I'm starting to record some vocals for my songs but I absolutely clueless on how to do this. I mean, I know how to sing into a microphone and record, but the results have been less than satisfactory. I could use some tips on microphone positioning, layering, tracking, anything pretty much that could improve my sound (from a production stand point). If it helps, I really love the way Peter Gabriel sounds, vocally. Thats what I'm shooting for. (A Halfrican Peter Gabriel....hmmmm.....)
Entire books have been written on recording techniques, particularly for vocals, but I'll give you a few steps that are absolutely necessary to get you started. One thing that would be helpful is to know what gear you are using. it makes a big difference. But, for now, I'll go with this... 1. You have to get a good signal so that means a good mic and, if you have the means, a good preamp. Mic selection is a tremendously subjective thing. You do not need a ton of money to get a decent mic, but you do need something better than a Radio Shack special. A decent large diaphragm condenser mic will run between $100 and $1500, but something like a Rode NT1 (a decent mic for the cost) or one of the Marshall mics will run you under 200 bucks and will do the job. But, before you just buy one, go try them out. Go to a big music store and test them out. That's what they are there for. Just because a mic is expensive doesn't mean it will sound good on your voice. My friend has a Neumann U47, about a $3000 mic, and it sounds like absolute dog crap on a lot of singers because of the unique characteristics of the microphone. For some, it is just does not work. Hell, Mick Jagger STILL uses a Shure SM57 in the studio! It isn't about cost. it is about matching the mic to your voice. For a preamp, you could get something as inexpensive as an ART MP1 that sits on your desktop or buy a Focusrite for a couple thousand. Essentially, anything with a tube in it just to warm up the sound on the way down is a big help. Of course, all of this is mute if you don't have a decent recorder, but with digital technology, most computer stuff is fine although if you are using a computer, I would strongly recommend something better than just a Sound Blaster card, as an example of a cheap sound card. Any of the stand alone hard disc recorders like Roland or Korg are fine as well. 2. Setting up your mic means positiong it correctly and having some type of windscreen to protect from popping. You'll have to experiment with different mic placements. What works best for my singer is having the mic turned up just slightly towards him with the center of the mic pointing towards his forehead. Windscreens are a big deal. Don't use the big giant black cover thing. Get one that is basically a six inch circle with nylon stretched across it. Traditionally, you keep that a few inches away from the mic in between you and the microphone. 3. Use compression on the way down to tape if at all possible. If you don't you will very likely clip (or overload) the mixer causing distortion. All you really need is enough compression to keep the mixer from distorting. Anything more than that will make the sound "pump" and sound nasty. 4. Once you have the track recorded, DO NOT overuse effects. This is the most common mistake of people who first start recording. They bury their vocals in reverb. If you listen to even a guy like Gabriel who is tremendously progressive and uses tons of digital effects all over his music, his vocals are relatively dry. He only uses big reverbs for VERY special circumstances. Usually, singers get very self-concious about their vocals and reverb makes them feel better about it. In reality, it just makes everything sound cheesy. The main thing you really need to do is listen very closely to the vocals of your favorite musicians. Listen for things like the dynamics of the voice. Notice how even though they sing harder, the volume doesn't really increase. That is compression. Notice how you can hear all the inflection of their voice - that is the mic and the preamp. Listen for the effects they DO use on their voice and notice those subtelties. Then, try to copy that. A good way to do that is to record a part by a famous musician (I've known guys who even used karioke tapes as back up) and put it side by side with the actual recording of the guy you like. The more you do this, the closer you'll get. Good luck!
Thanks a ton Jeff. Right now I'm just using a cheapo radio shack mic but I am looking to upgrade. I am an instrumentalist primarily, and hopefully when I get my band up and running I'll be able to snag a vocalist (preferably with gear and recording knowhow ) but for now I'm doing everything myself.
Dernit, didn't mean to click post. Anyways, I understand the idea of compression for guitars and amplified instruments, so I am assuming it works the same with vocals (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm using cakewalk 9.0 right now, is that where I'd be doing compression or is it a preamp thing? Are there any books you would reccomend on the subject? Thanks a ton for your help! Smeg -- Yes. Yes he does.
Try double tracking your vocal. If you have a 4-track recorder, record your vocals on one track, then sing the same vocals on another track. It will make it sound bigger. John Lennon double tracked his vocals on just about every song he ever recorded. Like Jeff said, go easy on effects. Too much effects muddy up the overall sound.
Some good info online: http://mixonline.com/ar/audio_recording_vocals/ Recording vocals on a computer: http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/nov01/articles/computervocals.asp
Yeah, you'll definitely need to upgrade your mic before doing anything. You'll never get what you want before you make that change. Compression does work the same on vocals. I'm sure Cakewalk has some compression algorhythms that would work fine. The main thing is that you need to assign the compressor to the input. You don't want to add it after the track is recorded. That defeats the purpose. You need to smooth out the vocal on the way down to tape (or hard drive in this case). Truth is, though, until you solve the mic problem, there isn't any amount of compression or fixes you can do in the mix to take care of your vocal. If you want good box on the subject, try http://www.mixbooks.com/ . They have about every recording book known to mankind there. A lot of the Home Recording type books would be good for you. You should definitely pick up copies of the latest Home Recording Magazine and Recording Magazine. I have subscriptions to both and they are great. One book no recordist should be without is Yamaha's Guide to Sound Reinforcement. They use this book as a textbook with most of the audio engineering programs at universities throughout the US. It explains everything from what sound actually is to mic placement to recording guitars direct. It is awesome.
Also, I don't know what your budget is, but I actually was able to record some pretty decent songs I wrote at Dixie's on Westheimer/Fondren. The Studio only costs $50 bucks/hour last I checked. If you can find someone with a four-track, I've been able to put decent things on there, as well. Not professional material (ie. CD quality), but will give any producer a good idea of what a finished product will sound like.
