Why my vocals are dull and lifeless?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ritb
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ritb

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Friends,
This is a radio program. Pls. suggest me what can I do to make it better.
 
Can you explain your recording setup in detail? I have a feeling the problem lies in your mic.
 
Sounds like USB headset mics to me. A little reverb couldn't hurt.
 
guitarplayr82 said:
Can you explain your recording setup in detail? I have a feeling the problem lies in your mic.
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This recording is with a headset attached with my onboard soundcard mic-in.
mjbphotos said:
Sounds like USB headset mics to me. A little reverb couldn't hurt.
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I have added some reverb. But still its not very good.

The vocal stating at 00:16 to 00:32 is recorded with a Sony dynamic mic plugged in to mic-in. Pls. suggest me what do I need to do?
 
ritb said:
Why my vocals are dull and lifeless?

Pls. suggest me what can I do to make it better.
Click to expand...

ritb said:
This recording is with a headset attached with my onboard soundcard mic-in.
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For starters, don't do this!!! Find out what other broadcasters are using and do something similar.

Is this really a radio broadcast or a podcast?? Can't believe a radio station would let anyone use a computer headset.....
 
Chili said:
For starters, don't do this!!! Find out what other broadcasters are using and do something similar.

Is this really a radio broadcast or a podcast?? Can't believe a radio station would let anyone use a computer headset.....
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Radio station is creating problems. They are not aware of what we use. Main problem is we have already recorded 14 programs. So pls. suggest me How can I make it better/brighter/punchy?
Is the vocal from 00:16 to 00:32 better?
 
This is actually pretty bad, sorry.

Simplest solution:
- usb interface (m-audio fast track mk2 for example)
- mic (shure sm58 for example). Many radio stations use shure sm7 or EV re20 so you can check these out, but they are pretty expensive.
- xlr cable, stand(, pop filter?)

= 10x better quality ;)
 
Seidy said:
This is actually pretty bad, sorry.

Simplest solution:
- usb interface (m-audio fast track mk2 for example)
- mic (shure sm58 for example). Many radio stations use shure sm7 or EV re20 so you can check these out, but they are pretty expensive.
- xlr cable, stand(, pop filter?)

= 10x better quality ;)
Click to expand...

Yes an RE20 on a table stand would be great, although most people doesnt know that it is a "dynamic" mic NOT a "condenser" mic, but I used it on more recordings for demos than anyone else I bet !! Best all around dynamic mic around but, its gonna matter what kind of mic-pre you use ;)
 
We don't know your budget yet, but as a minimum, shure sm57, pop filter and presonus audiobox.

You'll crap at the difference!
 
Respected friends,
I value your opinions. Reps to all of you. But my problem is not about deciding new gear. it is to make the already recorded material better. Because these 14 recordings with average 10 different people per recording and it makes 140 recordings, if I decide to do them again.
Simply not possible.
I have this mic bought few days back. F-V120 : Vocal Microphones : Microphone : Sony India

Please, suggest me the effects/filters/plugins to apply to make these vocals better. If i won''t make'em better than future of my broadcasts is dark. Which is why I have postponed buying new gear for the time being.
 
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That Sony mic is great - for karaoke night at the local drinking place. Not for recording.

As far as what you have recorded already - you can polish a turd, but its still a turd. Shiny, but still a turd. More reverb, some chorus, probably not much of anything is going to do what you want.
 
Ritb, It's true. You may be able to make some improvements, but there's no substitute for upgrading.

The main problem I hear is that the speech sounds very thin. You could try eqing to boost the lows or lower mids a little.
Try some gentle compression; You'll hear a lot of that on radio voices.

I'm not sure about reverb. Maybe you could play with a very tight warm room setting? I certainly wouldn't use anything that's obviously reverb, if that makes sense.
 
BTW, there's a children's audio book on my website that was done with an SM7b and an mbox 2.
It'd give you a good idea of what to expect from a modest upgrade. I don't imaging using an sm58 would have been all that different, really.
 
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Steenamaroo said:
BTW, there's a children's audio book on my website that was done with an SM7b and an mbox 2.
It'd give you a good idea of what to expect from a modest upgrade. I don't imaging using an sm58 would have been all that different, really.
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Steenamaroo said:
Ritb, It's true. You may be able to make some improvements, but there's no substitute for upgrading.

The main problem I hear is that the speech sounds very thin. You could try eqing to boost the lows or lower mids a little.
Try some gentle compression; You'll hear a lot of that on radio voices.

I'm not sure about reverb. Maybe you could play with a very tight warm room setting? I certainly wouldn't use anything that's obviously reverb, if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

thanks friends. I shall try to do like wise.
that kids audio book is nicely recorded.
How can I add the chorus effect? is it part of reverb effect?
 
The hig end 1k is killing me. It is hard to understand the intent since I am mono-lingual but to my ears the clip is very peakey in the 1k to 2k range.
 
ritb said:
thanks friends. I shall try to do like wise.
that kids audio book is nicely recorded.
How can I add the chorus effect? is it part of reverb effect?
Click to expand...

It'll be a different effect. Usually a DAW will come with basic time based effects like delay, chorus, reverb, echo etc.

Personally I'm not sure where I'd use a chorus here, but sure, experimentation is the name of the game.
Just remember subtlety is almost always the key.
 
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Hey rit.
I did eq and compress, but that was just minor tweaks to taste.
Most of the sound was just a really nice room and a suitable mic.

In hindsight it might have been a focusrite preamp; My memory lets me down.
I think my original takes were through mbox 2 and they sounded perfectly fine, but my room sounded very bad.

IIRC, I ended up doing the recording in the uni studios because their room was so nice. I think that was 90% of the thing.
 
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you mean you didn't treat the narrator voice separately than rest of the audio?
For example a different type of mic for narrator or any other recording method which makes the narrator voice stand out.
 
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Try and make sure you cut out any frequencies that you don't want, you might want to start over? I have this problem all the time!
 
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