tricky, tricky, tricky

[I-AM]

Dear Forum,

I am tyring extremely hard to get good vocal results. I don't have a great setup for micing, but I want to get the best possible sound from the setup I do have.
I am trying to record a rapper with an ok mic(not SM58), & DOD VOTEC processor. Basically I have been having him do the lyrics in the bathroom, which had a crap of reverb and echo in it. Now for hip hop lyrics, there is usually very little echo or reverb that I can here from the artist.
Does anyone have any suggestions for getting a clean, in your face sound from the tools I am using; ok mic, DOD VOTEC processor, Alesis Compressor, EQ, Balanced into mixer, and out into computer. Software= Sound Forge, and Cool Edit pro.
I appreciate any and all replies to this message.
Thanks.

I-AM

 

[fink]

Recording an MC on Minimal Equipment

We have a small studio in Arkansas where we record hip-hop, rap, and solo vocalists. Our booth is a small closet with eggcrate (bed padding - buy it at Wal-Mart or something) stapled to the walls (yes, we even did this in the bathroom at our last place - just staple it from the ceiling in front of the shower). It absorbs hella reverb, and deadens the room twentyfold.

You can check-out some of our work at he website below.

 

[mojovoodoo]

fink is right on the money,you want to have the vocals recorded dry.so that you can work on your sound after you record,because once you record an effect on a vocal track,as you know it becomes irreversible.and if it is an in your face kind of sound you are looking for,the trick is in the e.q.!bathroom reverb,literally,it tends to add fluff,it will soften up things and make it all "nice" i think that is not what you desire,no?try just sitting ,after the fact,post production,and tweaking the e.q.'s even pushing it to drastic measures,like one frequency to the limit ,and everything else flat,will really lend towards an in your face effect.in another thread ,i think it starts out with the expression "transistor radio"effect,everybody shares their ideas of various vocal effects that get experimental,check it out,because ,with such a genre as hip hop& rap,there really is no limits to what can be done,if you listen to what is out there right now,the material and subject matter tends to be weak,the same old gangsta,violence,misogyny,so then producers,(at least the ones not afraid to break grounds)are getting more and more intertesting,of course ,there is an industry standard,that i personally am so tired of,the fru fru cheesy electric piano(so obviously a midi patch)the sequenced "synth"bass lines,and of course the over exagerated singer going"ooooooooohhh whhhooooo "all over the place,like a vocal acrobat,and considering that the songs that are out there singing about nothing but getting laid,it's a bit much for a vocalist to make so much noise over,i know i am getting way of track ,and throwing in too much opinion,which can be misinterperetted,thus,the driest you record each track,the more possibility you leave for really opening up the song in the long run,you might want to do totally different mixes of the same thing or when you get a flash of inspiration,the final result will be so beneficial if you leave things open for the final mix,in other words, don't make things so permanent and play around and tweak it out,you might find yourself getting way experimental,because that you left things dry enough to effect it later,hey in the other thread ,we all talk about using a bullhorn,you couldn't get more in yer face,but that is going to the point of beyond subtly ,and you only really need a good e.q. bandwidth to start creating all these new ground breaking sounds.the potential and possibilities are so endless,why not really work your tools and they will work you(whaa---aa?)have you ever listened to portis- head?it is with a female vocalist ,they are so good at working the minimalist attitude,but they get some way out vocal effects,by staying minimal,check it out if you haven't already.or i did like the way ezy e and dr.dre were doing their vocal tracks back in the late 80's(off of we want ezy
)it was somewhast scratchy and a subtle doubling effect,almost like an octaver,but not quite,oh idunno,i have said too much perhaps..............

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Voodooman:

To be more succinct, DO THE VOCAL; USE REVERB THAT REALLY ISN'T RECORDED;

THEN, WHEN YOU MIX DOWN, ADD THE REVERB.

AND, AFTER THAT, TRY ABOUT 15 DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF REVERB AND TWEAKING AND SQUEAKING AND PEEKING AND YOU MIGHT COME UP WITH A CUT THAT MAKES YOU PROUD.

Green Hornet

 

[mojovoodoo]

yeah,what he said,man,yeah?