Not enough high freq in studio setup

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fiveyearslater

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Hey guys, didn't know where to post this one so ended up here.. Here's my problem: I've been recording about a year with this setup and I just think I don't get enough of the high sparkle from about let's say 10khz. So for example, with recording vocals lots of eq'ing has to be done to get them sound well. Does this sound normal? And what should be the best remedy?

Here's my studio chain:
Shure SM58 mic
Behringer UB1204-pro mixer
M-Audio delta 44 soundcard

Thanx a lot in advance!!
 
Try a large diaphram condensor mic. The SM-58, while a great mic for live performances, will never give you the nice "airy" sound you hear on CD's.
 
Yup, it's the mic. It isn't a bad mic, it has 1000 uses, but open, airy vocals isn't one of them. If you look at the frequency respose chart for the 58, you will see your problem.
 
I agree with everything these guys have said so far. Any decent LD mic will get you 80% of where you are looking to go it sounds like. After you get the mic, you might also want to look into a pre amp. My experience with the Behringer stuff is that they are very veiled in their sound. Almost like there is a high and low pass filter in line. Tehcnically they work, just in a way that is usually very pleasing to me.
 
Aah thanx! But I think I read somewhere that among others Madonna uses a SM58 on some of her records and she certainly doesn't have my problem of the sparkle. Is it true that some wellknown artists use a SM58 on vocals or am I mistaken?
 
fiveyearslater said:
Aah thanx! But I think I read somewhere that among others Madonna uses a SM58 on some of her records and she certainly doesn't have my problem of the sparkle. Is it true that some wellknown artists use a SM58 on vocals or am I mistaken?
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It's true, an SM58. Along with probably $10,000 of preamp, compressor, and EQ, and a top engineer, studio, and recorder.
 
fiveyearslater said:
Aah thanx! But I think I read somewhere that among others Madonna uses a SM58 on some of her records and she certainly doesn't have my problem of the sparkle. Is it true that some wellknown artists use a SM58 on vocals or am I mistaken?
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Perhaps try pulling out a bunch of the mic's forward sounding 'presence in say the 2-7k range might better feature what 'air is in there.
Wayne
 
fiveyearslater said:
Aah thanx! But I think I read somewhere that among others Madonna uses a SM58 on some of her records and she certainly doesn't have my problem of the sparkle. Is it true that some wellknown artists use a SM58 on vocals or am I mistaken?
Click to expand...
The preamp affects the way a 58 sounds. The better the preamp, the more you can get out of the 58. However, if your voice doesn't sound like Madonna's, you won't get the same thing out of it.
 
I really wouldn't worry too much right now about preamps. It is the one peice that will effect your sound the LEAST!

You really just need a decent vocal mic.

I recommend, as the CHEAPEST vocal mic I would ever own, a AT 4033. This is a vocal mic with a proven hit record track record! Yes, there are far cheaper LD's out there, but none have the track record of the 4033. It is a good investment of a mic!
 
I use a 4033 almost every day, they are good for a bunch of different things.
 
I didn't mean to give the impression I was telling him to get better preamps. I was mearly pointing out that they make a difference with a 58. However, a 58 ain't the right mic for this job.
 
Just curious.. Why would, to stick with the example, Madonna use a SM58 if there's so much better mics out there that sound great without using a bunch of preamps & compressors? Sounds quite strange to me.
 
fiveyearslater said:
Just curious.. Why would, to stick with the example, Madonna use a SM58 if there's so much better mics out there that sound great without using a bunch of preamps & compressors? Sounds quite strange to me.
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Most likely, a SM58 was used for Madonna on a track that the producer was looking for a particular type of sound on the vocal. Most likely, this would be a vocal where the eq was altered severely to sound "AM radio" like, or "Telephone" like. Or, it could have been that they needed a VERY different sound for a doubling track for a vocal.

I can almost assure you that none of the lead vocal work on her is using a SM 58! It is far too plain sounding of a mic to get the kind of sound she records.

Why are you so hung up on Madonna using a SM58? Are a girl doing dance music?
 
Well, for those certain tracks, and those certain circumstances, a 58 may have just felt right. That doesn't mean it will work every time. That also deosn't mean that Madonna didn't use an $8000 U47 or a $10,000 Telefunken 251 on the very next track.
 
Further, you are doing "melodic punkrock", and what works for other types of production styles/genres won't neccesarily work for yours!
 
fiveyearslater said:
Just curious.. Why would, to stick with the example, Madonna use a SM58 if there's so much better mics out there that sound great without using a bunch of preamps & compressors? Sounds quite strange to me.
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The 'best' mic for the job is the one that gives you the sound you want. Quality isn't the issue, sound is. A new electric piano sounds more like a piano than an old Fender Rhodes, but if you want the Rhodes sound, you'd use the Rhodes.
 
I'd pick a 58 through a decent preamp then an expensive mic through a behringer mixer for just about anything. Granted you won't get a silky high end through a 58 but you can get a very good tone. The few times I've tried playing around with the small behri mixers they seemed to suck the life out of anything that was run through it.
 
Ford Van said:
Why are you so hung up on Madonna using a SM58? Are a girl doing dance music?
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Hehe it was just something I remembered I read somewhere, and since most of her vocals have te high sparkle I look for it was worth to investigate it a bit. I was wondering if I also could get that kinda sound with my SM58, even if I don't like her music. But thanx for all your help, I know I got to get a better vocal mic and maybe a pre-amp.
 
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