Metal vocal recording problems: distorted!

  • Thread starter Thread starter TFHuk
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TFHuk

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Hey guys.
I've been trying to work out how to get the best quality vocals for a while, and now I'm giving up and coming to you. :D

The setup I'm going through is:

ShureC606 -> Line 6 amplifier -> Line 6 UX1 digital interface -> Pod Farm -> Reaper.
It comes out distorted, especially the extreme lows and extreme highs.

Could people suggest effects, EQ settings, amp settings, and stuff to get better vocal quality?

That's a link to something we recorded through this setup, to give you an idea of our vocalist and how it sounds.
YouTube - The Fifth Horseman - The Bad Touch (Cover)

Thanks a load, and have an amazing christmas!
Ben x
 
As well as that setup, we could go:
mic -> interface -> pod farm -> reaper. Would that be any better, and what modelling would I need within pod farm?
x
 
How we'd expect to hear any sort of clarity on the vocal on that recording confuses me in the first place.

That said - You're using basically the absolute "bottom of the barrel" mic (a 58, although cheap as hell, is still a reasonable mic) through - what, a guitar amp? Into an interface into a distortion generator...?

Mic - Interface - Record it. Mess with it later when you can do it in the context of the mix.
 
I'd try shortening the recording chain first; walk before you run. Mic --> interface --> Reaper. Get that dialed in, if you can, and start adding the extraneous garbage after you got the basics down.

I'd also say that with the C606, "distortion" at the ends of the frequency spectrum might be hard to avoid, as that mic only has a response of 50 -12k +/-10dB. Which is probably to be expected of a $30 microphone:
shure-C606WD-frequency.jpg


G.
 
Yep, we're one step ahead of you and got rid of all the other stuff.
We're now going mic -> Ux1 -> slight tonal modelling in Pod Farm -> Reaper with effects in the mix.
What mic would you ultimately recommend for this kind of thing then?
x
 
TFHuk said:
What mic would you ultimately recommend for this kind of thing then?
Click to expand...
Even a Shure SM57 or SM58 would be a step up from the C606. You can find then used in the $50 price range usually.

G.
 
What would be the logical choice to go for, one step up from there?
 
SM7b. And don't go through the "Pod Farm" or whatever it was called... Not on the input.
 
Heck, if I could record without a preamp, I would. You can monitor through all the garbage you want to throw at it - Compress it, EQ it, distort it, reverb, delay, whatever you want to send to the headphone mix is fine.

But you only get to capture the original signal while it's still the original signal...
 
Tracking: Better mic > UX1 > Reaper

Mixing: EQ > compression > special effects* > reverb > mix

*Be sparing with the special effects. If in doubt skip them entirely.
 
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