Vocal production help

[benherron.rrr]

Hi guys.

when recording my tracks the single biggest are the vocals. I realise these questions will have been asked before and I just wanted to get all the answers in one place. also i didnt know which forum to put this is as it covers about 3 different topics.

The first problem i have is proformance. singing on my own, while playing a piano or guitar i can sing absolutly fine. but put me in front of a mic and i seem to lose all my dynamic range and emotional content in my voice. just being in my room by myself recording and i seem to lose everything my voice has to offer, ive wondered if it was having to listen through headphones makes a difference? anyone have any tips that could help?

~the next is the actual recording. i dont really know how to record vocals, what kind of space is best, what mic is best if i should just record the vocal dry or record it with a bit of compression limiting etc already set up. i know there are always veriables but any techniques you use would be really helpful for me to try out.

the next is mixing. the dynamics on vocals are so veriable what is the best way to level them out keeping the dynamics there but also makeing it so the quite soft bits can be heard and the loud bits arn't to dominating. people have said about envelope and automation, but what is the difference betwween these two? and what are good things to use to add that sparkle. im adiment on not using auto tune. and double tracking, whats that all about? is it like doing harmonies or is it creating a replica of the original vocal line?

Thankyou for your help.

 

[Whatmysay]

If it is people you need to work off - then get some friends, better half etc in when your tracking vocals? If not try to imagine that you are singing to someone? If it is the instrument that you need then use a really directional mic (SMs always good) and play guitar or piano - just play rough keys track into your DAW. There are absolutely no rules except what works for you.

I like a completely dry space for voxs - there are now those mini booth things that I understand have great deadening capabilities. I have a thankless space to record in for - so that is why I like it clean as possible so I can manipulate reverb later in mix - when you record 'room' your stuck with it. I use lots of blankets and wielders clips to arrange them around my room - they double as tents for my children.

Compression and a bit of EQ never goes astray while tracking - are you printing to tape or into computer. If your on tape then be careful - but if you are going into digital then as long as you are not peaking on your interface you can do what every you like later.

Dynamics - mic choice is important - obviously SM is popular both because you can scream the hell at it and it doesn't move the dial and because it provides a nice colouration for most music styles. I have various Con, Dyn and a Fathead ribbon mic that is my vocal main stay - unless I'm screaming.

There is a really complex dynamic strategy - it call 'move away from the mic if your going to sing loud'. All jokes aside if your in a DAW then work out the dynamics of your song then track the loudest part, set your gain for that, then automate (either plot or teach your mixer to move faders up and down) the quieter bits up louder later. Wave have this plug called the 'vocal rider' which basically is like an engineer riding the gain levels for you.

Once you've tracked, a great way to control dynamics is to bus vox track to several compressors, or same compressor with different settings - fast/slow response; quick/slow release; different ratios, etc.. Then blend into a single main vocal track. This provides both control and pleasant colouration and presence.

'Sparkle' is provided by the 'sound pixies' if you've been a good to your mother! Serious you can boast and cut various frequencies - do a Goog 'Frequencies that make vocals sound good' and I'm sure you'll find some guidelines if not already posted somewhere here. But be careful a voice is the most often thing we hear so too much processing will be very evident to even the dumbest ears.

Double track means just going over your own vocals, the tone of your voice combined with another recording of itself can add presence, as long as you can sing spot on with first track or can clean up in the wave editor of your DAW.

If you are working on a DAW then all you have to do is track well and do not peak. Experiment with mics, distance, damping, reflection until you get the sound that you think represents your voice best.

Good luck

Burt