Vocal Problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter TripleM
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TripleM

Well-known member
I have a problem with a three part harmony that is the weirdest thing I've come across in a while. When soloed, all three parts sound fine - no pitch issues, nothing.

But when they're played together, there is one note (and unfortunately it's held for two bars) where the high harmony part sounds sharp. I mean WAY sharp. Again, I solo the track and its pitch is fine.

Am I going nuts? Has anyone else come across this? How does it happen? How do you fix it (retrack it I know :D)

Thanks. Ol' crazy man Trip...
 
Sounds like there is something else in the track that will cause this interference. So if still in mix, cut uther instruments on at a time and see if you can find the reason.....
 
rambo said:
Sounds like there is something else in the track that will cause this interference. So if still in mix, cut uther instruments on at a time and see if you can find the reason.....
Click to expand...

The problem appears with none of the instruments in the mix. If I solo the high harmony, it sounds fine. If I add the lead and low harmony tracks, I get the issue.

Funny thing is I did scratch tracks, and those sections are fine.
 
Does lead and hi sounds ok? lead and lo sounds ok? and hi and lo sounds ok?
Even if you put in one instrument to check with track??
Does it appear if you pan lo left, lead mid and hi right?
 
rambo said:
Does lead and hi sounds ok? lead and lo sounds ok? and hi and lo sounds ok?
Even if you put in one instrument to check with track??
Does it appear if you pan lo left, lead mid and hi right?
Click to expand...

The lead and hi do NOT sound ok.
The lead and the low sound ok.
The hi and low I haven't checked - that's a good one to try.
If you add any instrument, you'll hear the problem (as long as the hi and lead parts are there).
I haven't checked panning, but I suspect I'd hear the problem. It's another good idea to try however.

Thanks for your help rambo. I'll check the hi low thing as well as the panning.
 
It's not that weird. Sometimes if a part is a just a couple of cents off in pitch it will still sound all right. But if another part is a couple of cents off in the other direction, then when everything is heard together it starts sounding weird.

If you have pitch shifting software, try moving one of the problem parts up or down a bit until the "chord" sounds good. Shouldn't be a big problem to fix.
 
Have you picked out the individual notes on an instrument to see what you are singing? You might be doing a chord there that changes the key and puts that harmony off key by half a step.

Sometimes vocal bends can really mess up harmonies also. I did some backup singing for this one blues tune and the lead vocals were being bent slightly at the end of some notes. It sounded fine by itself but when matched with backing vocals that didn't bend the note it sounds a bit off.
 
littledog - I'll listen again, but they don't seem off. It was late last night when I noticed it, and maybe I was tired.

Tex - there is a slight vocal bend. I'll try a retrack without the bend and see if it goes away. I picked out the parts on a guitar, and it's a pleasant sounding chord.

Thanks all.
 
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