Just wondering if anybody can help me out on this.I basically record heavy and punk type of bands and am wondering how I would go about getting good clean group vocals. Ive tried a few different ways such as two ambient mics in a room (vocals sounded too distant), group of people standing around the mic (which works OK but still not as clean as what I am after). I am wondering if I have to go to the lengths of giving everybody in the room a microphone and tracking them to a single track. Maybe somebody could tell me a good mic to use for this application.
What is the best way to record group vocals
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Shailat
New member
That depends on your objective,
Do you want a texture layered sound ?
Do you want a singer per part sound?
Forget about the Ambience recording.
Although it sounds like a good idea to record with several mics, You should only do that by tracking one at a time OR
in seperate rooms (isolation), becuase phase interaction it won't sound full or clean.
I don't know why your micing with a mic doesn't sound clean. It should work. Perhaps it's the mic your using?.
It's best to use a good mic that is omni bidrectional.
In general move the singers around the mic untill you find the blend thats good. Move them foward and back untill you get the sound and mix you want.
[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 05-09-2000).]
Do you want a texture layered sound ?
Do you want a singer per part sound?
Forget about the Ambience recording.
Although it sounds like a good idea to record with several mics, You should only do that by tracking one at a time OR
in seperate rooms (isolation), becuase phase interaction it won't sound full or clean.
I don't know why your micing with a mic doesn't sound clean. It should work. Perhaps it's the mic your using?.
It's best to use a good mic that is omni bidrectional.
In general move the singers around the mic untill you find the blend thats good. Move them foward and back untill you get the sound and mix you want.
[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 05-09-2000).]
I dunno ... I think the best and easiest way is to use some kind of stereo pair config. Or just use one mic and then double the take. Omni pattern would be ideal ... maybe you're getting to much room reflection and that's why you're unhappy with the 'distant' sound ambient micing gave you. What mic did you use when you tried it, how did you set it up and what's the room like you recorded it in?
I don't think it's necessary to make sure everyone has their own mic. Maybe just getting something to help absorb or diffuse the room reflections might do it.
Good Luck!
I don't think it's necessary to make sure everyone has their own mic. Maybe just getting something to help absorb or diffuse the room reflections might do it.
Good Luck!
hey link-
try using a large diaphram mic and
a compressor, ( i use an akg3000 and a joe meek) mounted on a stand about 6 feet high, and get everyone to form a semi circle around the mic about 7-8 feet away.
sing in full voice, the reason i put the mic up higher is that the singers can keep their heads up when they sing.
headphones are a must.
seal the room from noise so you can keep the
quiet parts quiet and then you can clean them up easier with a noise gate later.
as far as the best compression settings, sometimes i get lucky.
there are settings on the mic also i set the mic to +4 db, omni, not sure what the other one does.
the key to keeping the vocals up front and clean takes more than just a decent mic.
the compression is the key, so you can still hear the softer parts but when the group sings it doesn't clip.
deel
try using a large diaphram mic and
a compressor, ( i use an akg3000 and a joe meek) mounted on a stand about 6 feet high, and get everyone to form a semi circle around the mic about 7-8 feet away.
sing in full voice, the reason i put the mic up higher is that the singers can keep their heads up when they sing.
headphones are a must.
seal the room from noise so you can keep the
quiet parts quiet and then you can clean them up easier with a noise gate later.
as far as the best compression settings, sometimes i get lucky.
there are settings on the mic also i set the mic to +4 db, omni, not sure what the other one does.
the key to keeping the vocals up front and clean takes more than just a decent mic.
the compression is the key, so you can still hear the softer parts but when the group sings it doesn't clip.
deel
Recording Engineer
Moderator
deel:
Your C3000 is able to outputs +4dBu line level and has an omni polar pattern option?
Your C3000 is able to outputs +4dBu line level and has an omni polar pattern option?
thanks RE-
IMO recording vocals is the toughest thing to do consistantly.
nowadays when we record all of our drum sounds are triggered with a drum kat and everything else is line level stereo input.
so the only thing we mic are vocals.
and i "experiment" on about every track.
our lead singer mixes for a TV show and the techniques he uses for that don't necessarily apply to "singing", and we aren't using $3000 mics either.
i have to agree with your thread in the other forum about the immediate "wow" when we swiched to using the c3000 after using 57' and a shure CL1!
we have used a rode NT?, the gold rectangular one, and an art tube preamp once.
i actually liked the performance of that better than what i have now.
i'm just waiting for the mic that makes me sound like i can sing!
:O
deel
IMO recording vocals is the toughest thing to do consistantly.
nowadays when we record all of our drum sounds are triggered with a drum kat and everything else is line level stereo input.
so the only thing we mic are vocals.
and i "experiment" on about every track.
our lead singer mixes for a TV show and the techniques he uses for that don't necessarily apply to "singing", and we aren't using $3000 mics either.
i have to agree with your thread in the other forum about the immediate "wow" when we swiched to using the c3000 after using 57' and a shure CL1!
we have used a rode NT?, the gold rectangular one, and an art tube preamp once.
i actually liked the performance of that better than what i have now.
i'm just waiting for the mic that makes me sound like i can sing!
:O
deel
Recording Engineer
Moderator
No big deal, deel. I knew the intent was there. We all do that. I was just confused myself; maybe you knew something I didn't.
Anyhow. Microphones' outputs microphone levels (I know, very creative). Our recorders and mixing boards work in line levels (-10 or +4). This is where preamps come in.
The point of a preamp is to boost the microphone's microphone level to "working" line levels. But also realize every once in a great while, you might come across a mic (such as an Neumann M149) with such a hot microphone level output, sometimes it doesn't even need a preamp.
The switches on your microphone are a -10db preattenuation pad for those times you're dealing with high SPLs and the other switch is a a basscut filter (self explanatory).
Anyhow. Microphones' outputs microphone levels (I know, very creative). Our recorders and mixing boards work in line levels (-10 or +4). This is where preamps come in.
The point of a preamp is to boost the microphone's microphone level to "working" line levels. But also realize every once in a great while, you might come across a mic (such as an Neumann M149) with such a hot microphone level output, sometimes it doesn't even need a preamp.
The switches on your microphone are a -10db preattenuation pad for those times you're dealing with high SPLs and the other switch is a a basscut filter (self explanatory).
Recording Engineer
Moderator
Recording Engineer
Moderator
It's so hard now days.