Using a limiter when recording vocals

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John Harvey

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I'm a novice so, please be gentle!
I have a modest home studio set-up - a condenser mic through a Behringer PMX2000 amp then into a Fostex VF80. I'm having trouble recording vocals - too many peaks causing distortion. I could ride the gain but research indicates that I should get a limiter. Which one to get? Like I said, my set-up is not state-of-the-art so I don't want to spend a fortune. I just want to make a reasonable recording without asking the vocalist (female) to spend too much time on mic technique. I've seen the following on eBay: -
Behringer Composer MDX2100 or MDX2600 (what's the difference?)
Boss RCL-10
Alesis 3630
Behringer T1952
Samson SGATE4
DBX 160X

Can anyone advise, please?

Many thanks

John Harvey
 
You may want to use some compression, but I would just turn the gain down ever so slightly and learn proper mic technique when singing. I usually apply effects after I've tracked them.
 
how do you learn micing technique? And, by the way, you mean learning micing technique from the perspective of the singer or the perspective of the sound engineer?
 
Feanor IV said:
how do you learn micing technique? And, by the way, you mean learning micing technique from the perspective of the singer or the perspective of the sound engineer?
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as a singer.
good vocalists learn that when they are about to get louder they pull away from the microphone. on a soft passage they get closer. You'll see people like Mariah Carey in concert pulling the mic away from her mouth as she screams louder. Jessica Simpson does too...although a little excessive in my opinion.

also, don't try and record as hot as you can get the signal. keeping the level around -6dBFS is plenty enough...you don't need to shoot for the loudest vocal track.



What do you mean by "tracked them"?
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you can add effects and mix tracks AFTER you record them...the many benefits of multitracking.
 
thanks ;) I'm doing vocals and I was just wondering whether there was more I should learn about this.... ;)
 
Of the ones you listed, I'd go with the dbx unit.....second choice would be the 3630, which you can buy new for $99. But dbx has a good corner on the budget compressor sound, and may be more reliable than the Alesis stuff. I use a comp because I cant sing well, and I have no mic technique. A well trained singer could record without a compressor.
 
soundchaser59 said:
A well trained singer could record without a compressor.
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just beware, if you have bad settings going into the computer...you can't fix 'em. It would really suck if you recorded a perfect take and then come to find out your compressor was pumping too hard!

best thing to do is not record with ANY effects at all. you can always add it later.
 
THere are times that gentle compression during the tracking will help, even along with a talented singer. Especially to accentuate breath sounds, or the opposite.
 
My first choice would be to turn down the gain on the mic preamp. Record a slightly smaller signal to begin with. Make sure nothing ever clips in the first place. Then adjust the volume of the whole track in the mix. My second choice would be compression between the preamp and the recorder.
 
The DBX 160x is still used in a lot of big studios however primarily on bass and kick drum but the occassional vocal in overeasy mode. I recently read it was used on Toni Braxton's voice for one of the album cuts on her CD. This was a few years back.

I use one and can reccommend it over the rest of your list however you might want to look at the ART ProVLA more to the vocal side of things. Either of these two are bargains for what they provide.
 
Digital soft clipping on vocals?! GOOD LUCK!


I think one of the worst sounds I've heard in a long time was the soft clip feature on Apogee's Rosetta 800, especially on vocals. Essencially, digital limiting almost does the same thing.'


I don't know what to tell you, other than gain riding, a lower gain setting on your preamp, trying different mics, or simply backing off a little.
 
I just use the -12db rms -6db peak rule and I haven't clipped anything since. The only time I actually use a compressor in the chain is during vocals. Everything else I track then compress in Sonar with Voxengo's Polysquasher.
 
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