Mixing a large group of singers...

[johnnypraze]

Not exactly a choir.

We did a live recording for new years and I'm looking for a few tips and techniques to add to the mix...

Music is no big deal, I'm looking for some vocal mixing tips with sitting each in the mix. (Where to put the stronger singers etc...)

The set-up is as follows:

3 Sopranos, 5 Altones, 2 Tenors, 1 Baritone.

Thanks in advance.

We used A Motif ES7, MO6, Drums, and a HD24 (which was amazing).

 

[johnnypraze]

To give you a little more info...

Each singer was close mic'd.

Its contemporary gospel music. (ie: Fred Hammond)

I'm not asking how... more so looking for some advice and tips.

I normaly pan the stronger singers close to the center, weaker ones further left/right. Soloist dead center etc...

Should I keep a balance of singers on both sides of the stereo field, or is it unheard of to pan altones to the left, sopranos right...etc.

 

[chazba]

If it were my project I'd try it every way I could think of till it sounded the best it could. It's hard when there is an imbalance of power and quality in the voices. Take the time to find the best EQ for each voice to bring out the best in the weaker voices and perhaps to tame the stronger ones. Use the least EQ possible to get the sound you want. Extreme EQ changes will make it harder to mix and generate a whole new set of problems with the mix.


chazba

 

[prestomation]

As far as panning, you could pan like a choir e.g. sopranoes right, altos left, men basically down the center etc.(or however your favorite choir organizes themselves)