proximity effect on male vocals

[FALKEN]

for rock music...

is the proximity effect desired or not?

It seems to me that it would be desired but what are your thoughts, experiences, wisdoms ?

 

[Bulls Hit]

Nope, not for me. I cut all that crap out of the mud zone. Everything below 300Hz, get rid of it

 

[TerraMortim]

yes and no...is it what your mix wants? Sometimes it's exactly what you want sometimes not,... it just depends on the sound of the song.

 

[Richard Monroe]

Proximity effect is a tool that good vocalists *use*, and a trap that bad vocalists walk into. A lot of not-so-good rock vocalists, and many bad rappers spend their whole life with their lips stuck onto a dynamic mic. Usually, they learned this in $100 dance bands, where the PA and the sound man (if any) sucked so much that they had to do that so they could turn down the volume to reduce feedback. It also partially blocks access to the diaphragm for sound waves coming from other sources, particularly the columns/monitors, etc.

Then these Nimrods hit the big time, and continued their bad habits with perfectly good PA's and sound men. Really good vocalists learn where the proximity field starts on any given mic, and how abrupt it is. Some mics have a smooth, linear, progression of the proximity effect (SM7). Others, it is like a wall that you hit (AKG D3800 tripower). The really good singers brush the edge of the proximity field, moving in and out of it on purpose, for effect. The more abrupt the proximity field is, the more careful you have to be.

On stage, I try to project the illusion that I am singing to the audience (especially hot babes with big boobs), and make eye contact. I never forget, however, that my *real* audience is a 1" piece of gold-spluttered mylar, and I never forget where the proximity field is. It's like the difference between working the engine of a Harley or a Ninja. The Harley doesn't care that much what gear you are in, or what RPM range you are in. The Ninja has to be kept in its much narrower power band. The Ninja is faster, but busier, and less forgiving. My SM7 is my Ford F-150, and the tripower is my Viper with a 6-speed tranny.

Want to see a badass rock singer use proximity as a tool? Watch old films of Freddy Mercury with Queen. Want to see a clueless rock singer step into the dog do-do of proximity? Watch old films of Gwen Stefani with No Doubt.-Richie

 

[Robert D]

It's no different than a drummer knowing how to work the sounds from the center to the rim, or a guitarist strumming closer or farther from the bridge, or any number of other playing technique examples. Proximity effect is something a singer needs to know when and how to work to get the desired tone. That may change from song to song, or in different parts of the same song. Hell, even comedians know how to work it.

 

[TerraMortim]

Proximity effect is a tool that good vocalists *use*, and a trap that bad vocalists walk into. A lot of not-so-good rock vocalists, and many bad rappers spend their whole life with their lips stuck onto a dynamic mic. Usually, they learned this in $100 dance bands, where the PA and the sound man (if any) sucked so much that they had to do that so they could turn down the volume to reduce feedback. It also partially blocks access to the diaphragm for sound waves coming from other sources, particularly the columns/monitors, etc.

Then these Nimrods hit the big time, and continued their bad habits with perfectly good PA's and sound men. Really good vocalists learn where the proximity field starts on any given mic, and how abrupt it is. Some mics have a smooth, linear, progression of the proximity effect (SM7). Others, it is like a wall that you hit (AKG D3800 tripower). The really good singers brush the edge of the proximity field, moving in and out of it on purpose, for effect. The more abrupt the proximity field is, the more careful you have to be.

On stage, I try to project the illusion that I am singing to the audience (especially hot babes with big boobs), and make eye contact. I never forget, however, that my *real* audience is a 1" piece of gold-spluttered mylar, and I never forget where the proximity field is. It's like the difference between working the engine of a Harley or a Ninja. The Harley doesn't care that much what gear you are in, or what RPM range you are in. The Ninja has to be kept in its much narrower power band. The Ninja is faster, but busier, and less forgiving. My SM7 is my Ford F-150, and the tripower is my Viper with a 6-speed tranny.

Want to see a badass rock singer use proximity as a tool? Watch old films of Freddy Mercury with Queen. Want to see a clueless rock singer step into the dog do-do of proximity? Watch old films of Gwen Stefani with No Doubt.-Richie

Freddy Mercury! YEAH! love that guy. I have to say, that there is a certain aesthetic with heavy, or "in your face" vocal styles to eat the mic.. it looks kind of intense... like they're gonna take a bite and spit it in your face. I realize that it's kind of stupid on a sound level to do that, but it's almost become a part of the "show" to cause further visual intensity.

And YES any chance to laugh at Gwen Stefani, she's the most annoying person in music, well aside for Nelly Furtardo, I think they are about equal. Both of them should just stick to throwing their name on women's fragrances, polluting the worlds noses, with candy like overbearing headache inducing chemical sludge in a pretty bottle, not polluting the world's ears.

 

[TerraMortim]

It's no different than a drummer knowing how to work the sounds from the center to the rim, or a guitarist strumming closer or farther from the bridge, or any number of other playing technique examples. Proximity effect is something a singer needs to know when and how to work to get the desired tone. That may change from song to song, or in different parts of the same song. Hell, even comedians know how to work it.

Pablo Fransisco is great at using the proximity effect to his advantage.

 

[mixsit]

The no-proximity effect of the RE-20 is one of it's key features. On one hand that quality is a unique problem solver. On the other to me it often sounds odd on vocal (male anyway), not being able to work the mic.
An opposite example..