putting vocals in the background

[six]

I really wonder how to put vocals a bit back in the mix without using lots of (audible) reverb or delay.

I'm thinking of something like early Queen or Rolling Stones tracks. If you listen to "Somebody to love" it sounds like Freddie sings in your room but still some feet away. You wouldn't say there's just a lot of reverb - in fact it sounds very dry.

how is it done? just EQ?

 

[Light]

There is almost certainly some room reverb on there, or something similar, and small. If you want to put something a little further back in the mix without putting on too much reverb, try increasing the predelay to the reverb.

Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Gidge]

i agree with the predelay....also cut the lows.......

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo 6 of 7:]

Here is something you can try to place back-up vocals behind the lead vocal.

Record the back up vocals at regular settings, pan straight up, "the middle." Put the back up vocals on two tracks.

When you are ready to mix tracks, pan the back up vocals left on one track and right on the other -- or play with it until it sits where you like it. You can add a touch of reverb to the back up vocals if your ears like it or leave them slightly dry.

The effect should come through like the back up vocals are behind the lead vocal.

GREEN HORNET

 

[six]

thanks for the answers, guys.


hornet, i usually don't have problems with the backing vocals. I always cut quite a lot of low end and pan them hard unless it's only one. the low cut puts them back quite a bit.

I just wondered how they put the LEAD vocals back in the mix in the "old days". nowadays "in your face" is quite hip - I don't like it, especially for more powerful parts, so I want to immitate the vocal-mixing I mentioned above.

about pre-delay I found out that it does quite the opposite of what I want, IF it does anything, really ;-).
your point will be "it works" but I think it's not very logical anyways: a pre-delay would mean you hear the original sound before the reflections. so this would happen if the singer is quite close to you, right?

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Six:

How are things on the Eiger? Read about that mountian in THE EIGER SANCTION by Travanian. Also a movie with Clint Eastwood.
The novel was better.

About "in your face" vocals. Do you just mean LOUD vocals?

If you listen to a Sinatra vocal, he is SOOO CLear and vibrant and articulate -- that's what I like to produce in my studio -- but, I don't have those cool mics that Sinatra got to use. However, I have learned to adjust and get my "lead" singer's voice CLEAR and articulate -- only if the singer is articulate and has mic savvy of course.

Well, six, don't get caught in a foen on the Eiger.

Green Hornet

 

[six]

hornet, if you like jokes about Eiger... here we go:

there's these three famous mountains standing next to each other:

Eiger, Mönch (=monk) and Jungfrau (=virgin).

Now the question is: why is Jungfrau still Jungfrau? Because Eiger can't get past Mönch... wu-hahahaha

next question: why isn't there ever any snow on Mönch? Because his hot about Jungfrau.


ok, back to "business":

as for "in your face vocals": I mean vocals that sound like sung an inch away from the listener. sounding dry with a certain distance to the rest of the music...

... and that's what comes out when I mix badly . it would be hip but it doesn't please me . I really like these old style vocals.

 

[The Green Hornet]

Ho & Yo Six:

Great to get first hand information about the Eiger, and the other "Mounts."

It must really be a beautiful sight.

Question:

Do tourists still visit the Eiger when folks are climbing it? I think they were called Eiger Birds or something like that in the Novel.

Happy New Year
Green Hornet

 

[six]

to be honest - I don't live close enough to these three mountains to actually see them .

but anyway: I think there's some kind of railroad THRU the Eiger... and then there's a hole in the Eigernordwand so you (drinking tea in a well climated trainwagon) can see the other ones out there in the cold climbing the wall.