Mixing Female Vocals

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JSX

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I'm working on a project with a female vocalist. I'm using Cakewalk with a Audio Technica condenser mic, and ART tube preamp. I usually get a workable sound with this mic, but in this case- In certain songs I'm getting a nasty midrangy telephone kind of effect. I'm aware that its probably mostly a combo of the mic and the singer...I have the Waves EQ on her and its helping, but I think it could be a lot better. Any ideas? Could the frequencys/EQ of the other instruments (piano, acoustic guitar, bass, drums) be adding to the problem somehow?
Thanks...
 
Which AT mic.
A sample of the work would help.
Have you tried different mic positions? How close are you micing?

Keijo
 
Its the AT4033A. I've got the mic placed maybe 3 feet from the vocalist. Funny thing is, its the same setup as other songs where it sounds fine.
 
3 feet is way to far. If I were you I'd borrow another pre somewhere
 
Try placing the mic about 6 to 10 inches from her, if you look at her vocal range and the polar patterns if the mic you should be able to see what frequencies are most prominent at what distances, those little diagrams can be helpful. At 3 feet your probably getting some phasing or cancellations from wall reflections getting to the mic almost at the sametime as her. Have her stand with her back to a wall or something to minimize reflections off the side walls. Try backing off her eq's at 900hz and 4Khz just a little maybe 1 to 2 db as well after moving the mic closer oh and try not to use compression right!. Hope it helps....


Peace,
Dennis
 
I dont know what sjoko2 will say, but I think that 3 feet is too far because it raises the noise level unnecessarily, and it also adds to much of a project room to the recording. It can also lead to too much bleed if other instuments are playing at the same time.
 
The 4033 is a pretty decent mic. Its not quite flat, if I remember right it has a slight bump at 6 to 7k.

There are a number of reasons why vocal performances are as norm captured very close to a microphone:

- A vocal performance is something you want to capture as close as possible, to obtain an as direct as possible sound. The further away from the mic you record, the further away your vocal will sound, very simple. At three feet away, depending on the room, it will sound thin and cold (as compared to a close milked vocal)
- The further away from the mic, the more room acoustics and ambiance come into play.
- The further away from the mic, the more the effect of the slightest head movement of the singer on the sound.

I'd go even closer than atomic suggested, 4 to 6 inches. Depending on the vocalist, see if you can get away with recording flat. If this gives you a load of low pops, use the roll-off switch on the 4033. If after that you still have popping problems, you might need a pop filter. Rather than buying one, get a steel wire coat hanger, shape it so its round, tell the singer to wear stockings when she comes to the studio, then tell her you need to take them off - and put them over the coat hanger. Tape it to the mic stand so she sings through it into the mic and voila, problem fixed.
 
sjoko2 said:
t hanger, shape it so its round, tell the singer to wear stockings when she comes to the studio, then tell her you need to take them off - and put them over the coat hanger.
Click to expand...
And if nothing else you can see a chick taking her clothes off :D.
Which I haven't seen in a long time :(
DAMN.... I spend way too much time online.... :)

Keijo
 
OK, this just illustrates that when recording engineers record female musicians they are not just thinking of the recording they are making. Have you ever noticed that every time you see a studio control room, there is always a big nice couch in the back of the room? OK, so now you know what that is for.
 
Didi I say panties? Damn! Iment pantyhose / stockings, preferably silk, with a seam in them Oh dear... getting carried away.
And now you know what I prefer those couches that fold out ;)
 
Sjoko, the panty thing was just me trying to be funny.

BTW I'm listening to some Uru songs right now (following a link from a monitor discussion). I'm not into the R'n'B scene, but this stuff has a lot of the stuff I tend to miss in that genre - it's interesting and challenging in a healthy way.

And woops, another thread subject goes out the window. Sorry. Mixing female vocals it was.

Cheers
/Henrik
 
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