Looking for WARMER/Richer vocals

miroslav said:
A couple of questions....

1.) Do you have the gain knobs pulled out...or are they pushed in?

2.) Where do you set your Master volume when you say you have the gain knobs almost all the way up?
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My gains knob was in. Pulling it out caused me to have to go to "absolute" max to give my mic juice, but the sound there seems good. I won't even clip at all if I yell, but is also loud enough. I just find it difficult to believe I need to go that far to get "sound at all."

My master volume is 1/2 way between 3 and 6 o'clock, and my headphone volume all the way up.
 
So where are the knobs/master volume?

EDIT

Never mind...I see you answered above.

Well...if they knobs are in and the master is up that high...yeah, something ain't right AFA you getting enough gain.

I thought maybe you had the Gain knobs out (-20) and the Master below 12:00 or something.
 
To get my microphone to the perfect volume, my headphone volume is max, The master volume is 1/2 way between 3 oclock and 6 oclock, and the gain knob (pushed in) is 2 ticks from max. I'm thinking my control panel might have something to do with it, but I don't know how to use it. The manual sucks ass.
 
The imporant thing here is that you "work the problem" by first checking your settings and the current gear you have BEFORE you run out and just buy more/different gear.

It IS possible that the mic or pre or something(?) is bad, and that's all...though without actually having your gear in front of me, I couldn't say for sure.
You have to run some basic tests using the process of elimination to determine if any one piece of gear is bad, or if it's how you have it set up.
It would be helpful if you had another pre and/or mic...that way you can swap and check and find which (if any) item is bad....though you can still work the problem with what you DO have.
Check the control panel...LEARN how to use it!!!
 
gt2008 said:
To get my microphone to the perfect volume, my headphone volume is max, The master volume is 1/2 way between 3 oclock and 6 oclock, and the gain knob (pushed in) is 2 ticks from max. I'm thinking my control panel might have something to do with it, but I don't know how to use it. The manual sucks ass.
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On my Delta 101LT's control panel you can select if the inputs and outputs are +4dB, zero or -10dB.
You might check to see if you have that. I run them all at +4dB.
 
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dinty!

I was just going to type something like that out...when I saw your post.
The soft mixers you get with so many interfaces these days are often the link that's forgotten/ignored when hooking up the hardware.
 
I had my mic work fine with the Presonus, and my Lexicon Omega, and my headphones work fine. I know it's not my mic or my phones.

Also, the Profire Juices my studio monitors really nice, way better than the Lexicon.

This is just odd to me. 1-2 clicks away from max gain, and my mic sounds perfect; however at max gain it's clipping (like it should, I suppose).

I don't know that this will hurt me, but two volume clicks of "play" seems odd. :(
 
My control panel has that also, it goes from -50 to 0db. I turned everything up to zero.

nothing changed. I'll see what these freaks say from m-audio.
 
first off, never get a used mic... that's gross.

people have already sung on it, releasing their saliva and germs on it.. it's just nasty.

second, how do people expect to get the right sound right off the bat without messing around with the mix a bit? that's what the eq and plugins are for... to get that sound you're looking for.

third.. i don't have nothing else to say but needed to finish off the sequence. :D
 
xxl said:
first off, never get a used mic... that's gross.

people have already sung on it, releasing their saliva and germs on it.. it's just nasty.
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So microphones are only for one time use? Do you lick your mics? What if your friend offers to let you borrow a few neumanns or some high end mics that have been used. You won't sing into them since someone else has breathed on it?

Hope youre kidding..
 
Erockrazor said:
So microphones are only for one time use? Do you lick your mics? What if your friend offers to let you borrow a few neumanns or some high end mics that have been used. You won't sing into them since someone else has breathed on it?

Hope youre kidding..
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yeah, I don't eat off of my mic's so this isn't really an issue of concern for me.
 
Erockrazor said:
So microphones are only for one time use? Do you lick your mics? What if your friend offers to let you borrow a few neumanns or some high end mics that have been used. You won't sing into them since someone else has breathed on it?

Hope youre kidding..
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let's just say i had a really bad experience ....................

i was playing the guitar on stage and the back up vocalist comes over... gives me his mic to sing on and i almost puked on stage and all over the crowd. it smelled like puke itself and sweat mixed with butter ... im about to gag just by the thought of it. :eek: i gagged and continued playing guitar.. thank god i have good puking control because it would've been ugly.

so no i'd never use someone elses microphone... in fact, one time we were playing at a local battle of the bands and they already had all the mics set up (which all the bands were using). i asked the guy in charge to let me use my mic because i dont like using nasty stinky mics and i wasnt going to sing if they weren't changed (it's unhealthy). they had to delay the show just to set up my mic and work with the eq until i liked the sound :D sorry but its just gross. i always carry my own mic in my car just in case. :D

i never like to share personal things... it's like eating with your friends spoon after he already ate with it. or drinking water from the same cup as someone else.. people basically french kiss the edge of the cup when they drink water. their saliva stays on it and mixes with the water. that's just nasty and gross. same thing with the microphone. i know i sound like a freak but it's just the way i am, im protecting myself from diseases, puking and interacting with other peoples germs.
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xxl said:
so no i'd never use someone elses microphone...
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I wonder what you would do if you got to record in a high-end studio where they have very expensive high-end mics...would you still bring your own? ;)

....i know i sound like a freak but it's just the way i am, im protecting myself from diseases, puking and interacting with other peoples germs.
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I agree, some singers like to "lip" their mics...and never bother to wipe them off or remove the metal windscreens and rinse them off from time to time.
But I think you're making too big a deal about it.
You should just carry some thin foam windscreens and use them as a prophylactic if needed.
AFA buying used mics...how long do you think your average germ can survive on a mic screen? :)
 
miroslav said:
I wonder what you would do if you got to record in a high-end studio where they have very expensive high-end mics...would you still bring your own? ;)



I agree, some singers like to "lip" their mics...and never bother to wipe them off or remove the metal windscreens and rinse them off from time to time.
But I think you're making too big a deal about it.
You should just carry some thin foam windscreens and use them as a prophylactic if needed.
AFA buying used mics...how long do you think your average germ can survive on a mic screen? :)
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well one would expect that if they are high end mics... the studios would take proper care of them! so if they look like they're clean, don't smell and the studio seems to run maintenance on them, i wouldn't mind at all!

what i'm referring to is people or places that don't necessarily care about taking care of their gear. most people i know don't clean their instruments frequently (whether guitars or keyboards.. i carry clorox wipes in my car to clean my hands after ive put my hands on gear or surfaces that other people have used) and some of the places i've performed in don't seem to care either. it's like bathroom knobs... i put my hand below my shirt and turn it to get out. then get home and wash that shirt like there's no tomorrow. germs are nasty.. and it's even worse when you get sick!!! and you know you have other peoples germs and you can feel them in your throat and your body !!(when it's weak and it hurts). lol, i know it sounds weird but i man i hate that.

so when buying a used mic you don't know what the previous owner was like. did he have a bad breath problem??? if so did he care to clean and disinfect his mic frequently!?!?! was he a healthy person!?!?!?! if not, did he clean or disinfect his mic frequently?? did he puke on he mic!?? did he piss on it!?!? was it used by a lot of people who possibly didnt have the bets hygiene.... you know what i mean? that's why i'd rather buy a new one, because i know what im using and the state it's in.
 
gt2008 said:
I copied this from an email I sent to Parkway Music, a local store, any help would be appreciated:

Hi,

Need some advice, I’m in a pickle.

I currently run into a $90 Behrenger mixing board, then into a Lexicon Omega, then into my computer. My whole goal is to get a WARMER sound. I record vocals ONLY, and use a Shure KSM32. (I bought at your store).

I looked up stuff about the Shure and it says it’s great for a “natural” sound but not for a “Warm” sound. The guitar center guy told me to go with a Presonus Tube Pre (because my Lexicon pre he says is doo-doo, but the digital converter and stuff the Lexicon has is good, so keep it). He also tole me a Rode NTK. (which I looked up reviews and all say it’s really rich/warm).

I figured he’d give me a good deal on my Shure, it’s a 5+ hundred dollar mic, barely used. He said he could only do $150. I said screw that. So, I got the tube pre by itself to check out how it did for me.

I got it home, plugged from my mic to the tube pre, the tube pre to my Lexicon. Well, there’s 4 buttons on the tube-pre that I’ve no clue what they are and it doesn’t come with a booklet in the box. The “gain” knob he told me would add my “warmness” I was looking for, but if I turn it up it just makes me sound very muffled.

He told me about another preamp while I was at the store but I wanted to keep it simple. I don’t need one with compression and stuff on it, I’m in the middle of an album and my sound is already GOOD, so keeping it basic but a simple warming was all that I wanted. Now, with the volume on the lexicon, the 4 buttons, the gain, and the volume on the presonus, I don’t know, it’s just not simple for me and I don’t have the WARMTH I was looking for.

Should I return the presonus? Should I trade my shure in(to YOU guys?) and get the Rode? I don’t know man. 

The Shure isn’t the mic for my voice. It always sits “too live” in the mix, whereas other artists come in and they sit fine. Here I am now: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=880122&content=songinfo&songID=8363916

Thanks,
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I listened to Voodoo and it seems to me your mic and vocal is fine in many ways.
I would think you'd want a bit more clarity in the low end, which might be done with a plug in. maybe you have a tad too much reverb?

I really think you have a good sound.... you might want to try some mastering type things instead.

frkn great tune, if i had to diss something the intro vocal the fiorst few measures, is a bit not sitting in the music, the verse is excellent.. getting to the meat, empty in the intro...

the chorus is frkn ready to go, frkn awesome.
 
Hey man...I'm with you on the taking care of gear.
I've picked up some guitars that were so clammy and sticky...it grossed me out! :(

I also practice a strict hand-washing policy, as I work in IT for my day gig, and going around touching everyone's keyboards forces me to do that.
But then...I rarely get sick with colds/flues. :cool:

Anyway...for a live gig, you SHOULD have your own mic...but I don't have any problem with buying used mics or using them.
In the studio...I always put up large pop-filters...that way no one can lip the mic...not even me, though I too use to do it when playing out live. :D
But I kept them clean….I keep all my gear clean.
 
Well, I got a new mic chord and that seemed to add a little bit of juice to the mic. I re-hooked the Lexicon Omega up in-wait for the HELP team from M-Audio getting back to me.

And, here's the sound with the new mic chord. I am the first verse (right after the first chorus), and I am the third verse.
 
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