Hip Hop/ Rap Voice recording

  • Thread starter Thread starter ORF
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ORF

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Hi,
I need some help and input of you guys to help me improve my system. I do not have a lot of money but hopefully with make it possible to do some good recordings. All tips are welcome.

I'm into electronic music and I do not have experience recording vocals. What I need is to record a friend and put it on top of some beats he already has. It's a simple setup I only need to record one person over some beats (hip hop/ rap).
All I'm going to do is different takes and I just need to EQ the voice and add some effects. I know that this is not an easy task to do and requires experience but hopefully with your tips I will improve the sound recorded.

Let me first introduce you to my setup:

*Studio monitors- adam studio monitors a7x
*Studio headphones- HD 280 PRO
*Laptop -macbook pro

*audio interface M-Audio ProFire 610

*Microphone- Rode k-2 ( i do not know which tube is in it already)

*I will be using logic pro for recording

I have some questions:

1- Do you have any favourite tube that goes with the rode k2?
2- Do I really need a mic preamp or should I get decent results with the one in the audio interface?
3- What kind of plugins do you use to EQ, Compress, other effects etc..? I want to be able to play with the voice around.
4- What tips do you have to make the recording? Any good articles?
Any good techniques used in hip hop/rap?


I hope you can help me on this one

thanks in advance
ORF is offline
 
Hello ORF, welcome to HR.

You already have a grip on some decent gear, so I will give you my opinion as to what will make the most drastic effect on your recordings. Room treatment.

IMO, any upgrade to more expensive gear, such as a high end preamp, will give you a small percentage of 'goodness'. I estimate 5% quality upgrade, per $1000 worth of gear. The biggest issue that I found, was getting the sound right, before hitting any of your gear. Treating the issues that every room has, should be considered the MOST important part of any recording setup. It don't matter if you have the best mic, the best pre, and gear to run it, if the room you are recording in, is ruining the input signal. I would estimate my results, after treating my room, as a 60% improvement, in not only sound quality of my recordings, but also the ability to have my mixes translate on other systems. There is a ton of great info here, and by Googleing acoustic room treatment. It isn't even that expensive to do, if you have some basic DIY skills.

You may find around here, that most posts from artist of your genre, get some abuse. Mainly because of their own wishing to get 'great', from nothing. I work with some very talented Hip Hop/Rap artists, so I am not talking down about the genre, just some peoples attitudes. I can give some general advice as to how to treat a room, and what works for me, but you will want to spend some time doing some testing of your space, and getting advice from the guys who do room treatment for a living. A few of them hang out here, and are graciously willing to offer advice. A basic corner bass trap/first reflection point build/installation, will cost less than a Neve 1073 clone preamp, and give you way better results. -IMO.
 
thanks for your answer.

I have no budget right now so things are getting complicated. I will buy acoustic foam and treat the room but only in July.

Do you know of some DIY temporary solution such as thick blankets in the walls? I heard that even without spending a dime you could improve the room acoustics.
 
Stay away from acoustic foam man. At least until you have controlled the biggest issue in any room, the lower frequencies. Foam does not work well for that, and is way more expensive.

Here is a LINK to likely the easiest/least expensive panel build that I have seen. At the very least, you would want to start with all 4 vertical corners of your room. Straddle the corner with a 2'X4' trap (full length is better). At minimum, go with 4" thick panels here (6" would be better). The gap behind traps is a benefit. Flat against walls is less beneficial. Sometimes a room design does not work well for this (doorways, closets, etc), so remember that a wall to ceiling, is also a corner, and can be a good location for traps. A bit more difficult to mount tho. Next, you want to treat your first reflection points on the side walls (where you can see your monitors in a mirror, from your listening position). This also includes the ceiling reflection point. Some get away with 2" thick panels here, but I have enough room to use 4" panels on the sides, as well as the ceiling.

Now, for super cheap way to do this. Well, I suppose you can try to place other types of absorbent materials in these areas, though nothing is going to work anywhere near the level of the rockwool/OC703, in a small space. Sure you can try hanging moving blankets, stacking clothes, furnishings, or stealing insulation out of your neighbors attic (just kidding), but again, you will not notice such a huge difference. Low end is going to build up in any corner. Stick your head in one to hear it. I suppose placing anything absorbent in there would help a little...

I wonder if anyone has ever tested using big pillows around the circumference of a rooms floors. Those are corners too.. :)

Just keep in mind, that the proper products like Roxul 80, OC703 and such, have been tested by professionals, to achieve the best possible results. Anything less, is going to be much less effective. Don't just trust me on this, research it yourself. There are other options, but there is a sacrifice, when looking for a cheaper solution.

Best of luck man. :)
 
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