How to record/process a vocalist who does not have a very consistent timbre/tone?

M

madlock

New member
How do record/process a vocalist in a recording who does not have a very consistent tone/timbre? A good example is Marilyn Manson, he has a totally different sound when he sings in his mid/lower range, when he moves up into his higher ranges, you can see how thin and distorted his tone gets. My point is, obviously producers wouldn't treat his voice as a whole through out, right? They cut the vocal into segments and then treat the higher vocal differently and the lower/mid differently? This is confusing.



I'd also like to know how they make a vocal that thin not sound annoying and shrill. He's really going for it in that chorus, while the verses are sung pretty heavy. How would you even EQ something that seems to lie pretty much in a very specific range of frequencies?

 
Well...if the vocal calls for all those different flavors in one song...just go with the flow, treat each section as it deserves based on its intent.
Like...if a section is supposed to be grungy and loud...then favor that with the processing..etc..etc.

It's one thing when the vocals are not consistent unintentionally...and another when the vocalist is trying to convey different moods/flavors by changing his singing style. So...you just complement what the vocals are doing.
 
As long as the singer is doing it on purpose, just record the different voices separately on different tracks. Then treat the tracks as you need to.
 
It seems pretty odd to me. Bcz if they are singing on the beat...how do they sing out of sync? I think they need to learn. Otherwise, your job will have to involve adjusting the tempo manually in pieces.
 
madlock said:
How do record/process a vocalist in a recording who does not have a very consistent tone/timbre? A good example is Marilyn Manson, he has a totally different sound when he sings in his mid/lower range, when he moves up into his higher ranges, you can see how thin and distorted his tone gets. My point is, obviously producers wouldn't treat his voice as a whole through out, right? They cut the vocal into segments and then treat the higher vocal differently and the lower/mid differently? This is confusing.



I'd also like to know how they make a vocal that thin not sound annoying and shrill. He's really going for it in that chorus, while the verses are sung pretty heavy. How would you even EQ something that seems to lie pretty much in a very specific range of frequencies?

Click to expand...


yeah. You process all those separately. I wouldn't be surprised if that vocal was broken into about 20 tracks then folded when it was mixed. Almost certain that was not an ITB mix. A lot of distortion and harmonic manipulation evens the vocal out. This is way too big of a job for compression and automation alone. Reverbs play a big roll in eliminating the harshness and shrill. Heavy De-essing too, but can't tell what was done not he way in and the way out.

Here's a tip. Don't look at the EQing. EQ is a relatively minor component in the sonic management of a track like this. You need to look the big big picture. Start with observing how the vocal was imaged and doubled, then work your way backwards through the chain.
 
Everyday stuff - think about all the people who use their falsetto voice. Needs a totally different eq, compression and perhaps other treatment. I tend to record flat as a rule - so I just copy the track and have one set up for the lower range and the other for the higher.
 
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