Sos!

[glaspar]

hey guys! i just started getting into this hobby a few days ago, and its been pretty exciting so far i have a few questions though....

1) how does one remove the 'b' and 'p' sounds from the vocals? like when u pronounce 'pen', 'ben', 'pawn', etc. does this mean that the mike is too close to the person and can i do sth in the eq to remove it?

2) i am using an m-audio mobile pre and sonar producer 5.0 ... however, sonar can only pick up audio from the left channel of the mobile pre (there are 3 channels, left, right and stereo). why can't it pick up audio from the right channel? the troubleshooter and manual doesn't say anything on this.

3) there's a thread which says that the best way to record vocals is to do it in a closet full of clothes? why is that? i dun have a closet in my room, is there anything else i can do?

that's all from me, i'd really appreciate some enlightenment on this, i know the questions sound pretty noob (go ahead and laugh at me if u want to )

 

[bennychico11]

1) how does one remove the 'b' and 'p' sounds from the vocals? like when u pronounce 'pen', 'ben', 'pawn', etc. does this mean that the mike is too close to the person and can i do sth in the eq to remove it?

This has to do with a rush of air being directed at the microphone when you say P or B (put your hand in front of your mouth and say P or B and you'll feel it). They're called plosives.
There are many techniques to help this. You can purchase a pop screen which goes in front of the mic. You can even create your own using a wire hanger and some nylon stockings.
A pencil taped to the front of the microphone in the middle can help disperse these plosives. And also, mic angle can help a lot. Angle the mic downward a little bit (or up) so that the singer isn't singing directly into it. Even angled to the side can help.
If you have already have it recorded, roll off a little of the low end. These plosives generally reside in the lows. However, the best way to get rid of it is to write volume automation over it. Zoom in to where the plosive starts and you should see it graphically. Write your automation so that the volume dips real quickly right there...maybe not all the way down or you'll lose the consonant. Just enough to east it back a bit.

2) i am using an m-audio mobile pre and sonar producer 5.0 ... however, sonar can only pick up audio from the left channel of the mobile pre (there are 3 channels, left, right and stereo). why can't it pick up audio from the right channel? the troubleshooter and manual doesn't say anything on this.

It's not picking up just from the left channel. You have the input assigned to just use just channel one. If you have one microphone you only need to record one channel. One microphone=mono=one channel. Two microphones=stereo=two channels.
Create a MONO track in your program and pan it in the middle...the sound will come out equally through both speakers.

3) there's a thread which says that the best way to record vocals is to do it in a closet full of clothes? why is that? i dun have a closet in my room, is there anything else i can do?

People probably recommend that to help deaden reflections. And to get away from computer/extraneous noises. I find that it just muddies up the sound and ruins it...then you're forced to try and over compensate with EQ. Don't worry too much about it for now. Just get used to using your equipment and learning more about audio techniques.

 

[glaspar]

gosh thanks so much, you're a great help!

 

[rayc]

Benny's on the ball. Home made pop screen (coathanger & stockings or old jumper) works fine & the pencil trick is more than a trick though not the whole answer.
Go for it.
Cheers
rayC

 

[glaspar]

thanks ray! i just encountered another problem while recording some guitar stuff... darn it, ok let me tell u my mistake:

i was recording an acoustic guitar with the mobile-pre, and i didn't really like the first take, so i wanted to re-record the piece. However, i forgot to delete that piece and just pressed the record button on the sonar producer....so its like i recorded another track over the old track. after i did that, there was this funny sound (like when u don't push in the jack all the way into your guitar and it starts making crackling noises in the amp) which i heard on the recording. Now whenever i try to record sth, the sound is always there...im so frustrated with myself. could u guys help me out?

 

[rayc]

Do you get that sound when you mute that track?
If you don't you could justdelete & rerecord. If you do then I haven't any idea. Sorry
Cheers
rayC

 

[bennychico11]

is the wave form consistent with the sound? in other words, does it look like a bad connection wave form or is it dynamic like what you think you recorded?

 

[dgatwood]

A pencil taped to the front of the microphone in the middle can help disperse these plosives. And also, mic angle can help a lot. Angle the mic downward a little bit (or up) so that the singer isn't singing directly into it. Even angled to the side can help.

A lot of this has to do with singing technique, too. When you're singing live, you want crisp, highly emphasized consonant sounds to cut through. When you're recording, you have to be a bit more reserved; if you sing into a ribbon for recording in the same way that you'd normally sing into an SM58 hooked to a PA, you're gonna have problems.

I recommend the following exercise: without breathing out significantly or making any actual vocal sounds, make the consonants of the following sentence with your mouth:

Diction is done with the tip of the tongue and the teeth.

As a helpful trick, if your lips stick out when making 'p' sounds, you'll get a puff of air. If you smile a bit, pulling your cheeks back a hair, you won't get as much wind motion. Ditto for other plosive sounds. Make the sound farther back towards your cheeks and less in the front of your mouth.

Practice this until you can say it all the way through without making a single pop on the mic. Now repeat this the same way, but actually speaking the words audibly.

 

[rayc]

Another good exercise is to recite the alphabet by sound not letter name. To do this correctly record yourself & listen to the playback for f, h & p.these three should be soft sounds. Saying the whole alphabet by sounds puts those three in context. Reciteit in front of a mirror &/or with a candle 10cm in front of your lips. If the candle flickers & gutters you're pushing way too hard. Don't use those trick birthday ones though.
Down under there is a tendency to have an immobile bottom lip which really cramps diction so whilst looking in the mirror exaggerate the mouth shapes. You'll be amazed at the clarity that can be achieved without difficult to manage volume fluctuations.

 

[glaspar]

hey guys, thanks a lot, really appreciate the help you all have given me... i think the problem was due to a bad connection, like when you unplug guitar from the monitor without muting that channel in the mixer first (or sth like that)...i restarted the computer a few times, and the problem was suddenly gone... have no idea how that happened as well... thanks ray, benny, dgatwood for your advice!