multiple vocals with one microphone - queen, red hot chili peppers

[olfunk]

hey i just watched funky monks (the red hot chili peppers dvd about the making of bloodsugarsexmagik) and whilst flea and john and anthony were singing backing for sir pyscho sexy, i noticed they used one microphone in the middle of the 3 of them. however, when listening to the album, you can definitly tell that 1 voice is left, 1 is right and 1 is center. how was this done with 1 mic? also i noticed that watching queen videos the same thing seems to happen! is it a stereo microphone?

 

[scrubs]

hey i just watched funky monks (the red hot chili peppers dvd about the making of bloodsugarsexmagik) and whilst flea and john and anthony were singing backing for sir pyscho sexy, i noticed they used one microphone in the middle of the 3 of them. however, when listening to the album, you can definitly tell that 1 voice is left, 1 is right and 1 is center. how was this done with 1 mic? also i noticed that watching queen videos the same thing seems to happen! is it a stereo microphone?

It's possible they were using a stereo or figure-8 pattern mic (I haven't seen the videos). However, the most likely explanation is that what's shown in the video is rehearsal and not the same take as is on the album. Just a thought.

 

[scottboyher]

However, the most likely explanation is that what's shown in the video is rehearsal and not the same take as is on the album. Just a thought.

Yes. That's the ticket.

 

[hasbeen]

Queen did do some vocals with a few singers on one mic, but that was part of the multiple of 10's of vocal tracks that Roy Thomas Baker recorded and bounced down for that "sound".

 

[scrubs]

Queen did do some vocals with a few singers on one mic, but that was part of the multiple of 10's of vocal tracks that Roy Thomas Baker recorded and bounced down for that "sound".

Another good point. They had dozens, if not hundreds, of vocal tracks layered on some of those songs.

 

[ecktronic]

only way of getting stereo field from one mic source is having a stereo cable. A figure 8 mic has two xlrs at the end of them, never heard of that.

 

[foreverain4]

i have done this often. 3 people around a mic makes a group. do 3 takes of the exact same thing. every take, the singers rotate left or right. then pan as you see fit...

 

[chessrock]

only way of getting stereo field from one mic source is having a stereo cable. A figure 8 mic has two xlrs at the end of them...

That's really interesting.

 

[notCardio]

Maybe things are different in Scotland...

Now I'm thinking of Patrick Stewart on SNL doing his 'Scottish psychotherapist' sketch. "Come on, let's get pissed!"

 

[notCardio]

And foreverain4

you're gonna have to explain that one to me. Unless it's a stereo mic, how does rotating the singers make a difference, and why would you record it three times? Why not just record each singer individually, one take of each singer. I guess I'm missing the point again.

 

[volltreffer]

Because of the pattern of the mic. I assume using a unidirectional wouldn't be of much use in that strategy... I assume by recording the 3 guys several times you'll have a much fatter sound (even if U use a cardioid and always have one predominant voice on every track, the other two fatten up a lot).

Nevertheless I'm not sure whether it would not be possible to record several tracks separately (maybe even using the rotation / different mics). I tend to heavily compress background and I think it might get a little difficult if you have three voices of different volume on one track...

Hopefully I'll get a clarification soon...

aXel

 

[ecktronic]

That's really interesting.

Not really. Just never heard of XLR stereo mics before. i was asking not telling. forgot yon "Q" mark.

 

[vigormusic]

what you saw on the dvd could have just been a rehearsal

 

[thehook]

so with a stereo cable you could take any mic and have a stereo or stereo sound recording with it. For example I could get a v67g and hit it with stereo cable plug it into the sound card I have in the left and right side and have stereo? Same with some other mic and an acoustic guitar? What would the sound difference be if I did this (if it works like I think) and recording with two of the same mic?

 

[scrubs]

so with a stereo cable you could take any mic and have a stereo or stereo sound recording with it. For example I could get a v67g and hit it with stereo cable plug it into the sound card I have in the left and right side and have stereo? Same with some other mic and an acoustic guitar? What would the sound difference be if I did this (if it works like I think) and recording with two of the same mic?

no, you can't

 

[NeoMagick]

so with a stereo cable you could take any mic and have a stereo or stereo sound recording with it. For example I could get a v67g and hit it with stereo cable plug it into the sound card I have in the left and right side and have stereo? Same with some other mic and an acoustic guitar? What would the sound difference be if I did this (if it works like I think) and recording with two of the same mic?

scrubs, in all his brevity, is right. You can't. Stereo mics are designed as stereo, whereas an SM57, or any other mono mic, is designed mono. If i understand them right, they're essentially two mics in one, one half picking up the left side, the other half picking up the right side. They also use a standard XLR cable differently. A shared ground, and a left and right hot signal. The preamp or mixer or whathaveyou also has this different wiring. I may, however, be completely mistaken.