Getting those thick heavy consonants

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alanfc
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Alanfc

Alanfc

New member
hello-

I'm getting close on figuring alot of this stuff out, but whats still a mystery is the thick heavy sort of wet consonants I hear on most pro vocals.

I have been trying all different things and get mush

As I have now, For Lead vocal (all copies):

1. I have a pure un-effected track with a smidge of subtractive EQ
2. Motown vocal method /high pass filter supercompressed. This is working nicely and the annunciation I have been suprised and pleased with. With a pinch of reverb or delay (change mind daily)

3. thicker in the mids (?), subtractive EQ hi and low. This is the track I want get the heavy thick consonants out of.

Of course I can't think of any examples now, except for what I just heard on the way home in the car. The band called Jet.

do you know this thick consonant sound I'm looking for ?

I would greatly appreciate any clues or methods
thanks
-Alan
 
You may want to start by stating what your signal path is. Mic, pre, and conversion (unless youre going to tape)



Justin
 
aha Yes that would help

thanks


This is male voice for a simple rock song

-mic= sm 57

-preamp= vtb-1 (tube blend at 1/2) HPF Off; impedance switched to 50 instead of 200 due to better sounding low end for my voice
-into an RNC for peak control on 2:1, -5 dbthr, Atk 2.0, Rel 1.0, no makeup gain, SuperNice mode. the waveforms are very spiky still but any higher ration or lower threshold sounds too obviously compressed.

-then into Edirol UA-5 soundcard into Cakewalk

I have switched from condenser to dynamic. Condenser was too thin and real. The Sm 57 sounds thicker and better on my voice.

that covers it I think.

I'm starting to wonder if this sound I'm looking for is an artful use of over-compression.(?)

thanks
 
Solution Found

OK, for any new folks-

I was told that this effect was probably a Distressor, so since I don't have one I think I 've come close with my RNC and VTB-1 and SM-57. Going for a crude imitation of a Distressor. Came close to my ears anyway.


SM57 into VTB-1, using the Tube blend control, which I usually avoid, but for this, the tube blend at MAX, at a high level for input gain and a normal/reasonable level on the output

Then into RNC at a -15 dbthr, 6:1 ratio, attack at the lowest-fastest setting (that's 0.2 I think) and the release at the lowest setting (0.5 I think). And the output gain on the RNC at about +4 or so. Super Nice Mode OFF.

I usually use Supernice Mode ON for normal vocals. With alot less extreme settings. This Distressor-type effect is truly an Effect for me....

I also noticed that the proximity effect was important and that when I got too far off the mic, the effect was not the same. I had to get right on the mic/pop filter it to get it..


-Alan
 
i think i know what you're talking about, and if i do, part of it is compression. modern rock vocals are squashed to the point where they have almost no dynamics, and they have a really up-front sound. this may be what you're looking for.

justin
 
Cyan:

well,

I don't know...

What I hear in this particular recording is something that sounds like the singer is right there in front of you . With a little bit of a boost in the low end. And smooth on the high end. But that may be the singer himself, and the mic. And apparently no reverb, delay, or other spatial effect. When I tried my own experiment I described above, it sort of came out.

Indeed the 'Sses' were not overpowering so maybe it is
de-essing too. All I know is that when I tried to get the effect after tracking, I never even came close. But with heavy use of the RNC and VTB-1 while tracking, I got close enough for my purposes.

Keerus:
I must say my waveforms were like 2x4's but it didn't SOUND squashed and overcompressed like I've come to know. But I would say my knowledge is Intermediate at best. Perhaps if I listened to it side-by-side with a Zeppelin tune I'd notice the difference. But it doesn't sound bad like other vocals I've overcompressed.

thanks
 
If you are talking about a sound like matchbox twenty's lead singer, then that comes from heavy compression of the vocal, and a singer who is singing maybe 3 inches from the mic.

If you are talking a more smooth, r& b sound, then the deeser as well as compression added to it.
 
Re: Solution Found

Alanfc said:
...Then into RNC at a -15 dbthr, 6:1 ratio, attack at the lowest-fastest setting (that's 0.2 I think) and the release at the lowest setting (0.5 I think). And the output gain on the RNC at about +4 or so. Super Nice Mode OFF.

I usually use Supernice Mode ON for normal vocals. With alot less extreme settings. This Distressor-type effect is truly an Effect for me....
Click to expand...

With the fast settings, and especially on the release end and with super nice off, the RNC can do quite a lot of compression and still get back out of the way cleanly.
I can see where that could get you a very controled and up-front effect.
Gota love it.:D
 
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