Give me your vocal tracking tricks! NOW!

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tone_aot

tone_aot

Owner of ToneJonez.com
Hi guys. I'm always trying to learn more about recording. My basic goal of posting this thread is to learn some more vocal tracking tips in order to get a great vocal before the mixing stage. I would like tips as far as mic placement, gain staging, and compression settings on the way in. If you would like to, i'd even like to hear some tips as far as getting your vocal to sit in a mix. WHAT? I just seen one of Blue's microphone on good morning america!! Anywayz, back to my question! :D Thanks in advance for responses.
 
tone_aot said:
Hi guys. I'm always trying to learn more about recording. My basic goal of posting this thread is to learn some more vocal tracking tips in order to get a great vocal before the mixing stage. I would like tips as far as mic placement, gain staging, and compression settings on the way in. If you would like to, i'd even like to hear some tips as far as getting your vocal to sit in a mix. WHAT? I just seen one of Blue's microphone on good morning america!! Anywayz, back to my question! :D Thanks in advance for responses.
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my tricks are boring here they are:

1. Place microphone on stand and put pop filter 1-2" in front of it. more if i'm going for a different sound.

2. Set proper gain stage from start to finish. That may include a pad. I like to drive the preamp hard but not stupid. Then bring my level up on the recorder.

3. Sing well.

Can't think of other tricks to get a good vocal sound.

To get a different vocal sound, i'll do all the same steps, but change distance from source to mic, possible a big metal cone over my head (and it sounds cool so don't laugh).

Sometimes i use a 1952 HAM radio broadcast mic. Sometimes i don't.

The most important "trick" is number 3... i think...
 
basically same as above but, apply a little compression depending on the singer to level it out a little bit, but dont add to much compression save that for mixing, also it might be good to loop the segment of the song you are recording on and get the singer to do it 3 or 4 times over then you can pick the best bits, make sure you get a full sounding vocal as possible, i also like to put a little reverb through the singers headphones which helps boost there confidence i find, but from what i learn if you add to much reverb this can cause pitching problems.

there is no designated method to how to track vocals because everyone is different you gotta develop your own style.

read this:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/how_to_record_vocals.htm

i found it extremely helpful when i was first starting off.

Good Luck :)
 
There are some preparatory things to consider even before you begin the recording process.

#1: Determine who you are recording. Is it a male, female, high airy voice, or low rich voice. This will help you better in your choice of microphones to use. the Mic used is priority number 1.

#2: Once you've chosen the mic, I set it up with 2 layers of pop filtering right in front of the body of the mic. The first one within a inch of the body and the second with about a inch or 2 from the other allowing for a dead air space between. This completely eliminates any chance of plosive air making it to the capsule

#3: I decide which preamp to use as well based on some preliminary trials of the person singing into the mic. Do I want a warmer tube sound or a clean direct sound. I choose the preamp to suit the voice and desired effect.

#4: I then have them sing at various distances from the mic to determine the final character I'm looking for. Do I want that up front intimate character or a more backed off natural sound. This can make or break a song depending on what you are looking for in the end result.

#5: I apply anywhere from a 2:1 to a 6:1 compression depending on the dynamics of both the vocal performer and the performance dynamics of the particular song. This allows me to print a more perfect track that needs no to very little post processing in a mix. Remember it's much easier (and better) to mix a perfect track than to "make" it more perfect after the fact.

#6: Since I have access to a TC-Helicon VoiceWorks I will, on occasion apply some pitch correction. Unlike some, I use it sparingly and lightly not attempting to make a crappy singer sound amazing, but rather make a decent singer sound very good. I like natural where and whenever possible, so "easy does it" is my motto.......

I allow for some reverb tastefully applied to the cans for the benefit of the performer (and NOT printed to the track). This makes the peformer feel larger than life and often inspires a better performance. This trick is as old as the hills and most often used.

That is my short story.......
 
roadwarrior said:
#2: Once you've chosen the mic, I set it up with 2 layers of pop filtering right in front of the body of the mic. The first one within a inch of the body and the second with about a inch or 2 from the other allowing for a dead air space between. This completely eliminates any chance of plosive air making it to the capsule
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Wouldn't you want to listen to the singer first? Some singers' plosives need filtering, some don't. The recording will be of higher quality without the filtering, if you don't need it.
 
If it is a dynamic song I'd get the compressor in line and maybe start around a 4:1 ratio to keep things even, but first do a run through so you know what the highest level of singing will be - make sure your gain stages are set optimally throughout the chain. Be certain that the artist is comfortable and that their headphone mix is good.
 
If your room isn't great sounding or your vocalist's voice is a little thin, or bottom-heavy, or whatever, after your preamp you might want to have an EQ just to clean things up a bit. Make sure this is before the compressor, otherwise you might be bringing the problem areas up in volume. After that, some compression (very light, try to correct dynamics mostly by working on mic technique).
 
after your preamp you might want to have an EQ just to clean things up a bit. Make sure this is before the compressor, otherwise you might be bringing the problem areas up in volume. After that, some compression
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I disagree...if you have problem areas frequency wise, putting the EQ before the compressor can really screw things up sometimes...IMO it takes those problem areas, and makes them sound unnatural...I do that all the time, but only in certain instances...many times it's EQ after compression.
 
zacanger said:
If your room isn't great sounding or your vocalist's voice is a little thin, or bottom-heavy, or whatever, after your preamp you might want to have an EQ just to clean things up a bit. Make sure this is before the compressor, otherwise you might be bringing the problem areas up in volume. After that, some compression (very light, try to correct dynamics mostly by working on mic technique).
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i strongly disagree. i would never EQ before compression.

i would also never track with compression, unless i can't get a reasonable volume-to-disk without clipping on the louder parts (remember, if you're tracking at 24bits, the v-t-d doesn't need to be THAT hot!). in which case, i'd use very very mild compression, just enough to squeeze the part into the dynamic range of the medium but without leaving a substantial sonic footprint on the track.

getting a good headphone balance is one of the most important things to getting a good vocal performance. i'm not going to tell you how to set things up in a technical manner, because quite simply that's totally impossible - so many variables - the room, the mic, the pre, the song, the singer etc etc etc.

if you're singer isn't feeling comfortable with the 'phone mix, they will not produce a good performance.

try and get as many takes as the singer is capable - but remember, the singer will only have a finite number of takes in them. sure, they can keep on singing all day long (or can do a 3hr set), but their voice will probably start sounding fairly tired by (at the most) the 10th take. so make sure you get enough workable material quickly.

if there's a problem area, then work on that part. don't re-take the entire song because of 1 problematic bridge or wtv.

singers often need some ego massaging. they're sensitive human beings, so tell them it's good when it's crap and it's awesome when its ok, but "could we maybe try another take?" :D




as for mic placement/choice, preamp/compression/reverb settings...use your ears.
 
brendandwyer said:
... possible a big metal cone over my head (and it sounds cool so don't laugh).
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may i be the first to say your post is useless without PICTURES!!!!


:D :D :D
 
You could just use Glaceverb to get the big-metal-cone sound.
 
Vocals don't always have to be close-mic'ed, right on the singer's mouth.

Think of the mouth like you would the sound hole of an accoustic guitar. Most of the sound emanates from it ... but there are resonances going on in other places. If you experiment with placement, it's possible to get a more complex sound. Problem is ... if your room isn't properly treated, you're severely limiting the options available to you, and before long you're right back to the standard close-mic straight up with a pop-filter.
 
1) ASC Tube Traps (mounted on mike stands to function like Studio Traps) around the mike, just about always,

2) dead sides usually face in in on cardioid mikes, giving a really clean, dead room sound without flutter,

3) live sides usually face in on omni or figure-8 for Quick Sound Field.

Cheers,

Otto
 
MessianicDreams said:
may i be the first to say your post is useless without PICTURES!!!!


:D :D :D
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well my bad for not thinking that one through.


I will document my award winning vocal technique that i've labeled:

VOCAL RECORDING TECHNIQUE 12546B_09TANGO

and get pictures up here asap....

we're tracking tonight so i would imagine we'll use the cone.... :)
 
Thanks guys for all the help! And yea chessrock i need to treat my space but will be moving soon. Any room on earth has got to be better than the room i'm in now (brick walls err.). At that time i'll get some roxul and foam to treat the room. I have been limited to close miking for a while now because i've had to record in the closet and the farther you go out the more it sounds like a closet. I also need a better preamp because when i crank the gain i don't need noise and brittleness(behr***** preamps currently). Those two moves alone would probably give me better quality. It would also help to get a nicer compressor like an fmr rnc.
 
tone_aot said:
I have been limited to close miking for a while now because i've had to record in the closet and the farther you go out the more it sounds like a closet.
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I think it's time for you to come out of the closet, Tone.

.
 
i've been using the "wind sock" type pop filters lately and like them, they have an advantage in that if you want to, you can get much closer to the mic than with a "standard" type pop filter. good if that's what you want.
some people claim that there are less problems with sibilance when using the socks as opposed to the rings. something about phasing between the mic and the pop filter. not sure i hear the difference. if there is one it's very small.

like chess said, distance can be good. often i have singers (less so rappers) 2-3 ft from the mic, but i have a fairly dead room and for some people that's not the case.

i usually put corrective eq (usually subtractive) before comp, apparently not everyone does.

me loves comp.
 
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