard it.

That's always something to consider. If you know anyone else that can hold a note, let them contribute to your songs.

Other things:
Perhaps compress the background vox really good so they hardly vary dynamically. Also, cutting some highs/high-mids out of them might make them seem less "up front" in the mix.
Take care when using reverb as well. It can be dangerous.
Click to expand...


It was definately ALL Elliott Smith on the vocals, he had a pretty good range with his voice ( and probably used different micrphones/EQ's ,ect. on different vocal takes. maybe thats why some sound different than others).
I know he did use some stand in musicians every once and a while for things like bass and drums on his later "studio albums",which he is alright at but its always good to get someone better if you can -especially when you have a big lable to pay for it all!)

As for getting someone else to sing. heh. Even if i could find someone willing to participate i wouldnt want to. I prefer to do everything myself and in private. Harder yes, but i guess i feel more satisfied. Although I guess i do need to warm up to other people though because it could help greatly. I just prefer my esoteric techniques, hiding in my room; toying away until i come up with a finished project to surprise everyone.
 
Thanx

Thanks again for everyones help. I'll try some of these techniques. They sound pretty interesting. I'll just have to experiment and try different combonations. I do especially like that link to the article on making good vocal harmonies. I cant wait to try that out.
As for equipment, i really dont care. I'm not trying te recreate Elliott Smith's voice. Thats impossible. I just want a similar technique for backing vocals. That eerie, mystic sound with ooohs and aaahs, like on his later albums ( "Basement on the Hill" specifically).
-tYLeR
 
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