how to record a bass heavy vocal?

[sheppard]

anyone have any ideas on recording bass heavy vox?
i can never seem to get the clarity i want.several people have told me that they cant make out what im saying.
at present im stuck with a yamaha mt 400 (4 track analog)and a sure 58.
after christmas i will be upgrading to a yamaha digital 16 track.any advice on technique and mic choice would be helpful.

thanks

sheppard

 

[Track Rat]

A couple general things come to mind. Most basic would be to get a mic/mic preamp with a high pass filter. That'll roll off starting at some low freq, typically 75hz or a bit higher. Also backing off the mic as a 58 is a cardiod mic which are pron to proximity effect. The down side of that is you start getting a little more of the room in the mic and if you ain't got a good room that could be a problem. An omni pattern mic has no proximity effect could help but there again, if you don't have a treated space, it could be a problem. Just a few basic things to think about

 

[Meshuggah]

Um.. as I understand the question. You WANT much bass on the vox, but you're unable to get clarity in there too.. Am I right?

In that case, I'd probably try a large diaphragm, experiment with distance from source. Then, I think I'd go for the multiband compressor... maybe it would work...

 

[sheppard]

what i meant is that i have a very bassy voice and i cant seam to get the clarity i would like

sheppard

 

[analogelectric]

what i meant is that i have a very bassy voice and i cant seam to get the clarity i would like

sheppard

I agree with Track Rat and here are a few other ideas:

A 58 generally has a thicker sound to it. Coupling that with the mic pre inside an analog 4-track will put a little mud on the tone. The pre's inside the 4-track are not very transparent, they don't allow much of an 'airy' quality to the source tone. When you get your Digital 16 track you'll probably notice a difference with the low-mids. I would save up a bit of cash and get an Aphex 109 EQ and subtract the frequencies giving you problems, (don't add EQ but SUBTRACT). They go for a little over $100.

I usually subtract out from 80Hz and sometimes from 100hz. Then for mids I'll sweep out between 600Hz and 1KHz, (not all of it, just a tad).

And like Track Rat said Proximity Effect plays a big part in it also. If you like to have the mic close to your lips try singing into it 'off-axis'. Have it so the diaphragm is pointing toward the ceiling instead of directly from your lips.

I don't know if you are using a foam cover over the mic but that could contribute to dullness.

To go back to mic pre's I would suggest getting something that would be cleaner than what you have now. It doesn't necessarily have to be tube or really expensive. Go to a music store and try a few out with a 58 running through them. Listen to the difference between a $3000 mic pre and a $50 mic pre. I'm not saying you should buy a $3000 mic pre but just to hear the difference for your own reference is always a good thing. Honestly I think you'll be fine once you hear the pre's in your DAW.

As far as a new mic, I don't know your budget; I would suggest looking at a Neumann TLM103 or something from the B.L.U.E. line of mics. Vocal mic's are very subjective and specific to the individual. I think it's important to spend a few bucks on one you really like and use.

If you're more of a 'crooner' than a 'screamer' you'll find a lot of mics will emphasize lower frequencies. Like I stated before try singing off-axis or doing a little EQ and you should be fine.

I don't find compressors to be a good idea for removing thud from a mic. Compressors, especially inexpensive one's, actually dull the vocal track more if you don't use some EQ compensation.

Let me know how it goes,
--AdamLazlo