Super Newb, Recording Hip Hop Vocals

[Syke]

Hey everyone,

I have been rhyming for a few years now, and its basically time to crap or get off the pot. If I don't start recording stuff now I never will and that would be a waste. Unfortunately, I am clueless to equipment and setup. I don't produce, I don't make beats people do that for me... what I need is the right equipment to just lay down some decent tracks. My budget is limited but not set, as I am a university student.

Help me with what I need! haha

I have a laptop with a shitty soundcard, so well go from there. What do I need to lay decent tracks.

Microphone: Are Blue Baby Bottles decent? I have a lead on one for fairly cheap.
Preamp?
Recording Software?
What else!

I know its a lot of info to ask for but any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[kidkage]

The SM57 is the best mic for rap vocals.

 

[kidkage]

"jk"

No, but for real now:
Yeah, the blue baby bottle is definitely decent.

Basically what you need if you just want to record vocals is a good mic and a good interface to run in to a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation aka recording software). Can't throw out to many suggestions without know your budget though. So... what is it?

 

[Massive Master]

Microphone: Are Blue Baby Bottles decent? I have a lead on one for fairly cheap.

I know about a thousand HH/Rappers that use the Baby Bottle (and 995 of them are complaining about "not getting 'pro' sounding vocals").

The BB is a great mic for times when you want to pick up what's actually going on. Strings, piano, woodwinds, choir and operatic vocal, room sounds, etc.

For aggressive vocals, it's the exactly the opposite of what I'd want.

The SM57 is the best mic for rap vocals. (jk)

It's much closer... As is the 58. I've heard excellent HH/Rap vocals done with both. Not as ideal as something with a larger/slower diaphragm -- SM7b being at the top of the list (I personally think it should be illegal not to have at least one), RE20/27, M88 for the more nasally types...

The whole "You use large-diaphragm condensers for vocals" thing is more marketing hype than anything else (especially with aggressive vocals). I can't tell you how many times someone ("someone" being an aggressive rock/metal/rap vocalist) came in and said "put me in front of the U87" so I put them in front of a U87 with a SM7b or RE20 right below it (recording both to different tracks).

But I can tell you how many times we actually used the U87 for the mix in these cases -- Once.

But if you're really game for using one, Rode's NT1a has a much more "warm and dynamic-ish" sound than most. Sony's C800G does too (but it'll run you $9000 with the power supply).

 

[kentheriot]

Hey everyone,

I have a laptop with a shitty soundcard, so well go from there. What do I need to lay decent tracks.

Microphone: Are Blue Baby Bottles decent? I have a lead on one for fairly cheap.
Preamp?
Recording Software?
What else!

I know its a lot of info to ask for but any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Hi Syke - That mic should be fine for you. As for software, definitely check out Reaper for oh-so-many reasons (price, quality, the general cool-ness of the folks who are behind it, etc.). You can download it right now.

In order to connect the mic to the computer, yeah, you'll need a pre-amp and converter. If you're mainly recording one thing at a time, which a rapper definitely can do, try the Centrance MicPort Pro, which is portable, flexible, does 24-bit/96KHz recording and costs about $149. Or you could do the M-Audio Fast Track for $115.

That should really get you going fast. Hope that helps.

Cheers!

Ken

 

[musicmachine]

try the Centrance MicPort Pro, which is portable, flexible, does 24-bit/96KHz recording and costs about $149. Or you could do the M-Audio Fast Track for $115.

Or for $149 try the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Includes Ableton live Lite software too.

 

[Syke]

Thanks for all the input, Im gonna start checking out some of these things you have been mentioning.