HipHop Vocals

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NeoMatriX

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What's the best way to record HipHop Vocals. I hear alot of doubling and panning. How do guys do it?
 
what are you tring to do... you record vocals like any other vocals....


so what are you tryin to do with the vocals is the question?
 
Depends on the sound you're looking for... I generally do one main vocal track and one overdub track. Sometimes I'll add an adlib track on top of those, and rarely I'll add multiple adlib tracks to add depth of perception in the composition...

Hooks are a different story... I frequently use layered tracks to acheive a more full sound. I've used up to 16 tracks on one hook before.
 
Wow! 16 tracks.

BKNOT1. To answer your question. I'm just trying to see what some of you guys do for hiphop recordings as far as vocals are concerned.

Thx for your replies so far.
 
ok cool..no problem...


i usely do the main vocals..do an low overdub with a little reverb..and the have them lay down 2 sets of ad libs..
 
what exactly do you mean by overdub track? do you go back over all your vocals and just spit it again on top of it or are you talking about going back and doing just the emphasis words?
 
pcp said:
just the emphasis words

exactly...takes skill tho....

whether you need alot, or a little bit of adlibs...

...my "over dub" tracks are at LEAST 3-6dbs. underneath the lead...

watch ur meters, dont record with clips, and track so the mix doesnt get up there..
 
Check this

Yeah im workn on my overdubs and adlibs. My boy 2Tone is givin me some pointers, check out his track. Sneaky project, Paper Part 2, Krazie Bone Collab
http://www.tightbeatz.com/download.php?fileid=48463
My Artist Page is www.tightbeatz.com/GSpot_Soldier

This is some of the stuff i posted in tightbeatz.com in a thread i started
Here is the thread address
http://www.tightbeatz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=37100

Or here is some stuff
I learned somethin cool though for echos.
Like you know how some "end words" will have an echo, like if you say
We dont Play play ay ay. Well some of you already know this, but it sounds tight if ya just say it like that, and lower your voice each time, like fade away, instead of editing it with an echo pluggin(vst, ect..)

Also when doing an overdub, you can say over the normal parts at moderate volume level, and at words you want to stress, say that part louder. It adds a different effect i have found.

Here is a scheme i followed while practicing, and it sounded good.
I did the Main vocal rift(flow, line, rhyme). Then flowed the same thing again for an overdub

Then I did the flow again but in a deeper more "airy" voice on another overdub.

Then did another kind of tone overdub.

That is 3 over dubs, 2 of a different tone.

I kept the first overdub in the center(no panning L or R) to give the natural chorus effect to the main flow.

And to the 2 different tone overdubs i did some EQ and added the chorus effect with a pluggin. And panned one left about 25% and the other RIGHT about 20%.

Also if you know how to use automated effect sends you can take one of the overdubs that is panned left or right and use a volume curve that starts low in volume so it seems as if you are far away, and bring up the volume when you reach a punchline, or end of a sentence you want to stress.

If you havent got far enough into your mixing to do automated effects and volume/panning, you can just do the volume trick i was talkin bout earlier..
Start out at low volume then slowly raise your voice toward the punch line for one of your "panned" overdubs.

Its up to you but in order for adlibs or overdubs that are "panned" to sound good in the mix, experiment with volume levels. Most of the time the overdubs will be of low volume, blending in. But i have heard some artist have them at "Main Flow" volume level.

I also suggest paying attention to music you listen to. You can learn alot. Listen to the volume changes and automated panning. Also if you know about EQ, how the overdubs are EQ'ed in the mix.

And if anyone is wonderin why the tracks i have posted this far dont have any of these effects, its cause i am low on time, and dont have a good place or equipment to record, im in Iraq at war my homies and homettes.

I will post some more shortly. Ima do some more experimentation and listening

and

IF you copy and paste the vocals, at the same time location, it will just boost the original.

Then for when the chorus comes in you can add 2 more overdubs and pan them so much left and right, till you have the right mix, for the chorus to have impact.

Or you can flow the main flow, then do the overdub, then add some chorus effect or what ever.

Adlibs, dont really know about those. Aint got to that yet. Ima do it of course..

To get a little echo effect on certain end Phrases, you can select and copy the phrase, and offset it a little after the original track, and add some effects to it.

Or if you have the echo effect that enables it to continue the echo past end of selection, that will work. I know Adobe Audition 1.5 has it.

Any body else got any preferences, please share your techniques

So bring on the ideas yall.
 
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I usually record 3 tracks per verse...the main track, the overdub, and the adlib. Sometimes if I think the track needs it, I'll copy one of the tracks and pan those left and right and mix them accordingly. So basically I'm looking at 4 tracks at the most.

Hooks are a different thing totally....I may blend in about 6 to 8...especially if I'm singing the hook, because I'm not the best singer but with enough different types of singing I can cover some of that up.
 
^^^that's true. When there is more than one voice singing it covers up some bad notes. A perfect example would be a choir. You know some people up there can't sing but most choirs sound good together. "most"
 
Try this also
Rap your verse twice over and pan one 30% to the left speaker and one 30% to the right speaker and do your adlib and leave that in the center.

Probably the best advice i can give you for how to know what to adlib would be just to close your eyes and just vibe the hell outta the beat. when im recording i just get really into the music and i may look dumb standin there bobbin my head and movin around wildly with my eyes closed but i know thats its gonna turn out right in the end and thats all that matters, just get lost in the music and your mind will catch the rythm and know what to say and when. ive seen alot of people come in the studio for the first time and be so worried about tryin to look gangsta in front of there friends that they freeze up and are to worried about tryin not to look stupid when they should be concentrating on the music. its not a competition to be the hardest, its music. and thats what alot of rappers today forget.

This is tips from my boy 2Tone.
 
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