vocal effect preamps and stuff

[electronicdreaming]

hello everyone!
i am new to singing, and i am looking for a good preamp or something to add some quality effects to vocals. any suggestions? i'm recording into cakewalk pro audio 9 through a SBLIVE!Platinum card. and i am doing analog electronica music, kind of like Kraftwerk and such., just to give you an idea. thanks i really appreciate it!
justin

 

[Roel]

Aouch!! A preamp or somthing to add effects to your vocals?

I suggest you first do some reading on what a preamp is. (This just amplifies the output of a mic so that it's suitable for further processing by other equipement that doesn't have a micpre built-in...) Then you should do some reading on the different types of mics and micing techniques. (If you want quality effects, you better start with quality recording of your vocs...)

And then comes the effects part. What effects do you mean? There are different kind of effects. The kind that change your signal, like compressors etc, to control the levels, whatever, just the type of effects that make the original track fit better in the mix.
Then there are delays and reverbs etc, effects that add, but kinda leave the original signal the way it is. They kinda add the sound that a room would make as a result of the noise you make. Reflections of the original sound.
Then there are special effects, choruses, flanging, phasing, pitch shift, all effects that change the original signal, and make it sound less natural.

Now which kind of effects do you want?

 

[electronicdreaming]

ok ok

hey roel, thanks for the reply and info well like i said i'm new to all this vocal stuff. i just want to add professional touches to my vocals. basically i'm saying that i need all the help i can get! hehe but seriously, i just want an experienced opionion on how i can improve the quality of my vocals. i know processors and effects can only do so much. but anyways, got any advice? i appreciate it!
justin

 

[Gidge]

first off, what mic are you using and do you have a preamp at all, and how much $$$ are in your budget........

 

[MOFO Pro]

The soundblaster has effects built in? Have you played with those at all yet? That may get you started...

Steve

 

[bizarre]

you could try the good old " sing it twice " thing. Make two takes, singing the same lines, making the same alterations, pan it L-R, good effect ... and cheap .. don't know what it's worth in a Kraftwerk alike session ... but until you come up with what you want the effect to do, this is my best shot

 

[Empty Planet]

Hi all;

Some good advice up there, but I have to disagree rather strongly -- though respectfully -- with Roel on one point, a pre amp does much more than bring the gain up. A good pre -- and unfortunately we're talking a chunk of change here -- can do wonders for a vox or instrument signal. I'm no electrician, but I do have ears and I've A/Bed tracks with and without, and it's a no-brainer.

An electrician could tell you whether it adds low level distortion or subtly modifies the harmonics, but *very* few musical sounds you hear on the radio go to tape or disk without going through a -- usually quite pricey -- pre amp, and I think that fact speaks for itself. If you've been mixing your stuff for a while without a pre, I think the addition of the right pre will thoroughly blow you away, tracks sit far better in the mix, and the smoothness lent by the nicer pres goes a long way toward reducing the harshness of a digital mix.

That said, as I interpret electronicdreaming's post, justin might just want to get a fairly cheap multi-fx processor like a Zoom or even a guitar box, in order to begin to experiment with what various effects can do for/against vocals. It's an excellent way to learn. I'd suggest heading over to Harmony Central's user review section and going through some of the posts there. It can be a big help in getting a steer. But as always, try to find a way to demo the boxes you're interested in yourself -- your ears ought to be the final judge.

Just my two cents....

 

[electronicdreaming]

wow

God bless you guys! your advice helps so much. i am listening to every word. thanks, i think i'm ready to go now. thanks so much, you guys are true friends. peace!
justin g.

 

[Scooter B]

I think Empty Planet misinterpreted Roel's response.

Roel (from my readings here) is more than well aware of what a good mic pre does and what they cost.

What I believe he was trying to clarify is that while many mic pre's "color" a sound they are not
engineered to be an "effect" per se.

You want the best preamp that you can afford for your budget to get the best quality signal to tape or digital to get the best "starting point" to work with. Then you start looking at what the effects can offer to enhance the sound to your liking. I'm definitely not a big "rules" person on saying something should only be done one way but pre-amps and processors are two different catagories.

 

[Gargamel]

Great Post Guys!!!!

I agree with Empty and Roel.

However, Gidge is totally right in asking what type of MIC are you using. Thats where it all starts.