Tracking vocals

  • Thread starter Thread starter elbenj
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elbenj

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I was wondering if I could get opinions
on tracking vocals in a dry room. Dry meaning
virtually no reverb. Is this preferrable? I would
appreciate feedback on the pros and cons on
this issue. I am using the Neumann TLM 103
my mic pres are the Joemeek VC6Q and the
Mackie 1642vlz XDR,s . My only choices at this
time. Thanks for the help guys!!!
 
How do you answer that?

If you have a decent reverb unit to give some sense of space to the track on mix-down, then sure, why not? But if you record the vocals in say, a bathroom, you may find the the early reflections provided there add another dimension to your track. Experiment and see what works for ya!

Bruce
 
hi,

My recording book says that you should record in a room with about 0.4 second reverb across the range.

A totally dry room is kind of stifling.

Also, I must agree with bruce. I once had my friend reocrd my really small, bright bathroom, and even though you can hear the sound of the bathroom, its a good sound.

peace
 
Most home recording guys have less than an ideal room to track in.two common options are spending lots of money on acoustic treatments or... recording dry and adding in that sense of space later.
Welcome to the club.With your gear,you should be able to get a real nice sound.
Here's my hint on using reverb,delay,rotating ping-pong phase or any other effect.Sometimes you want an effect to slap the listener in the face.But more often you want a more subtle reaction where the MUSIC gets the bulk of their attention (if they are even critically listening at all,but that is another thread).
So as you apply the effect,how much do YOU notice it?Well thats too much.Back it off by half and listen again.When you aren't sure,then compare the effected signal with the dry signal.Hear the difference now?Then it's just about right.

Tom
 
Thanks for the replys guys...

I guess maybe the way I should have put
it is ..If you had a choice on which would
be better..being that this is the only room
you had to record in..which way would you
go..Dry or with the echos..but I have decided
to leave it like it is..

Ive spent too much time in the last 3 weeks
making what I call upgrades when I was actually
doing quite well without..Sorta got into the
"I need more gear mode"

I am running Cakewalk, Sound Forge and Waves
NPP 3.0...so this is where I'll be getting my effects
from...also have the little ole nanoverb by Alesis
which actually believe it or not does a decent job.

Im just chomping at the bits to get the
Waves Ren package though :) Ive found
it for $179..think its worth it??

Cyan, you know your the man and I
havnt forgotten about that review I
owe yah on the VC and the Xdr,s

but I have to ask you about this manual
you keep refferring to :) How are we
suppose to obtain this .4 second range..?:)

Thanks again for the help guys!!!!!!
 
Waves

$179 is a fat deal... buy it.... check out the Gold package too, I think it has the L1 and S1 and all that in it, along with the Ren. Compressors and EQ... I THINK... check it out...
 
hi elbenj,

yes, I am still looking forward to the comparison between the mackie and the joemeek vc6q. I just want to know the difference in sound, even though I am set on getting a mackie 1604 as soon as I can.

I don't remember the name of my recording book, but it is amazingly helpful. For example, I learnt from it that 5 k is like the magic range, this is where you boost for presence and cut for warmth

0.4, believe it or not is the reverb time of a regular, carpetted living room. You also want to mix in a room with about 0.4 seconds reverb because this is environment in which people listen to music the most.
 
elbenj,

You may already be aware, but you can have the best of both worlds by monitoring through your Maxkie mixer and recording the signal through the Jomeek preamp. Plug your mic into the Jomeek pre. Take one of the Jomeek's outputs directly to tape (the dry signal). Take the other Jomeek output to your mackie board. Plug your Alesis FX unit into your Mackie via one of the auxiliaries. By varying the amount of that FX send or return you can add varying amounts of the reverb to your signal. This way you can record the dry signal to tape and still hear the reverb if your singer wants to hear verb while recording. Some people like to hear reverb while recording.

Rev E
 
Thanks for that info Rev E.

According to what Cyan above tells me,
the signal in the VC6 is split when you
use both outputs. I had been using output
1 directly to tape and output 2 to the mixer
for monitoring just as you mentioned with
the alesis being applied to the monitored
signal.

The split signal thing has me confused
anyone care to shed some light on that
one?

Ben
 
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