Vocals are too clear

  • Thread starter Thread starter DavidDuke
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DavidDuke

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I've recorded a few songs but my vocals are way too clear . . . . . . they almost sound "live". What can I do to smooth out the sound of these vocals. I can hear every lips smack, breath . . . . . . .


Cakewalk Sonar 4
Tascam US-122
Octava MK-319
 
First thing would be to go in and edit out every lip smack/breath/whatever that occurs while not singing. :)
 
try a windscreen, try a ribbon, try a dynamic, try a de esser. theres alot you can do with mic placement alone but if your recording yourself it makes it a bit more tedious to move, record, move, record, change gain, record. cools got the right idea. clean up your silence sections but if your getting mouth noises while singing your just going to have to experiment.
 
If this is most noticble after compression (as I expect) try running it through an expander first, just to bring down the ambient noise. It sounds much more natural than a gate but should do the trick.
 
A little more distance between the singer and the mic might be usefull... try having your windscreen a little further away. Having enough space for afist between the mic and the windscreen should do the trick.


Btw I've noticed some mics give more smacking noises than others... I've noticed my B-1 doesn't really do this, but an nt-1 I've used did...
 
Well, considering your name is David Duke, you might want to pull the hood down and use it as a windscreen.
 
DavidDuke said:
my vocals are way too clear . . . . . .
Click to expand...


Then I would definitely try turning the mic around and singing in to the other side of it.

Or you could try any of the following:

* Towel (placed over mic)
* Blanket (again, placed between singer and microphone)

* Fill mouth with marbles

* Plug vocal mic in to Sansamp or similar distortion pedal.
 
RAMI said:
Well, considering your name is David Duke, you might want to pull the hood down and use it as a windscreen.
Click to expand...

LOL :p.....
 
Do you only notice this when soloing the vocals? Are there other instruments? What kind of music?

Many people are surprised at the micro details a nice condensor can reveal, but these things are not usually noticeable in the final mix.
 
You're reading my mind, Falken. Next thing you know somebdy will post up complaining that their CD sounds too loud. :rolleyes:

This will unfortunately happen 30ms before the Earth is destroyed by a renegade asteroid...

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
Next thing you know somebdy will post up complaining that their CD sounds too loud. :rolleyes:

This will unfortunately happen 30ms before the Earth is destroyed by a renegade asteroid...

G.
Click to expand...


FLMAO that is just plain ole' SICK!!!!!! :D
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
You're reading my mind, Falken. Next thing you know somebdy will post up complaining that their CD sounds too loud.
Click to expand...

LOLOLOLOL.
 
I just had a similar result. My vocal was very clear and strong. I turned the vocal volume down a tad to bring it back with the rest
 
RAMI said:
Well, considering your name is David Duke, you might want to pull the hood down and use it as a windscreen.
Click to expand...
LMAO!!!! Hahahahahahaaa :D :D :D :D
 
Using a gate is a real good way of cutting out the noise inbetween singing and it means you can control exactly how much breathing coming into a bit of singing as you want or even none at all if you like that (but breathing just before a singing part can add emotion).
When using a gate though make sure you listen to the whole track solo'd so that it sounds natural.
When adding any effect like compression or gates you are best to listen to the whole track solo'd or at least the loudest parts of the track. But you need to have good ears.
 
chessrock said:
* Fill mouth with marbles
.
Click to expand...
I tried this and after each line I sang, I spit out a marble. After I lost all my marbles, I was an Audio Engineer :eek: :D :o
 
sandpapering the voicebox can work wonders. if your vocals are still too clear, you could always try death metal. that should roughen the edges a bit.
 
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