Going insane recording vocals

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan Colverson
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Dan Colverson

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I am trying to record vocals on my FD8 singing through an SM58 but i'm not having much luck. The mic is plugged straight into the FD8 and the signal is set to low imput. Basically the problem is it's really bassy and lame and quiet. Even with the treble turned up and the bass turned down it i still cant hear myself properly and it's drving me mental. Any tips? Should i put the mic through an amp? Anything at all MUCH appreciated!
 
leave the EQ flat (no eq) when recording vocals....it looks as though the XLR inputs are on channels 7 and 8 so you should be using one of these? and adjusting your levels.....
 
Dan Colverson said:
Basically the problem is it's really bassy and lame and quiet. Even with the treble turned up and the bass turned down it i still cant hear myself properly and it's drving me mental.
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That sounds like an impedence issue all the way...
 
ahpook

if you're not using a mic pre-amp, i think this may be the problem - the mismatch in impedance is probrably sucking the tone from the mic signal.
 
Something like a BBE Sonic Maximizer or Aural Exciter seems to do the trick, from what I've heard. I don't have one yet, but my guitarist does. It seems to make a 1000% difference, for some reason. It made a huge difference on his guitar. We tried it on the vocals, and what a difference. It's on my list of things to get down the road....

Tom Kemp
 
using an sm 58 to record vocals is the first problem. Also don't put your mouth right against the mic. Proximity effect is not prevalant in the sm58 but I suppose it could happen under certain circumtances.
 
balls1299 said:
using an sm 58 to record vocals is the first problem.
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Ummm.... ????????
I used SM58 a lot in my studio before I got the C4000 and I still use dynamic mics on some vocalists.
 
I had a 58 before I got my condensor mic. If you have a mic pre, the $99 Art will do, put the +20 db gain on, this gave me detail and crispness from the 58 that I didn't have before. If you do this, remember to turn your fader down before boosting with the +20 db, then gradually increase the level until it's loud enough
 
Here's what I can offer...

I agree with previous posts that it sounds like your problem may be due to no mic pre or impedence mismatches.
If you are using a mic pre and are properly hooked up, I would suggest this:
Don't use a "maximizer" or a "compressor" of any kind! Go straight into your soundcard or tape deck from the mic pre. Putting any kind of extra junk in the chain between your pre and your soundcard is just going to diminish the integrity of the signal. I receive raised eyebrows whenever I say this, but I remain convinced that you are far better off going straight to tape (or sound card) as directly as possible and compressing the signal there than you are sticking extra junk in the signal chain to begin with. If you need to control dynamics, then do it by haveing the singer adjust his delivery or moving the mic......which brings me to my next suggestion:
Position the mic even with singer's nose, pointing downward towards his mouth, and have him back off the mic a little...6 or 8 inches. THose will both help to relieve some of the oppressive low end.

Aaron
http://www.aaroncheney.com
 
good post AC

I agree Aaron.

Throwing post-processing onto a track to make it sound like it was recorded cleanly is a bad habit to get into.

better for Dan to invest in a decent mic-pre than a sonic maximizer.

i think Warlock was referring to the SM57, which i find to be less dynamic than i'd like for it to be for vocal studio recording purposes.
 
balls1299 said:
using an sm 58 to record vocals is the first problem. Also don't put your mouth right against the mic. Proximity effect is not prevalant in the sm58 but I suppose it could happen under certain circumtances.
Click to expand...

er, um - you can't be serious... ...can you? On what information are you basing your statement?

Any pressure-gradient mic will exhibit proximity effect. Proximity effect is one of the phenomena which can give a voice that "rich", "dark" characteristic and makes the SM58 one of the most used mics (for live recording, at least) for vocals. The SM-58 is also built like the proverbial brick shyte-house, but I digress...

Just curious, that's all...

- Wil
 
I have a few U87's but i STILL sometimes use SM58's on some vocalists. Dynamics have a totally different characteristic which can help a track. sometimes, i have a condensor setup for vocals, and i also have an SM58 behind the pop shield.

as for singing close up to the 58, in my opinion, the way to get a nice vocal with that mic is to sing pretty close to it:-)


grrr. sonic maximizers....EVIL! dont use them!
 
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