How to achieve the "shiny chorus" sound

[Isomer]

Hello there, I am big into recording vocals. There is this certain sound I have been trying to achieve but am unable to. An excellent example of this sound occurs on that new Mariah Carey song with Busta Rhymes. When Mariah sings the chorus "baby if you give it to me..." there is what I can only describe as a glistening shiny chorus sound. Clearly she layered herself many times and perhaps also had a chorus effect added to each layer--but what else?

This has been bugging me for ages and I'd like some thoughts.

 

[jake-owa]

Try a $10,000 mic combined with a $4,500 preamp and just toss a $4,00 compressor in there along with whatever other goodies Mariah needs to make her wet like that.

 

[sipleybeck]

Mariah wet.

Wow!

 

[volltreffer]

Well if it was MY singing that made Mariah wet like that...



aXel

 

[Isomer]

Oh, I see. Thanks. I've been using my SM58 even though Ive had my $1000 mic sitting around this whole time. Thanks guys, I'll give it a shot.

 

[keilson]

But seriously, what kind of equipment do you have to start with?

 

[malcolm123]

I once posted the same question about the same song and never really got any replies. It's like a airy sound or something. So you guys are saying it's the gear? $$$$$


Damn, I was gonna shoot for that sound on another female that I will be working with soon.


Malcolm

 

[TexRoadkill]

Damn, I was gonna shoot for that sound on another female that I will be working with soon.

Weren't you paying attention? Just get her wet.

 

[chessrock]

I just had a listen to the track in question -- just for the fun of it.

Here's my guess:

1) 2 layers, Mariah's voice, purposely sung very breathy in to a bright condenser. Generously bass-cut and/or treble boosted. Panned hard Left and Right.

2) 2 layers, Mariah's voice, same part, only whispered. Whisper tracks also panned hard Left and Right and tucked very low in the mix (so as to be barely audible).

3) 1-2 layers, Mariah's voice, same part, only sung an octave lower. Panned Center.

The reason it sounds "chorusy" is because of the parts being doubled and hard-panned. The reason it souds shiny is because she's deliberately singing overly breathy, in a near whisper. I'm also guessing that they may have even used an actual whisper track and possibly mixed that in there, as well, for good measure. I would also assume they've got some generous treble boost going on as well (and/or multiband compression in the higher freq's).

 

[malcolm123]

Thanks Chess

Im gonna try to duplicate it or maybe try to get close.
the female that I will be working with could pull it off.

I may have to borrow or rent a high end mic though for the whisper parts.

I have access to higher end gear if I just need to borrow it for a few days.

I didn't want to push the issue, but I have been really trying to figure out what was going on with those vox.


Thanks

Malcolm

 

[dafduc]

Aphex Aural Exciter???

 

[ds21]

I'd say it has a lot to do with her vocal quality, but you could try only chorusing the upper freqs. on a copied track (cut out all the lows) then mix it back in.

 

[pdaniels]

It is probably this or something similar (is there anything similar?)

http://www.tc-helicon.tc/Default.asp?Id=418

1) it lets you add as much breath as you want

2) it can generate realistic pitch-(or gender) shifted voices that you can also voice-model (with things like breath, growl, rasp, etc). Then these slightly changed voices were mixed back in with Mariah's original.

I honestly don't see Mariah having the time to sing that many doubles for this song.

I mean, isn't she already late for a psychiatrist appointment or something?

Then again, maybe there was nothing else to do in the mental ward other than to sing that over and over and over...

 

[pdaniels]

It is probably this or something similar (is there anything similar?)

http://www.tc-helicon.tc/Default.asp?Id=418

1) it lets you add as much breath as you want

2) it can generate realistic pitch-(or gender) shifted voices that you can also voice-model (with things like breath, growl, rasp, etc). Then these slightly changed voices were mixed back in with Mariah's original.

I honestly don't see Mariah having the time to sing that many doubles for this song.

I mean, isn't she already late for a psychiatric appointment or something?

Then again, maybe there was nothing else to do in the mental ward other than to sing that over and over and over...

Baby if U give it 2 me, I'll give it to U
U know what I want...

 

[needmyownstudio]

panned hard Left and Right and tucked very low in the mix



when i pan something is that the name of an effect i dont know about or is it simply the pan/expand, then pan left to right, ect?

 

[malcolm123]

panned hard Left and Right and tucked very low in the mix



when i pan something is that the name of an effect i dont know about or is it simply the pan/expand, then pan left to right, ect?

If you are serious,, then this means Right and Left.
It has it's own effect. Blue Bear may give you a article to read , look for it.

Malcolm

 

[malcolm123]

Not really a Bump,


But was just curious to see if anyone has had a chance to try and duplicate this effect.

I will try some of the suggestions, but the more learning curve I can cut,, the more time I can spend on mixing.


Thanks

Malcolm

 

[tanlith]

Thanks Chess

...

I may have to borrow or rent a high end mic though for the whisper parts.

I have access to higher end gear if I just need to borrow it for a few days....

Borrow high end gear???? DUDE! I want your friends!!!

hehehehe



- Tanlith -

Super Loop Library

 

[Teacher]

Blue Bear may give you a article to read , look for it.

Malcolm

roflmao

 

[crosstudio]

i've done it and it works. this is what i've done in the past:

2 whisper tracks normal distance from the mic

2 very breathy tracks recorded either off axis or with the vocalist farther back (at least 12") from the mic.

1 main vocal very breathy but choked up on the mic (lips damn near on the pop filter).

EQ all the vocals so that any bass freqs. are gone, but leave more bass in the main vocal than the supporting vocals.