How to make voice "warmer" using EQ?

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mofat

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Does warmer mean lower frequency range? I have a tube preamp but no matter how high I crank the knob it doesn't sound like a radio host. So how can I use EQ to change my voice? What frequency should I boost? Thx guys!
 
Well, warmth is generally achieved with frequencies around 200 Hz. Try some subtle boost around there, varying the frequency slightly up and down if you have a parametric. However, don't expect dramatic results.

If you meet a real radio host, you'll realise that they really do have warm, resonant voices. It's not the product of EQ in post production. Unless your voice leans that way naturally, you're probably on a hiding to nothing.

However, to give yourself a chance, you should start practicing using your "chest voice" rather than your "throat voice". Speaking from and with your diaphragm rather than just using your throat/mouth will give you more projection and warmth naturally. Seriously, you'll gain more by changing your vocal technique than you will with EQ.
 
How far are you from the mic? What mic is it?

If it has a cardioid pattern, you might get additional bass frequencies (if these are a desirable thing in your particular circumstance...) by getting a bit closer. It's called proximity effect. Easier to deal with, and more noticeable on a condenser than your standard stage dynamic. Experiment...
 
If I get closer to the Mic ill clip! So I have to turn my gains down? Will turning down the gain make me lose quality of the recording?
 
Sigh. The gain is just a tool to allow you to get a variety of input levels all close the the desired recording level. It's a control there to be used, not scared of. If you were to watch me do a live show, you'd see that I'm constantly making small (and sometimes big) adjustments.

However, I'll repeat again that you have to give all the fancy electronics the right voice to start with. A baby can't sound like an anchor man just by playing with EQ and mic positioning.
 
The gain is not a warmth control. It controls the recording level. If you are recording a a guy screaming two inches from the mic, you would need to turn the gain down to get the right recording level. If you are recording a whisper from across the room, you would need to turn the gain up to get the right recording level.

Besides the radio guys having deep resonant voices, they also use a ton of compression, which Will make things seem bigger and more solid.

Btw, tube Mic preamps, especially ones that don't cost at least $1000/channel are not 'warmer' sounding than solid state ones. Generally the opposite because it is very expensive to manufacture a proper tube circuit and cheap tube preamps are heavily compromised in order ro hit the price point.
 
firstly its hard to say without hearing the track.

using eq - you need to trust your ears and tweak. nobody, no matter what people say cannot prescribe you an EQ recipe for this.

on your note mofat of wanting it to sound like a radio host, they are unbelievably compressed, so look into compression. again nobody can give you compressor settings to achieve your desires. at least look into techniques they use in radio to process the vocals, it will give you some starting points. good luck
 
Before you start boosting vocal frequencies, first do some surgical cutting.

Use a parametric EQ with multiple bands. Set a narrow width or "Q" of 5-10 Hz and boost by 20 dB or so. Then sweep the vocal slowly and listen for unpleasant sounds. They will be fairly obvious, like boxy sounds or metallic ringing noises. whatever sounds non-musical.

When you zero in on the offending resonance frequency, change your boost to a cut of 12-15 dB or so. Use the bypass button on the EQ to compare the before and after sound, to make sure the cut actually improves the musicality of the vox.

Repeat this process with the next available set of controls on the EQ; boosting a narrow Q and sweeping to find an offensive tone, then cutting that narrow range surgically. Use the bypass button and again compare the EQd sound with the original vox. Keep repeating until you run out of offensive tones to cut.

Now, you can boost, with a wide Q. Vocal intelligibility is in the 2-5k range. Be careful boosting 200-500 Hz as this is the home of lots of muddy tones. As others have mentioned, most dynamic and large diaphragm cardi mics (but not omnis) have a strong bass proximity effect. If you really want to sound like a radio guy, it helps if you have a DJ voice to start with. Also to use an EV RE20 or Shure SM7B mic.
 
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