female vocal recording

[souled]

Greetings! I have been recording my partner's voice for about a year and half now, using a condenser mic she originally bought for performing on stage (akg emotion C900). It doesn't seem too bad, and I've managed to get ok mixes with it, with some eq'ing n compresion. But the dry signal seems rather squashed in some way, and a bit muddy. its obviously the mic, so my 1st question is:

Which microphone would be the best investment for us?

she has an alto/soprano tessetura, and a wide dynamic range (can get esp. loud on the mids).

2nd question: her voice has a Lot of projection when she really gets into it, and I've had trouble doing this justice in the studio. It sounds a tad too sharp somehow (maybe in the 3-5K area) but even EQ'ing it doesn't take away that quality completely. To counteract this effect, she tends to tone it down, but I think this means she can't totally let go and record her best performance. She is usually quite close to the mic but pulls back for the loud bits, so is this a problem of mic-distance?

I suppose I'm trying to capture the same effect as being in the room with her, in which case her projected voice doesnt sound sharp at all and sends pleasurable shivers down the spine.

If anyone could give me some advice on this I would be very grateful!

 

[BrettB]

Greetings! I have been recording my partner's voice for about a year and half now, using a condenser mic she originally bought for performing on stage (akg emotion C900). It doesn't seem too bad, and I've managed to get ok mixes with it, with some eq'ing n compresion. But the dry signal seems rather squashed in some way, and a bit muddy. its obviously the mic, so my 1st question is:

Which microphone would be the best investment for us?

she has an alto/soprano tessetura, and a wide dynamic range (can get esp. loud on the mids).

2nd question: her voice has a Lot of projection when she really gets into it, and I've had trouble doing this justice in the studio. It sounds a tad too sharp somehow (maybe in the 3-5K area) but even EQ'ing it doesn't take away that quality completely. To counteract this effect, she tends to tone it down, but I think this means she can't totally let go and record her best performance. She is usually quite close to the mic but pulls back for the loud bits, so is this a problem of mic-distance?

I suppose I'm trying to capture the same effect as being in the room with her, in which case her projected voice doesnt sound sharp at all and sends pleasurable shivers down the spine.

If anyone could give me some advice on this I would be very grateful!

1) depends on how much money you are willing to spend and what kind of music you are bringing. Tube mics usually 'flatter' the human voice. Great budget Tube Mics are the AKG solid tube and the Rode NTK. They give a more thick, warm approach to the voice.

2) mmm that can be a lot of things. I first think of:
-the room she sings in (lot of reflections, flutter echo, standing waves?)
- which Pre-amp compressor are you using? SOme cheaper pre amps may squash the sound a bit and good compression can also do the trick with dynamixc voccals
- How does she monitor? I mean: does she have headphones on while singing? Many vocalist tend to sing better with one cap of the headphone off, so they can hear themselves live in the room

 

[souled]

I have a simple set-up: Mic -> behringer mixer -> delta 2496

Sweet, I'll suggest the headphone thing, usually I turn the backing track down heaps when she can't hear herself in the headphones

Thanks!

 

[deepwater]

I record my wife a lot and she is a soprano. I went through a lot of mics to find one that can tack the edge off so I could use less compression. Go and buy an Audix OM3 or OM5. If eather of those mics don't work I'll buy it from you. With one of those mics you will need less compression, Eqing and the record quality will be professional.

Well how much do they cost?
OM5 $159.00
OM3 $99.00

I promise you will be sending me Christmas cards.

 

[souled]

thanks deepwater, sounds promising indeed! just the kind of advice I was looking for.

 

[Teacher]

if you have your heart set on a Tube Mic I'll recommend

CAD M9...stock tube very airy and clear
telefunken tube makes it fatter but still airy

 

[hookiefree]

I record my wife a lot and she is a soprano. I went through a lot of mics to find one that can tack the edge off so I could use less compression. Go and buy an Audix OM3 or OM5. If eather of those mics don't work I'll buy it from you. With one of those mics you will need less compression, Eqing and the record quality will be professional.

Well how much do they cost?
OM5 $159.00
OM3 $99.00

I promise you will be sending me Christmas cards.

Deepwater would happen to have any examples of songs u recorded with that mic? I need a good female mic too and heard good things about the NT1000 your 2 are much cheaper!

 

[deepwater]

The NT1000 is a good mic, but if your wanting to take off the edge of a vocalist than thats not your mic. Its a good mic to have, but not for that application. Order the Om5 from somewhere that has a return policy and try it out. I'm sure you'll keep it. Audix does not get the respect that they diserve. I would post some clips, but I don't have a place to post them setup.

I have the NTK and the OM5 works alot better on my wife. Like said little to no EQ and you don't have to squash the mic with compression. I would not use a tube pre with it. I found that my Soundcraft pres which are warm yet clean do the trick and give a very intimate recording. You could also use the DMP3

 

[deepwater]

Shania Twain and the Goo Goo Dolls only use Audix mics.

Go to this link and scroll down to the bottom.

http://www.audixusa.com/reviews_releases.html

 

[lpdeluxe]

I have several female clients who swear by my AT4033. They are equally adamant about not digging the NT1000, which sounds great (to me) on male tenor-to-baritone. AT4033: more flattering, less accurate; NT1000: more accurate, but ya gotta have a vocal that suits it.