Good mics for powerfull female vocals?

[guitarhunny]

I have been using the MXL990 for my vocal recording however I tend to overpower it when I am too close to it but it gets muddy if I back away or turn down the volume of recording. It sounds fine when I am doing a more delicate vocal, it's when I really lay into a vocal that I have problems. Can anyone tell me some opinions on mics that would do better? Or maybe a technique I could try to get a better sound out of this mic?

 

[c7sus]

Maybe try an NTK.

Or look into compression and limiting.

 

[chessrock]

I'd look in to picking up a nice dynamic mic for when you get all freaky-deeky and sing powerful like Meatloaf.

Check in to a Shures SM-7B . . . or an Electrovoice RE-20.

 

[Innovations]

How much do you want to spend?

 

[AGCurry]

Dynamic!

Several good choices, besides the SM7 and RE20:

Sennheiser 441
Sennheiser 421
Sennheiser 431
Electrovoice N/D 367 ("the Female Vocal mic", not made anymore, but very good)
Beyerdynamic M88 or M69
Beyerdynamic M500

 

[chessparov]

Without hearing your voice in person, or knowing your skill in mic technique,
the safest choices would be IMHO;

EV RE20 (or PL20-same mic) cardiod
EV RE15, RE16, or RE18 hypercardiods
EV 635a omni (can put close up BTW)

These are pretty "one size fits all" kind of microphones.
The Variable-D feature makes the mic techique easier on the unidirectionals
mentioned in my list above.

Also, what are you using for a compressor?

Chris

 

[Flatpicker]

Someone over on Harvey’s forum at Pro Sound Web had a similar problem and ended up using an ADK Hamburg which he said “worked beautifully”.

 

[deepwater]

Audic OM5 all the way or OM3 to save money. My wife has the same problem and condensers are to much so I use the OM5 and it works great.

 

[Lance135]

Good suggestions here--dynamic mikes are usually what engineers reach for when the singer is too powerful for condensers. Obviously, if your condenser mike has a pad, you should engage it.

As for technique, try pointing the microphone more at your forehead, or for a deeper sound, down toward your chest. This should reduce the SPL's blasting the mike. You'll lose a bit of brightness, but this may not be a bad thing.

 

[DJL]

I have been using the MXL990 for my vocal recording however I tend to overpower it when I am too close to it but it gets muddy if I back away or turn down the volume of recording. It sounds fine when I am doing a more delicate vocal, it's when I really lay into a vocal that I have problems. Can anyone tell me some opinions on mics that would do better? Or maybe a technique I could try to get a better sound out of this mic?

Hi guitarhunny, are you using a pop filter with your MXL990... if not, that could be part of the problem.

 

[guitarhunny]

I am using a pop filter and have my mic positioned slightly above me. I try to manuever myself about as much as possible from and to the mic when I am vamping. I am in a sound treated walk-in closet with acoustic foam in an area about 4.5 x 5.5 If you want to hear a little of my style, go to www.ruthsharpmusic.com there are a few MP3s on there, nothing really powerfull with the vocals because I haven't been happy with my results but it may give you some idea. I am really not educated as to microphones but would like something moderatly priced.

 

[guitarhunny]

I want a really crisp clean vocal sound.

 

[chessrock]

I want a really crisp clean vocal sound.

When you say "crisp and clean," could you give an example of a recording artist that I might be familiar with that you could use as a reference?

In other words, do you mean "crispy poppy hipey" clean like in Boy Bands, Mariah Carey, etc.

Or do you mean clean as in "natural and realistic" like a Norah Jones record?

If you mean the former, then I'd recommend something by BLUE, or perhaps one of the Rode NT's or Studio Projects mics.

If you mean the latter, then I'd go Audio Technica all the way. 40 series. 4040, 4050, 4047, etc, etc. You get the picture.

 

[chessparov]

Hmm...

All that "to and fro" talk only convinces me further about the EV's for home
recording. For anything important you could take tracks recorded with them
to a local pro studio so they could help make them "crisp and clear".
The RE20, RE15, and 635a omni would have the best off-axis response.
The RE20 and 635a would have more clarity on their own vs. the RE15.
(not better, just different-RE15 is "ribbonish" in tone)

The highest priority is getting a good performance, so don't sweat about
what's "best". Find something easy to use that sounds good.

Will try to listen to your stuff when I get a chance.

Chris

 

[bgavin]

In other words, do you mean "crispy poppy hipey" clean like in Boy Bands, Mariah Carey, etc.

Or do you mean clean as in "natural and realistic" like a Norah Jones record?

That was one of the best and most concise explanations I've seen here in a long time.

Very useful, thanks.

 

[earworm]

Quote:
Originally Posted by chessrock
In other words, do you mean "crispy poppy hipey" clean like in Boy Bands, Mariah Carey, etc.

Or do you mean clean as in "natural and realistic" like a Norah Jones record?


whoooo ! good one !

 

[notCardio]

Then again, I don't usually think of the terms 'crisp' and 'clean' in the same sentence as 'powerful'. When I think of 'powerful' female vocals, I think of Joplin, which would make me think that you'd want a dynamic. Like Chessrock said, if you could give an example of an artist that approximates what you're after, the folks here could help you better.

 

[Chris Meck]

That was me that posted the exact same question on Harvey's thread, and I ended up with a Hamburg and some careful gain staging to get something I was happy with.

The Hamburg is a nice, vintage-y sounding mic. I used very careful gain staging (i.e. preamp gain at like 9:00, channel fader at unity, RNC compressor picking up fairly early -6 at 6:1 moderate attack and release and output +6, input on the channel recorder boosted up a few db to get optimal level) and it worked out pretty well. It took some tweaking, but I'm pretty happy with the results.

vocalists that go from a scream to a whisper are a challenge, to be sure.

Chris

 

[Michael Jones]

Powerful female vocals?
Studio Projects T3.

 

[EleKtriKaz]

I second c7sus's nomination of the Rode NTK. It's really the only LDC I have a lot of experience with (since it's the only one I own), but one of my friends borrowed it to record a female vocalist with a great voice, and I was amazed at how well the recording turned out. He has a NTV and liked the NTK better for this particular application.