vocal recording drives me crazy!!!

[jmorris]

I still have a hell of a time getting a good clean vocal down. I'm talking about a loud type of vocal,driven but not screeming. I always hear distortion to my ears. Even running throught a compressor. Typcally I use an 1176 and a Rode NTV. Mic placement about 18" away from singer angled a bit and level with bridge of nose. Help!

 

[c7sus]

What pre are you using? A V72?

Have you got anything without a transformer you can run the NTV through?

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

If the end product sounds good who cares about a little distortion? (Not clipping mind you.)

 

[BrettB]

maybe stuypid question, but is your input volume ok anough headroom)? And what about the acoustics in the room your recording? Maybe there is a standing wave that gicves you than obnoxious sound?

 

[jmorris]

yes

I use a v72a in most cases for vocals throught the 1176. Levels for input are good. My room is rather dead. I made it that way. I often wondered if I had a room with good acoustics could I place the mis farther away from the vocalist and pick up some nice room as well. It isnt tube mic and tube mic pre I would'nt think. Mayby? I just so many videos and film of recording as signers right on the mic, in some cases no pop screen, screeming there lungs out and it is so clear! Ah!!!! Why

 

[c7sus]

Is it an original V72? Might be time for new caps. Those were originally made back in the 50's.

http://tab-funkenwerk.com/

http://tab-funkenwerk.com/V72 history.html

Here's another thought. I was having a helluva time getting clean tones out of a 1971-72 silverface Fender Twin amp. I went through it with contact cleaner on the input jacks and the tube bases. Then I used a Q-Tip to apply NoAlox (gel conductant/anti-oxidant, there are many brand names of the stuff) to the individual pins of each tube.

Voila!!!

Sounds better than it ever has!

 

[lpdeluxe]

I strongly suspect your room is making hash of your sound. If you can, try setting up your recording in a larger space and see if that makes a difference. The real solution is to treat or modify your room, but that's a whole nother story.

 

[Dilbert]

Are you using a compressor in your mixing desk? If not, you should be! Use a compressor and you will be able to record very clean vocals that sound very loud, up front and present.

Dil

 

[jmorris]

V72a mic preamp is from Vintage King and should not be source of irritation. They sound great with everything else.Yes I run vocals through a compressor. UA1176. Im guesing the room also but walls are thin carpet,has hardwood floors. Room also has glass windows. It is about 10x12 feet.

 

[lpdeluxe]

That's REAL small.

 

[jmorris]

It just seems like my setup can't handle loud vocals. Anything else is great. Kick ,snare, bass whatever through the v72a's and the 1176/ Moderate vocals are fine. Its just when a vocal track has some push to it is when I run into problems. It is not horrible. Some I don't think even notice but I do. I want that real clean, in your face recording. I have tried vocals with dynamic mic also and the issue is the same. It just is like an overload. Slight but there.Huh!

 

[Be Loveless]

You should try recording your vocals direct without the mic. It works well enough for guitar.

 

[c7sus]

I have an NTV and I don't really think of it as an "in your face" vocal mic. It seems a bit dark to my ears for that title.

Rent a Dragonfly or maybe a Blueberry. Might be more what you're looking for.

The BLUE mics are definately unique, and not subtle.

 

[mixsit]

Could you possibly be tuning in on the natural distortions in singer's voices under those conditions? Some of them really sound like that!
Especially with those surreal high ends, forward close-mic'd compressed pictures?
Wayne

 

[NYMorningstar]

I have tried vocals with dynamic mic also and the issue is the same. It just is like an overload. Slight but there.Huh!

You might want to give a limiter a shot because using the dynamic mic and getting the same problem kinda counts out your mic as the problem. You may be just using up all your headroom.