"Lo-fi" Vocals

  • Thread starter Thread starter DVinMono
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DVinMono

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Alright, I really need some help. I've been trying to mix vocals for my band for a while now but I just can't seem to get a good sound out of them. We kinda want to have a vintage low def sound to them. The music is very rock and roll like early Kiss and Joe Walsh. Starting from scratch what kind of effects and stuff shoudl I use to get something that might sound "old".
 
I would say careful use of EQ would be your best bet. To start, roll off some low and high end.

I've mentioned this in a post before, but iZotope makes an awesome (free) plugin called "Vinyl." It's basically a vinyl simulator, but you can also completely turn off all of the special effects (dust, scratch, etc..) and adjust the "year" setting to sort of simulate the 'sound' of that era. Maybe that could help as well?

Just throwing ideas out there. :)
 
DVinMono said:
Starting from scratch what kind of effects and stuff shoudl I use to get something that might sound "old".
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It depends on what you mean by "old". You mention Kiss and Joe Walsh (which are about as alike in sonic style as watermelon and mayonnaise), but neither act has a particularly "old" sound to their vocals.

Most of the "old" sound comes from stuff being mastered for vinyl distribution. You want to try to re-create that, keep your dynamic range down to about 50-55dB, roll off your high freqs starting at about 10kHz, and add a little light pink noise at about -60dB. Keep your over RMS no higher than -15dBRMS. And for god sake, actually sing the song; don't auto tune or double vocals or any other crap intended to make those who can't sing sound like they can.

G.
 
DVinMono said:
I've been trying to mix vocals for my band for a while now but I just can't seem to get a good sound out of them.
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If you can't get a good sound out of them, don't rely on EQ or anything else to save you. Why don't they sound good start with? The mic? The singer? The room? Did you track them flat and dry, or over-compressed and over-affected? Etc....

Sounds like the problem is at the source.
 
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:cool:Yo Southside Glen

Your Mayo and Watermelon is a creative masterpiece of Oxymoron. Love the odd metaphors in this creative process.

Still looking for some spring-like weather SOON.

Cheers,
Green Hornet:D
 
Sing it like Honey Pie...that's pretty old style singing
 
YO, GH:

Hmmm, and here I thought the ultimate masterpiece of oxymoron was the phrase "Governor Blagojevich". ;)

Hey, as long as I have your attention; where does a guy with an 87-yr-old mother who doesn't like food from any continent outside of Europe go for good food at good prices in Grand Rapids? Seriously.

G.
 
or sing it like helter skelter?!?!?!?!
bounce it to 1/4inch tape after you tracked it to your daw, cut all lows till 300hz and hi's till about 9khz. you could try wiring up a telephone reciever as a mic?
 
:rolleyes:* Yo Glen of "DaSouthSide"One spot for food in GRapids to check out:* The 44th street strip which has:* Red Lobster, Olive Garden, NOTO'S [pricey but good]*GREAT LAKES SHIPPING, TGI Friday, and the best pizza in GR=UCCELLO's which has 3 places to choose location.

I still miss the Como Inn. I also enjoyed "Augustino's" a long while back.

Enjoy,
Green Hornet:D
 
whenever a client asks me to do this i just take it half way to the telephone effect and it gets it it the ballpark for them. cut everything except the mids around 1K until it sounds like ya want it.

Mike
 
Another way

You could try running your mic through a guitar distortion pedal. I've done it to get some lo-fi effects. I also ran it through a wah and kept it half way open.
 
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