Stereo on vocals?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ashulman
  • Start date Start date
A

ashulman

New member
I'd like some opinions on where to place a vocal track. I usually record the vocal on a mono track but last night I decided to go on a stereo track and, with effects applied, I noticed a big difference. Would you recommend doing this all the time?
 
Yo Ash--Man:

Don't know what gear you're using but most folks add the reverb when mixing. But, if it sounds good to you, do it.

If you record a vocal on two tracks, you can pan and have stereo. Eventually, if you are burning a CD, you will have to do a stereo track mix and place the tracks as you like them.

Have fun.

:D Green Hornet:cool:
 
You wont get a true stereo unless you put two mics and record. If you are using just one mic, better record in mono and then apply stereo effects like reverb to make it stereo. If you record a stereo vocal with one mic, you are just adding a cloned mono track. It sounds good to you, cos you are using stereo effects and getting a wet signal. Usually it is better to record a dry signal and then add effects during mixing.
 
Actually, I am recording a dry signal and adding effects after. I just noticed the effects sound better if on a stereo track. I am not recording in stereo but my hard disk has some tracks that are stereo tracks.
 
You can also record mono and copy the vocal track to another track. Then slip the copied track about 12cent and pan. This gives you a very full vocal just shy of a chorus effect
 
I usually run the stereo lead vocal track straight up the middle. then pan the backups to either side.

Terry
 
I've always like doing a couple of takes, compressing, reverbing and keeping low in the mix all but one. Nice supporting kinda thing...
 
Adding stereo effects? I'm not sure I get this fully.....I know that a stereo track is recorded with 2 mics and usually panned but what is meant my stereo effects? Like reverb.....would I just be adding the same reverb to each of the pair of dry stereo tracks?? Can you add mono effects to stereo tracks and stereo effects to mono tracks??......BTW I'm using Sonar plugin effects. Thanks BJ
 
I have the Zoom 1044 hard disk I'm recording to. I think that if I record the track to a stereo track, with a single mic, and then I add chorus, the chorus effect will make use of both channels. This gives a nice full sound similar to the double tracking mentioned above. I just stumbled on this and wanted to know if it was SOP. I'm guessing that a lot of people record in environments where only mono tracks are available and two need to be used for a stereo effect.
 
Hi, how do you slip the track ever so slightly? Using Sonar.

Thanks,
Kirstin
 
Hi, how do you slip the track ever so slightly? Using Sonar.
Click to expand...

You clone the track to a new track, then pull up the waves for both tracks, and you shift one to the right just slightly. It should be just enough to sound like a chorus/phase effect.

I have been warned that doing this can create phase issues, so I'm passing it along. Try it anyway, then check for phase by making your mix mono, and see if the vocal "dissapears"
 
Thanks maestro,

Is it just as simple as selecting the track and moving it with your mouse, or maybe the arrow keys? Do you just try it in different spots until it sounds right to your ears? I have no idea what phase problems sound like necessarily...I've heard that it's similar actually to a chorus type effect. Is this true?

Thanks to all,
Kirstin
 
Or maybe, I could have read a little better about the phase deal, so that I would realize that you have explained how I would know if I had introduced phase problems!!!!
;)
 
Damn I'm not so observant. I'm sorry!!! You answered every question I had in one post. I think I've killed too many brain cells or something.

Kirstin
 
No, worries!

At least you got to pad your post count a little!:D :D
 
Well, this is true, but being a female, I don't have hangups about this as so many men on here do!! :)

I almost feel better being a newbie, as that is what I really am, no matter how many months (year?) I hang out here, or replies I post.
 
Ha ha!!! 69 dude!

That's my post count with this VERY message.

And--DON'T even go there guys!! But I can.
Kirstin
 
Yeah, I usually do overdubs whe tracking vocals, but I've never done the true stereo thing. At least not with just vocals. Overdubs souind great though. I don't know if you should do it all the time, that's up to you.
 
1)Why would you record your vocals in "stereo" if you're just panning it in the middle during mixdown?

2)How do you record your vocals in "stereo"? Do you have two mics in X/Y, M/S, etc... Or are you just copying the mono vocal track onto two tracks (or a single stereo track). I think you're wasting Hard Drive space with this!

I also think you might be a bit confused on stereo vs. mono.

Finally, someone mentioned recording vocals in stereo to take advantage of stereo effects. This too is a waste. I record my vocals with one channel (i.e. one microphone). During mixdown, I have one fader to play with for the volume. I can pan this one channel/track/signal anywhere in the stereo field, but it is still only ONE signal. The stereo effects come into play when I send the vocal track/signal to a stereo aux bus. So the single vocal signal goes to the mono input of the reverb (or chorus, whatever), but the effect spits out a stereo signal (2 components/signals - L+R, L-R)

Abelskeeper said:
I usually run the stereo lead vocal track straight up the middle. then pan the backups to either side.

Terry
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top