is there a rule of thumb for recording vocals?

[eddiewagner]

hi folks,
i have kind of a hard time to record vocals. they have a tendency to sound mushy in the mix. her is what i am using: a samson cl7 studio condenser microfone into a mindprint trio and then in the mac with garageband.

the trio has the following knobs:
a lowcut,
gain
high frequency
low frequency
(both chebychef type filters)
and a soft-knee type compressor.

how do i adjust all the levels for good and clear vocals?
any idea?
thanks,
eddie

[Tim Armstrong]

First find a good place for recording, one that sounds good. Move the mic around, trying a few places.

You can use the compressor on the Trio, see if that helps.

Or, you can try one trick I've used, record the vocal track into Garageband, then copy it so you have two identical tracks. Take one of the tracks and use a plugin compressor and compress the hell out of it! Take the other track and add reverb to taste, and mix them together in whatever amount sounds good to you. The highly compressed track will give it punch, and the uncompressed track will give it air.

Cheers, Tim

[eddiewagner]

he tim, thats sounds like a good idea. i will check that out. eddie

[Big John]

There's a techique thats really old, from the first days of recording and that's "corner loading", put your mic on a stand in the corner of a room with the mic pointing in to the room by about 1foot or so and try singing into it.
It seems to load the mids and exclude alot of the room sound as well, just try standing in a corner and singing into it, it works !

[woodman]

great trick, BJ! i'm gonna try it. i've been recording in some form or another for well over 30 years and never heard of that one. makes perfect sense, though.

[fezz parka]

Match the mic to the vocalist. Some mics sound good with males, some with females. Some people need a LDC, some need a ribbon, some need a large diaphragm dynamic.

[Big John]

Originally Posted by woodman

great trick, BJ! i'm gonna try it. i've been recording in some form or another for well over 30 years and never heard of that one. makes perfect sense, though.

If i'm right thats how Robert Johnson recorded in a hotel in SanAntonio (Gunter hotel ?), some have said it was because he was shy or that he didn't want anyone to steal his licks but i think it was a common practise at the time for location recording, sing or play into a corner and put a mike in that corner and you can blot out alot of the imperfections in the room you happen to be in.
In those days the studio often came to you rather than you making the trek to the studio, nice idea eh ?
I really ought to try this with an amp you know ................

[woodman]

Originally Posted by Big John

I really ought to try this with an amp you know ................

you would point the amp into the corner, right?

[teledude66]

Originally Posted by Big John

If i'm right thats how Robert Johnson recorded in a hotel in SanAntonio (Gunter hotel ?), some have said it was because he was shy or that he didn't want anyone to steal his licks but i think it was a common practise at the time for location recording, sing or play into a corner and put a mike in that corner and you can blot out alot of the imperfections in the room you happen to be in.
In those days the studio often came to you rather than you making the trek to the studio, nice idea eh ?
I really ought to try this with an amp you know ................

I have heard of this with regards to recording acoustic guitar with a lil variation. The trick I heard was to lay plywood (i guess any wood would do) on the ground in the corner, then two more sheets against the walls and locate the mic in the corner, and play into it...

[Big John]

Originally Posted by woodman

you would point the amp into the corner, right?

No, you would put your Mac in the corner ! Sorry !, sorry !! Woodman, i had to say it.
Yeah, you would normally sing into the mic in the corner so i wonder what an amp would sound like pointed at the same mic ......
If its like the effect on your voice it might be too much 'mid' but i really dont know ...... you know we might be onto something.
I'm already getting strange looks from Her Ladyship as i walk around the house singing at the walls, tee hee.

teledude and you just KNOW someone will prefer the sound of marine ply to birch !

[woodman]

pretty sure the vintage plaster in my studio room has that old-time mojo. not so sure about the drywall corners in other parts of the house ...

[Big John]

Ha !!, most of our house is 15Th Cent. and we uncovered alot of original walling when we were doing renovations here, imagine THAT mojo !
Not sure what medieaval mojo would sound like "with a hey nonny no" etc etc etc.
Maybe i shouldnt be firing the Boogie into the corners after all .....

[Tim Armstrong]

Time to record a version of "Matty Groves" then!

Cheers, Tim

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

Time to record a version of "Matty Groves" then!
Cheers, Tim

Is there a smiley for 'groooaaaannn' ??

Tee hee

[eddiewagner]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

Or, you can try one trick I've used, record the vocal track into Garageband, then copy it so you have two identical tracks. Take one of the tracks and use a plugin compressor and compress the hell out of it! Take the other track and add reverb to taste, and mix them together in whatever amount sounds good to you. The highly compressed track will give it punch, and the uncompressed track will give it air.

Cheers, Tim

tim my man! that is actually a superb trick that you shared. thanks a lot, it is working EXTREMELY well and is so easy to do.
eddie

[Tim Armstrong]

Glad it's working for you! I can't even remember where I learned the trick, but I first used it about a year ago and couldn't believe how well it worked on lead vocals.

Cheers, Tim