new thread about my vocal problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter B.SABBATH
  • Start date Start date
Once a producer in nashville was listening to a mix and said something that I think is true for most mixes. He said,"damn, when you turn that lead vocal up, it seems to make the rest of the track sound even better".

Regardless of musical style, I think this idea holds water. If you think of it in reverse--like turning the kick up real loud, where is the listeners attention? Too much on the kick. If you have lyrics and melody that are the central communicating factor in the song, all else should be a supporting role--at least until the solo kicks in.

So keep those vocals up there! Remember too that most people who listen to music aren't musicians or engineers. They relate to the vocals and the song. The music mix may be magic, but deprive them of those lyrics and vocals and they struggle.

I think it makes the track sound better myself!
 
too cool!

sorry to have put you guys through the same hideous song, but I really wanted this one to sound halfway decent..


Cranky One - thanks for the ears man.. Our collaboration will benefit from all these questions I'm asking now.. :)



Lt. Bob - the funny part is I wasnt going for an effecty vocal... I was trying to keep a normal vocal sound.:rolleyes: :D For some reason my vocals always sound like this and I dont like it... maybe it's because they are rediculously loud to me..:D Thanks for the positive comments....it helps. :D I'm looking forward to hearing from you about the collab.. I've been brushing up on some blues.. My drum sound module has some blues jams that you can mute out the drums and play along.. I dont think it will be a problem to bang the drums out quickly for the collab.. thanks Lt.!



barefoot - awesome! :cool: thanks a lot for that.. I think I understand what your saying now.. but your saying to take the mids out of some of the guitars and keys and that would change the whole guitar sound etc.. Maybe, if it's mostly the vocals that have too much mid range, it might be easier to just re-e.q. the vocal tracks alone? If the main problem is the vocal sound maybe I can get away with just messing with them.. I would like to avoid sucking anymore mids out of the guitars if possible... That was a cool diagram and the time you took to post your advice was really appreciated.. I have a graphic equalizer on my living room stereo and it has lights on it that tell you what's happening with the frequencies.. It's a 7 band for each side.. Maybe if I hook that up and look at it while I'm mixing it would help? Like if I see the mids really high I can adjust things more on sight than sound? Maybe try to make it look like a smiley face? thanks again man.. If you have had enough, it's cool if you dont respond again.. You have helped already.. :cool:



enrichenryus - thanks man.. I have been losing my mind lately trying to get in here too.. :D



Guernica - hey man, I posted a question about your vocal chain on 'Parasite.' I figure since we both have the 788, you can tell me how your getting your sound and I can steal your method! :D The reason why I just used the preset on the Digitech this time is because it seems the more I mess with the vocals, the worse it sounds.. I then thought that it might be best to use the presets and they would have it all tweaked and ready to go.. :rolleyes: It has an e.q. and some type of crazy mids control that I didnt even touch.. I do have to do some more tweaking.. I am going to try all these ideas mentioned.. I am slowly starting to understand what's happening..I appreciate the tips bro, looking forward to our collaboration... I'm sure it will be out there! :D



participant - thanks for checkin' it out man... I have lousy ears too so that's cool! :D



muzeman - thanks for the inspiring comments..:) I wish I agreed with you.. I apppreciate very much that you always check out my tunes even though I know it's not your style.. :D After hearing your nice recent song, I wonder how you can stand it man! :D I truly appreciate your thoughts.. It's scary hearing my voice this loud! :D it is hard to except that this volume is a good one for *my* vocals..:D



crawdad - you have some very good points.. especially about 'most people hearing it arent musicians.' I seem to get some good feedback sometimes from people who dont care about the details.. I really have to force myself into thinking this is a good mix for vocals.. It sounds a bit disturbing to me hearing them this loud, but you are right. I have been listening to some other music and hearing where the vocals sit in the mix.. It is usually louder then I put them BUT the singers are usually much better.. Maybe I'll get used to it since everyone seems to think this is the right volume.. thanks a lot crawdad for your comments.. If I had your voice, I would always keep them loud in the mix..






Thanks everyone who killed some time.. This place is the best thing I have ever found on the internet.. It is the only site I care about.. :cool:




sam
 
Sam,

Any music as good as yours is definitly my style!
Anyway,I ain't no wallflower,I can dig the Ozzman!

Sweetleaf,da na na na na na
Sweetleaf,da na na na na na...Ya!:D

Best to you,
Pete
 
LoL muze! :D da na, na na na!

thanks muze........................................................................................man. :D


thanks again G!



late

sam
:confused:
 
Let me first say two things:

1: I did not read all the given replies
2: This really is absolutely not my style of music.

The Vocals sit very good IMHO, and the loudness fits the song.
What disturbed me are the drums, the Kick is missing some ooomph, and the cymbals are not shiny enough (clear, sharp).

I love your intro, it's very original.

Though i absolutly dislike the typical distorted guitar sound in this kinda genre, it really sounds great, i have to admit, really fat and kinda groovy (whatever expression may fit, put it here :P )

If i wouldn't know it otherwise, this song could as well come out of the radio. (i could not tell the difference)

A job well done!
 
Radio song...I agree. I wish I could turn on the car radio and here this and stuff like it, as opposed to what's there now.
Sam, I dig the hell out of this and am glad you mixed the vox stronger and more up front.
Drum sounds are so damn tricky. Even listening to pro stuff with real drummers and real kits, they miss the boat so often. They'll either sound too dull and separated, off in a booth, or too hot, right in your face. I think we all have problems in this area, I'm glad to see so much helpful input in many different threads concerning drums.
Concentrating on melody and vox is prime concern imo, as crawdad points out.
This one sounds like a winner to me, any improvement is just icing on a cake that's already very tasty!

Mark
 
Sam,

this is the first time I've heared your stuff being new to this BBS. The vocals sound fine to my ears, pretty good actually. The only comment I've got is that I thought the snare lacks some presence, a bit 'ringy' and distant at times whats odd is that I only noticed on the quieter sections, during the louder sections is sits in OK so I cant explain it.
Overall (especially considering I'm not big on Rock based stuff) I enjoyed it
 
boooooooooo yaaaaaaaaa!!

man, you did it again.

and i can hear the vocals ( lol )

all your stuff is great! and the vocal up is just icing on the cake!

and im with you about this being the only site i care about any more. im a complete newbie, and not only at recording but playing instruments as well. and all this great home recorded music inspires me to try harder.

so keep it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

peace

rick
 
datune - thanks man.. I'm still workin on those drums, but the feedback here is helping tremendously.. I have to start getting into some e.q.ing because I usually dont use it properly..



mkg - I thought I had the drum problem nailed, but once I start adding different things it seems they never sound as good.. thanks for the positive comments man..



Matt303 - I know what you mean about the drums.. this BBs is great because I thought I had a great drum sound, but it seems that is one of the major problems with this.. thanks for checking it out.. I am going to try a new snare sound on the next one.



fenderlikingood - yeah this place rules!! :D thanks for the comments man.. It's this place that gets me to try harder as well.. there is so many great songs around.. And as far as the vocals being so loud, it really is disturbing for me to hear them like this! :D maybe I'll get used to it...
 
Re: too cool!

B.SABBATH said:
It's scary hearing my voice this loud!... it is hard to accept that this volume is a good one for *my* vocals... It sounds a bit disturbing to me hearing them this loud... I have been listening to some other music... the singers are usually much better
Click to expand...

Who says the other singers are much better...you?

Right there in front of you is the entire reason for your misgivings. Cut yourself some slack Sam. You sound just fine.

lou
 
My new favorite...maybe
how bout a hole sit prt II?
 
samij
im not sure i know what the vocals sounded like before, im still figuring out how to get around this place, but your tunes kick ass and i bought the lot of them. p.s. j station???
 
Powerful, and yes, I can hear the vocals. You're so far ahead of me I can't add much, other than you've got some killer dynamics in there. Wild guitar!
 
sabbath.sam - very cool tune. i think the vocal mix is perfect...sounding more like pop music ;)

i love the harmonies in this.
 
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