Vocal mixing psychosis

[BillyFurnett]

Generally when mixing down songs which I sing on I like to have a trusted friend (Thats unfamilar with the song) get the level and E.Q. on the vocal track for me because I have a hard time telling if the lyrics are intelligible or if I'm hearing them from memory.

I'm wondering if there is an actual term for this quandry.


Billy

 

[jake-owa]

Sometimes the volume in the brain drowns the ears out.

I know whatcha mean.

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Bill:

Listen to some old Sinatra recordings and check out his "articulation." Also, some great articulation by Sammy Davis Jr., as well as many other artists.

If that's the type of clarity you want, it's all in the chops = practice, practice, practice.

Of course, a good mic pre and trying different settings will indeed help.

I read somewhere back a ways that many modern producers/backers are more interested in the "beat" rather than the vocals -- so, if the words are mummbled it matters not in some opinions.

Kind of reminds me of an old, old tune, I think it was called "SPEEDO IS MY NAME." When an old Chicago DJ, Howard Miller played the tune one night he said, "I really like the beat and the melody but I wish I could understand the words...."

Green Hornet

 

[terrible_buddhi]

isn't that Mr. Earl....they all called him speedo, but his real name was mr. earl

 

[BillyFurnett]

Never stopped the Kingsmen ("Louie Louie") huh?

I think that the true lack of clarity on my part was describing what I meant (LOL) . It's not that I have a problem with enunciation or articulation. its more a matter of subjective hearing (Or the lack of) when it comes to my own recorded voice.
Knowing the lyrics seems to me (at times) to be a bias in terms of listening (mixing) where intelligbilty is concerned.

I mentioned this to a friend of mine that used to engineer alot and while he hadn't ever heard of a term for the "Personal audio bias" he did offer a funny if not usefull idea.
He suggested that when it came time to put down my vocal tracks I might sing a passage of a book I've never read or even some defintions from the dictionary to the music tracks and upon playback, If I could understand what I was singing clear enough then my vocal would in most cases be okay too.