Help with recording hip hop vocals...

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misterkid10

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Thanks for reading.

I'm working on recording my first few songs and could use some advice.

I'm using Sonar 8.5, have a USB Condesner Mic, and have all my beats picked out and ready to go.

I've been playing around alot with and researching the different audio effects available on Sonar 8.5, but my voice still doesn't seem to completely 'match' with the beat. It almost sounds like my mic is picking up too much and my voice needs to 'smoothed out' and/or distorted a bit.

I would greatly appreciate any advice on which audio effects as well as any recording techniques I could use to give my music a more professional sound.

Thank you !
 
misterkid10 said:
Thanks for reading.

I'm working on recording my first few songs and could use some advice.

I'm using Sonar 8.5, have a USB Condesner Mic, and have all my beats picked out and ready to go.

I've been playing around alot with and researching the different audio effects available on Sonar 8.5, but my voice still doesn't seem to completely 'match' with the beat. It almost sounds like my mic is picking up too much and my voice needs to 'smoothed out' and/or distorted a bit.

I would greatly appreciate any advice on which audio effects as well as any recording techniques I could use to give my music a more professional sound.

Thank you !
Click to expand...

haven't had any experience with any usb mics, but for the distortion it could be your plosives and sibilances causing this (P's T's S's , ect.) if your not using a pop filter definitely recommend one, and/or if you already have one try stepping back away from the mic a bit more. to smooth things out this is where a compressor comes in use. you can do this in the tracking stage or mixing stage. Keep in mind if done in the tracking stage compression can not be undone but can in the mixing stage.

edit: it can also be due to the quality of the mic not a 100% sure on this just due to not having experience with usb mics, but me personally would never record with a usb mic.
 
Without getting into the fact that I've never heard a USB condenser that I didn't want to throw into a tire fire, you're using a condenser (generally far too sensitive for recording aggressive vocals), that's wonderfully great at picking up the entire room (which I'd imagine is in an improperly treated state) and although with a decent amount of experience you could possibly get something reasonable in the end, you're probably going to get a very "disjointed" vocal most of the time.

I'd try a 58 or something along those lines (assuming you have a preamp and some sort of interface lying around).

Or perhaps RODE's PodCaster - The only USB mic I didn't want to put into a blender (and the only USB large-diaphragm dynamic I've ever tried). Not the best sounding mic on the planet, not as wonderful as the RE20 which it was obviously designed after, but not too shabby for something that has all the circuitry built-in.
 
When you say "match the beat" what exactly do you mean? On face value it seems timing is the issue, which could be a problem with your recording system before bothering with other concerns.

Timing and pitch come first.

EDIT: IF you are using a MIDI based backing track, try exporting that as an audio file and then import that to a new project with no plug-ins, and try singing along to that. I don't use Sonar, but also look into whatever delay compensation functions it offers.

If you simply have a crap voice (as I do) try Melodyne or Antres, or Gsnap for free.
 
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thanks for the replies.

as for the type of mic. it's a Samson C01U USB studio condenser microphone to be exact.

als - adding compression during the tracking or mixing stage... is a compressor something that is available to me as part of the sonar software or is that something i need to buy separately (forgive my stupidity) ?

massive master - thanks for the blunt advice. by 58, do you mean a Shure Beta 58 mic ? and if so, how do i upload an audio track onto Sonar using that type of mic ?

tobe - i apologize for not explaining it well. it's not really a question of timing. it just sounds like my mic is picking up my voice too well. the beats sound like i would expect them to after importing them, but my voice, over the beats, sound almost like someone is talking too close to a microphone. it sounds like that even when i stand away from the mic a bit. also, the tracks are audio tracks, not midi tracks. and i'm sure my voice not being great has something to do with it.

thanks to all of you for replying. obviously none of you had to reply to my posting, so i think that is cool of all of you to take the time to read my post and reply to it.

take care - mk
 
Try and find the Compressor in Sonar
- right click on the Channel FX Section (Black part of the Console Channel Strip)
- select Audio FX/Vintage Channel
- try the settings I have shown here

Then try eq-ing the vocals so they don't have so much bass on them as this will make them sound too boomy and thick compared tot he music track.

If you buy an SM58 you'll need to also buy a USB Interface to plug it into. SM58 doesn't have a USB end on it.

Good luck.
 

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Are you recording freestyles or written songs?


If it's a written song try this out



1. Record your verse vocal and add some compression.
2. Record a "double vocal" (saying your verse vocal again same way) and add some echo
3. Turn your double vocal half the volume of your verse vocal.
4. Record a third vocal and say your rhyming words out of the verse only with emphasis and turn this vocal down alittle lower then your double vocal and add some echo and or anything else to spice it up.


Just give it a try because some rappers don't use one vocal track they stack like this or their on way but this is a basic way to start out
 
Try and get the most out of what you have right now before rushing out for a new mic. Do use the pop filter ( make one out of wire and pantyhose ) and try and place some kind of acoustic baffle behind the mic to reduce room reverb.


Also. Go here and download two awesome FREE VST plugins Nasty VCS and BOOT EQ

They have compression and a tube sim amongst other things that can flatten your levels and add some subtle distortion. Hip Hop vox are pretty up front.


There is another even simpler compressor out there. It works smoothly.
Go here, download the pack and try the Lost Angel :p Modeled on the famous Universal Audio LA2A

All this depends on getting a good signal in the first place as has been stated by others.


EDIT: Apparently you already have a decent channel strip in you DAW.
 
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Thanks for all the replies again folks!

I'll try the compression settings. I've also been looking at the SM58 and am considering buying it.

BLP - Thanks for the advice on stacking vocals. They are written lyrics, so I'll give it a shot.

Not sure what eq-ing the vocals or really how to make a pop filter out of pantyhose and wire ? ha. Any feedback ?

Thanks again for the help...
 
misterkid10 said:
Not sure what eq-ing the vocals or really how to make a pop filter out of pantyhose and wire ? ha. Any feedback ?

Thanks again for the help...
Click to expand...
Here is something I prepared earlier......it's crude, amateur and works like a dream.
 
Are you using sampled beats from finished/mastered/loud recordings? If that is the case, it is very tricky to make any newly created part blend in. Try using either beats you create yourself from scratch, or sample some beats from original pressings of CDs released in the 80's/early 90's just for some practice. First you need to get good at fitting your voice into music that has not been wrung through a limiter. Then you can take a shot at the much more difficult task of using modern samples.

...unless of course you are not using modern samples that have already been mastered.
 
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