Stereo tracking vocals

  • Thread starter Thread starter battleminnow
  • Start date Start date
battleminnow

battleminnow

What's this button do?
I am recording into a Korg D1600, MXL V67 usually on voice. My question is this: Why would I not stereo track a lead vocal? This may be a newbie question, but for modern rock/folk/alternative type stuff, it just seems to be more present. I don't want to get into a rut using the same stuff on each song, but are there some major reasons for doing or not doing this?

Thanks,
Pete
 
There are no rules. If it sounds good to you, by all means do it!
 
Stereo Tracking?

What do you mean by "stereo tracking vocals"?

I'm a bit confused by the fact that you mention only one mic in your question.
 
Good point, johnston. Actually, I have two V67's and various other mics, but I am mostly talking about syncing two channels, or recording onto two channels with one source. It gives quite a presence boost, and not just because another vocal has been added. It actually increases the volume on each track. I am just wondering why someone would opt for a seemingly lesser quality signal. Am I missing some great rule of recording thumb here?

Pete
 
Recording the same source on 2 channels is dual mono. There really is no benefit to that. It is louder because there are 2 tracks playing the same thing. Just turn up one track for the same effect.

You would be better off re-recording the vocal as close to the original as possible. This is 'doubling' and it is a good technique to thicken up vocals and guitar tracks.
 
"Stereo"

Well, I suppose everything depends on the recorder, and I don't know anything about this Korg machine, but in theory, you shouldn't gain anything by recording the same thing onto two different tracks. Yes, it will be louder relative to the other tracks, but presumably you can accomplish the same thing if it's on one track simply by raising the fader on that track (okay, maybe you have to lower the faders on the others if you've run out of travel).

This is distinguished from ways you might record different things to two tracks, such as:

- "Real" stereo, with two mics on the same source (which you'd likely pan hard left and right at mixdown) in some arrangement like XY, ORTF, spaced, separated by a disc or mid-side (with a matrix to print to two tracks).

- "Pseudo" stereo, where the two tracks start out the same, but you make them different by putting a delay or something on one or both.

- Multi-mics for other reasons (which you might pan any number of ways), like one close up and one for room sound, or maybe you just use two mics because you don't know which will sound best in the mix.

- Full-on double-tracking, where you record the vocalist singing two whole separate passes through (here you'd tend to pan them both to the same place, like the middle). This can make and iffy vocalist sound better. You can also "comp" them.
 
"Stereo"

"TexRoadkill" types faster than I do. He (or she? somehow the screen name makes me thing he) managed to say what I was in the process of typing before I finished!
 
Hmmm. A little XY config. usually works great on an accoustic guitar, on drum overheads, etc.

I don't see why it wouldn't produce similar nice results on a vocal track.

The only thing I'm thinking is that vocals generally require a lot of focus. Most pop records have the vocal panned dead center with a very focused sound that draws your ears right to the center of the stereo spectrum and on the singer's voice. An XY config. might make it sound more natural and give it some space. But I don't know ? ?

It's got me intrigued. I'm thinking you could get a nice sound if you were to pan the two tracks at 2 o'clock and 10 o'clock . . . and detune/pitch shift each one just a hair off one another. Might be better than doing it with the exact same track if you know what I mean.
 
Chess, great idea. I will give that a shot.

and SJ... the "pseudo" stereo term is a great one:) that's mostly what I am doing.

Thanks guys,
Pete
 
You wanna hear something really loud and phat?

Record the same source onto 24 tracks!

Now that's loud!
 
Sshhhh ! ! ! You're not supposed to give away that secret, remember? Now everyone and their brother is going to know. Mutt lange is going to be pissed! And so will Stephen Paul (Don't ask me why, but that guy just seems to get pissed easily).
 
Back
Top