Need help fattening up vocals on sorry microphone

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Forenzikks

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ok I record with some beater Sony mic and my vocals just sound THIN and I ve tried bass boosting and EQing but it still just is weak....I ve even double recorded and layered it but still just weak so I was wandering if you guys got any ideas.........Im just running the mic to my soundcard cuz thats all I got and I got no money . I just go tmy music sounding nice using Ozone to touch it all up but now I need to get these vocals to sound stronger........any help would be appreciated.....thanks
 
If you have any effects to use try using some chorus on the doubled vocals and mix it in. See if that helps...


Vice
 
Change the point of view

Hi, first of all, no matter how much Low Boost you use, you won't be able to boost any frequency that actually has never been captured by the mic. If yours has a poor response in low frecuencies, it's useful to boost it there.
I'm not a super pro magician, but, IMHO you can try several things:
1- add chorus and/or
2- Double the vocal track and/or
3- make a small cut in really high freqs and/or
4- copy the voice track, detune it a few cents, and pan one hard left and the detuned one hard right or don't pan them at all and/or
5-Copy the track and use different effects on each one and pan them hard L/R and/or
6- Use a super cool distortion, smoothest as possible, actually not distorting a lot, but warming up a little and/or
7- get the most decent mic within your budget.
 
a little delay

i had a similar problem..just recorded a metal band and they didn't want to/couldn't double the vocal track so i copied the original to another track and put the 30% of an echo/delay on my lexicon mpx 200 on them. really improved the sound and livened up the mix
 
A couple of things that really fatten the vox (aside from those mentioned):

1) Large diaphragm condensor mic. However, according to you, that's not in the cards and you'd also need phantom power.

2) Add compression.



Matt
 
easy

add several thousand calories to the diet of the lead singer...that'll fatten up the vocalist.

OOPS...sorry...bad me...misread that...fatten up the vocals...well..yeah....think of that stunt Dave Grohl pulls on his stuff, or Bob Mould did with Husker Du...adding a delayed track a few milliseconds later and fattening it up with compression will heip.

But then, maybe so will the calories...I dunno...that Pavoritti can sure belt out a note or two.
 
an old studio guru i once knew told me a very good peice of advice....

you can't polish a turd.


d
 
You know, I was hearing the ole polish-a-turd thing for awhile, so I tried it. I learned that they polish MUCH better frozenthan when still warm and mushy, but you can smooth them out while still warm, and then freeze them, and then polish them with a really really fine grade of sandpaper. After they are pretty smooth, spray the turd with a thick clear coat and bake until dry and hard.
I also had one bronzed one time. Its on my mantle. Amazingly huge.
 
Compression

Seriously, unless you are going for a specific effect, I would use the Chorus/Doubling etc as a LAST RESORT ONLY!
Wierd phasing things can happen here, and make it sound thick, but often incredibly unnatural, unless it's VERY carefully applied, with much care and attention to phasing at different frequencies.

My first question to you would be "How much compression do you use"? Make that compressor work for you.
If you have an opto compressor, this will be best, as it will add a natural "fattening". Set the MAKE-UP gain up around 3-6dB, then use a 3.5:1 or even 4:1 setting, and keep it contained.
This in my experience is far more helpful in getting it thick without making it sound completely unnatural.
EQ a LITTLE bit, maybe pull out 2.5kHz around 2-3dB, use a Q of about .3 (point three).

Trust me, with you can setup a compressor to the point where it can completely dominate the mix! They are marvelous tools, but must be used judiciously.

I generally avoid the chorus/time shifting techniques at all costs, as it's more of a make-shift bandaid, which doesn't come without it's penalities.

Cheers and good luck!

SH
 
Mic Preamp...

"Im just running the mic to my soundcard cuz thats all I got "

Are you running into the mic in on the soundcard? If so try to scrape up a few bucks and look for a used mic preamp. You can get a new one for about $80 so you may be able to find a used one cheap.

The connection would be MIC>>PREAMP>>LINE-IN on the soundcard. The preamps in a soundcard are really only meant for one of those little computer mics...

If you are already using a mic pre...you can ignore this...:D

zip >>
 
1) I second the mic preamp suggestion.

If you got a couple hundred bucks (noticed some going for around $100 on ebay), go get a Joemeek VC3Q. Not a bad little unit. Gives a real presence to a track.

2) Redo the vocal tracks, but have the vocalist try singing closer to the microphone. Tell him to breathe properly (from the gut) . . . relax his vocal chords when he sings . . . and push more air out.

No substitute for good performance.
 
thanks

Good advice guys Im goin tomorrow to look at some pre amps and I dont know which ones are good and waht ones arent but Im hopin to get just anything that will boost my weak mic....anyways Imma try some of these techniques on my vox I already recorded and see what it does.......by the way I plugged my mic into my line in on my soundcard and I got nothing for sound so if I use a preamp and plug it into my line in is it gonna work or what do I need to do..........thanks
 
A mic directly into the line in won't work...the signal isn't strong enough. If you run the mic into a pre then into the line-in you're in business...

The Joe Meek is a good pre...wish I had one as well. For that matter I wish I had a Neve. :D

I have a Presonus Bluetube stereo pre and I like it a lot. For some applications I like it better than the pres in my MOTU. They are about $159...

www.presonus.com to read about them but you can usually buy them cheaper elsewhere.

The ART MP is a good little unit as well...I think they go for about $90. It's a mono pre which is one reason why I went for the blue tube.

It really all depends on if you want new or used in that price range. I hear the Presonus MP20 is nice as well...

zip >>
 
"No substitute for good performance."

AMEN!!

Other things which help a vocal performance...

- keep things as open as possible (raise the pharangyl (sp?) arch) or roof of the mouth

- smile when hitting high notes (watch Steve Perry or Whitney H.)

- keep the tounge down with the tip against the back of the teeth when singing long vowels and high notes..

- higher notes mean loose throat...open...more air and smile to shorten the airway...

Next time a great singer is on MTV (live performance) watch how they use their face (the mask) to shape sounds...it's a great way to learn. Then practice in front of a mirror.

zip >>
 
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