Recording and mixing an instrument such as an acoustic guitar can be as simple or as complex as you like but most important of all we need to get the sound right at the source to set us up for a good recording. Here at our Manchester recording studio , we have learnt the hard way in our early days, so remember - record a bad sound at source and you are starting on the wrong foot and leaving yourself open to a headache of a mix!
First off, if you have a selection of guitars or access to a number of different acoustics, then make sure you utilize your resources. Choosing the right guitar with the best sound for what you need will save you a lot of time later on when mixing. Think about what role the acoustic is going to play in the track; is it to be placed into a loud and busy mix and be heard through it's top end, or is it the absolute main focus of the track? All of these kinds of questions help us understand what we need form the guitar itself but not only that, it will help your decision in step two now you know what you need form the guitar - choosing you microphone(s) and placement.
Today we'll talk through two of our favorite microphone placements, but don't let this stop you being creative and finding a better way to record your acoustic guitar. Use these ideas as a good place to start and go ahead and tweak away!
The ‘XY' Technique
The first is the popular ‘XY' placement. This involves two pencil condenser microphones crossed over at the 12th fret. They will both be aimed at the 12th fret and at an approximate 90 degree angle against each other. Move this placement up and down the fret board and sound hole to find the best sounding point. Remember, every guitar is different and no mic position will be applicable for two different guitars. The microphones should be around 6 inches away from the guitar, but again, use this as a guide and play about with the distance.
When mixing these signals, pan them left and right for a stereo feel, panning harder for a widest stereo image.
Stereo Technique
The second microphone involves, again, two condenser microphones, however, this time we will need a large diaphragm condenser and a pencil condenser. The large diaphragm condenser will be position facing the bridge of the guitar at around 6 inches away and the pencil condenser at the same distance but at the 12th fret. This allows us to capture a good rich low end from the bridge and bright clarity from the 12th fret. The large condensers can be great for capturing low end due to their structure and size. Like the other technique, spread these signals using your pan tool in your chosen DAW. The great thing about this technique is that you can now balance the low end of your acoustic guitar by bringing in the bridge microphone until you are happy with the sound against your 12th fret position.
Single Large Diaphragm Condenser
For the times where the stereo sound isn't necessary, placing a large condenser approximately 6 inches away from the guitar around the 12th fret can still give great results. The reason we recommend the large diaphragm over the pencil is because in the mixing stage, you have the option to keep or cut the rich and full low end that a large diaphragm condenser offers. Remember, when using this technique, it is important to find the point of perfect balance between the low and muddy sound the bridge can offer, to the clarity and sometimes thin sound the neck can give. You have less room for correction, compared to a stereo technique, when mixing.
Be wary of either side of your frequency ranges
A common problem when mixing acoustic guitars is the control on either the top or low end. Managing harsh top and low end can be achieved with a simple compressor. However, before we continue, we must stress; don't over compress. Keep the ratio below 5:1:1 and make sure you're threshold is only cutting up to 3 to 4 dB maximum. Over compression on an acoustic guitar takes away the dynamics from what can be a beautiful sounding instrument. Always listen back to the guitar in the mix and take some time away, to come back with fresh ears and a fresh outlook.
Use these three techniques and feel free to explore and experiment to achieve the sound you desire. Remember to make the right choices at the very beginning and most of all, have fun doing what can be a very satisfying recording experience.
Showing posts with label great. Show all posts
Showing posts with label great. Show all posts
Saturday, 24 December 2016
Tuesday, 13 December 2016
7 Quick Tips For Recording Great Amp Sounds
by Rich Tozzoli
Whether you're recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.
1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone's center. You'll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ'ing to a minimum.
2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you're miking off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You'll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.
3. Change your tubes.
If you've got a tube amp, don't just assume the tubes are good. You'd probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration.
Always have a second set on hand, and unless you're a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don't get lazy.
4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you're recording for yourself, don't settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn't have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You'll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.
5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor's makeup gain to get more volume.
6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You'll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.
7. Use more than one amp.
If you've got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer, producer and composer. He has worked with artists such as Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola and David Bowie, among many more, and is the author of Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing Rich is also a lifelong guitarist and composer. His work can be heard regularly on FoxNFL, HBO, and Discovery Channel, and he's recently released the full-length Rhythm Up.
Whether you're recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.
1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone's center. You'll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ'ing to a minimum.
2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you're miking off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You'll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.
3. Change your tubes.
If you've got a tube amp, don't just assume the tubes are good. You'd probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration.
Always have a second set on hand, and unless you're a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don't get lazy.
4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you're recording for yourself, don't settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn't have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You'll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.
5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor's makeup gain to get more volume.
6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You'll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.
7. Use more than one amp.
If you've got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer, producer and composer. He has worked with artists such as Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola and David Bowie, among many more, and is the author of Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing Rich is also a lifelong guitarist and composer. His work can be heard regularly on FoxNFL, HBO, and Discovery Channel, and he's recently released the full-length Rhythm Up.
Friday, 30 September 2016
8 Tips For Getting A Great Bass Guitar Sound — Pro Tools Expert
It's one of the things we get asked a more than anything else when it comes to recording instruments, how do you get a great bass guitar sound?
If you are a veteran to recording then this list should come as no surprise, but if you are new then try these and see how much difference they can make to getting the right bass sound on your tracks.
Quality Counts
They say that a bad workman blames his tools, that's partly true, give a great bass player even a cheap instrument and they will do amazing things. However it's not just about the playing but it's also the sound of the instrument. Get a great bass guitar - bass is one of those instruments that shows when the money has been spent. That's got a lot to do with the wood and the quality of the instrument - with bass you can hear it!
String Theory
Try Different strings; they all have different sounds. A decent bass player will already know this, but if you are new to bass then take a trip to a decent music store and get some advice on the different types of strings and their different weights, you'll be surprised by how much they can affect both sound and performance.
Tone Bank
Experiment with the tone before you record, most basses have a huge variety of sound just built into the pickup pots and switches. Some tracks lend themselves to nice low non-descript brooding bass sounds, other tracks work better with a more punch mid tone. If you have a good amp then use it and use the tone built in; again there's a vast amount of variety with a good bass amp. Spending some time before you hit record can make a heck of a difference.
Style Council
Experiment with the playing style - some songs need hard finger style playing and other songs need a pick style - it can make all the difference. Try a few takes with a few different styles then listen back. A pro bass player will also use several different styles in one song to help differentiate between sections.
Mic Check
Try different mics on the bass cab; ask 10 engineers which mic to use and you'll get 10 different answers, but some favourites are Sennheiser 421, EV RE20, Shure SM57, AKG D12 or 414. Experiment with mic positioning on the cab and distance too, both have a bearing on the final result.
Tracks DI And Amp
Try and get a track of both the amp and the DI sound by using a splitter before the bass hits the amp and then try them both in the mix afterwards. Often the final bass sound in a mix will be a combination of both DI and amp.
In The Mix
Once you have your bass tracked then try adding a boost at around 80-100Hz, be bold and then add a compression to keep it all under control. If you have a DI and a cab take then use one to accentuate the bottom end and the other to give some detail, for me that's normally the mic take. Transient shapers are a great tool when mixing bass, they allow you to add punch, reduce it, extend sustain or even pull the bass forward or push it back.
Experiment With Augmentation
Try adding in a synth bass line with the original, this trick has been used a lot on some top tracks over the years. Another nice trick is to copy the bass part with an identical guitar part and mix them together. Or try adding in a kick drum sample to add and edgy punch to the bass line - you'd be surprised at the results.
These are some of our favourite tricks and tips, what are yours?
If you are a veteran to recording then this list should come as no surprise, but if you are new then try these and see how much difference they can make to getting the right bass sound on your tracks.
Quality Counts
They say that a bad workman blames his tools, that's partly true, give a great bass player even a cheap instrument and they will do amazing things. However it's not just about the playing but it's also the sound of the instrument. Get a great bass guitar - bass is one of those instruments that shows when the money has been spent. That's got a lot to do with the wood and the quality of the instrument - with bass you can hear it!
String Theory
Try Different strings; they all have different sounds. A decent bass player will already know this, but if you are new to bass then take a trip to a decent music store and get some advice on the different types of strings and their different weights, you'll be surprised by how much they can affect both sound and performance.
Tone Bank
Experiment with the tone before you record, most basses have a huge variety of sound just built into the pickup pots and switches. Some tracks lend themselves to nice low non-descript brooding bass sounds, other tracks work better with a more punch mid tone. If you have a good amp then use it and use the tone built in; again there's a vast amount of variety with a good bass amp. Spending some time before you hit record can make a heck of a difference.
Style Council
Experiment with the playing style - some songs need hard finger style playing and other songs need a pick style - it can make all the difference. Try a few takes with a few different styles then listen back. A pro bass player will also use several different styles in one song to help differentiate between sections.
Mic Check
Try different mics on the bass cab; ask 10 engineers which mic to use and you'll get 10 different answers, but some favourites are Sennheiser 421, EV RE20, Shure SM57, AKG D12 or 414. Experiment with mic positioning on the cab and distance too, both have a bearing on the final result.
Tracks DI And Amp
Try and get a track of both the amp and the DI sound by using a splitter before the bass hits the amp and then try them both in the mix afterwards. Often the final bass sound in a mix will be a combination of both DI and amp.
In The Mix
Once you have your bass tracked then try adding a boost at around 80-100Hz, be bold and then add a compression to keep it all under control. If you have a DI and a cab take then use one to accentuate the bottom end and the other to give some detail, for me that's normally the mic take. Transient shapers are a great tool when mixing bass, they allow you to add punch, reduce it, extend sustain or even pull the bass forward or push it back.
Experiment With Augmentation
Try adding in a synth bass line with the original, this trick has been used a lot on some top tracks over the years. Another nice trick is to copy the bass part with an identical guitar part and mix them together. Or try adding in a kick drum sample to add and edgy punch to the bass line - you'd be surprised at the results.
These are some of our favourite tricks and tips, what are yours?
Thursday, 8 September 2016
Microphone Techniques To Get Great Electric Guitar Sound
In The Studio: Microphone Techniques To Get Great Electric Guitar Sound
Good starting points for capturing and recording the sound you want...
Feb. 19, 2014, by Barry Rudolph
Because of its fundamental importance in popular music, the electric guitar is the subject of intense scrutiny and wide differences of opinions. Just what makes a good guitar sound?
Compared to all the subtle and not so subtle sounds that come out of an electric guitar amp, fidelity judgments of vocal sounds are easy to make!
With good knowledge of the different guitar and amplifier sonic capabilities, coupled with good microphone techniques,we can achieve the ultimate guitar sound that fits” the guitar part, song and production genre.
A good guitar sound starts with a good player with the right amp and guitar all working together. It's unrealistic to rely on an engineer to make poor gear sound wonderful in the control room. Microphone choices and miking techniques are good starting points for capturing and recording electric guitar amp sound.
Microphone Selection
Microphone choice (for me) is as big a part of the guitar amp's recorded sound as the amp and guitar used, volume played and player choice, because the mic type and placement will greatly influence the player's performance and tone.
Dynamics
The Shure SM57 cardioid dynamic is the most common microphone used to record electric guitar. This started back when all the more expensive microphones had already been used in big tracking sessions. Engineers were left with the lowly” SM57 to handle those loud, cranky, noisy guitar amps.
But it turns out that the SM57 is perfect for the task; its frequency response, originally tailored for speaking, matches the mid-range voice” qualities of the guitar. Italso has a compression effect on loud sounds - it squashes nicely, facilitating the engineer's job of maintaining consistent recording levels.
You'll see engineers push a SM57 right into the grill cloth of an amp cabinet, taking advantage of the proximity effect, which boosts low frequencies when the mic is placed close to a sound source. The SM57 locks in a certain size” for the electric guitar, maintaining its appropriate place in the mix without additional EQ or compression.
The Sennheiser MD 421U cardioid dynamic is also popular, offering a wider frequency response (more high and low frequencies) than the SM57. A five-position rotary switch adjusts the frequency response from the flat position, called M (for music), all the way to the contoured S (for speech).
Generally, I find the 421 brighter with less of the compression effect than the SM57. These mics are also more directional, which is important for isolating the sound coming from one speaker in a multi-speaker cabinet.
Condensers
Condenser microphones also work great, but care must to taken to not get an overly bright sound. Your guitar player might complain that his amp sounds brighter than usual (compared to a SM57) and feel he must readjust his recording knob settings. As a result, I place them further away from the speakers.
Condensers pick up more low frequencies from the amp, and this may or may not be a good thing. Pushing a lot of air might work in a heavy metal track, but it also might be inappropriate for a lighter pop song.
I've also noticed certain condensers sometimes add distortion when close-miking extremely loud amps. Occasionally, the metal wind screen can get loose and vibrates. Always use the attenuator pad and maybe the low frequency roll-off. The Neumann U 87 and U-47FET, Shure KSM44 and Audio-Technica AT4041 are all good choices.
With Live Sound, You Can Make Anyone Sound Good
A free subscription to Live Sound International is your key to successful sound management on any scale — from a single microphone to a stadium concert. Written by professionals for professionals, each issue delivers essential information on the latest products specs, technologies, practices and theory.
Whether you're a house monitor engineer, technical director, system technician, sound company owner, installer or consultant, Live Sound International is the best source to keep you tuned in to the latest pro audio world. Subscribe today…it's FREE!!
Good starting points for capturing and recording the sound you want...
Feb. 19, 2014, by Barry Rudolph
Because of its fundamental importance in popular music, the electric guitar is the subject of intense scrutiny and wide differences of opinions. Just what makes a good guitar sound?
Compared to all the subtle and not so subtle sounds that come out of an electric guitar amp, fidelity judgments of vocal sounds are easy to make!
With good knowledge of the different guitar and amplifier sonic capabilities, coupled with good microphone techniques,we can achieve the ultimate guitar sound that fits” the guitar part, song and production genre.
A good guitar sound starts with a good player with the right amp and guitar all working together. It's unrealistic to rely on an engineer to make poor gear sound wonderful in the control room. Microphone choices and miking techniques are good starting points for capturing and recording electric guitar amp sound.
Microphone Selection
Microphone choice (for me) is as big a part of the guitar amp's recorded sound as the amp and guitar used, volume played and player choice, because the mic type and placement will greatly influence the player's performance and tone.
Dynamics
The Shure SM57 cardioid dynamic is the most common microphone used to record electric guitar. This started back when all the more expensive microphones had already been used in big tracking sessions. Engineers were left with the lowly” SM57 to handle those loud, cranky, noisy guitar amps.
But it turns out that the SM57 is perfect for the task; its frequency response, originally tailored for speaking, matches the mid-range voice” qualities of the guitar. Italso has a compression effect on loud sounds - it squashes nicely, facilitating the engineer's job of maintaining consistent recording levels.
You'll see engineers push a SM57 right into the grill cloth of an amp cabinet, taking advantage of the proximity effect, which boosts low frequencies when the mic is placed close to a sound source. The SM57 locks in a certain size” for the electric guitar, maintaining its appropriate place in the mix without additional EQ or compression.
The Sennheiser MD 421U cardioid dynamic is also popular, offering a wider frequency response (more high and low frequencies) than the SM57. A five-position rotary switch adjusts the frequency response from the flat position, called M (for music), all the way to the contoured S (for speech).
Generally, I find the 421 brighter with less of the compression effect than the SM57. These mics are also more directional, which is important for isolating the sound coming from one speaker in a multi-speaker cabinet.
Condensers
Condenser microphones also work great, but care must to taken to not get an overly bright sound. Your guitar player might complain that his amp sounds brighter than usual (compared to a SM57) and feel he must readjust his recording knob settings. As a result, I place them further away from the speakers.
Condensers pick up more low frequencies from the amp, and this may or may not be a good thing. Pushing a lot of air might work in a heavy metal track, but it also might be inappropriate for a lighter pop song.
I've also noticed certain condensers sometimes add distortion when close-miking extremely loud amps. Occasionally, the metal wind screen can get loose and vibrates. Always use the attenuator pad and maybe the low frequency roll-off. The Neumann U 87 and U-47FET, Shure KSM44 and Audio-Technica AT4041 are all good choices.
With Live Sound, You Can Make Anyone Sound Good
A free subscription to Live Sound International is your key to successful sound management on any scale — from a single microphone to a stadium concert. Written by professionals for professionals, each issue delivers essential information on the latest products specs, technologies, practices and theory.
Whether you're a house monitor engineer, technical director, system technician, sound company owner, installer or consultant, Live Sound International is the best source to keep you tuned in to the latest pro audio world. Subscribe today…it's FREE!!
Sunday, 31 July 2016
The Secrets Of Recording Great Vocals
Recording vocals might not seem like the most challenging of tasks when producing a CD, but this delicate and crucial process often ends up being quite draining and taking longer than expected. Producer Larry Hammel , who has just finished shooting some instructive videos focused on this topic, has agreed to share some of his experience with us.
Recording the perfect (or the best possible) vocal track is an art that involves not only technical knowledge but also a certain amount of psychology. Which of these two elements is more important?
I think they are of equal importance, they are both tools used to reach the ultimate goal. When recording a vocal you first need to know what you are looking for ,which sometimes is very elusive and may only rear its head during the process. I go into a session with my toolbox, if you will, consisting of my tuned room, my gear , my experience and my knack for feeling what the artist can do and a sense of where we are at the time. In recording a vocal, you must take a very sensitive, empathetic approach, and you must constantly go with your gut, and that's where the psychology comes in to play. You have to read the ebb and flow of an artists head space and emotion and react accordingly. The pacing in the studio is critical, you can destroy a session by simply pushing someone too hard or making a ill taken comment, you have to tread lightly and really get into their body, mind and soul. At the best of times, I feel communion with an artist, like I am singing along with him or her, it allows me to sense exactly where we are going and know how far we can get, and thats why I do what
I do.
As far as the gear goes, that's the other side of the coin, its the lens we are all hearing” through so to speak, and like a great cinematographer you need equipment that will help make tangible, this exchange of feelings, words and language that is music. I use a myriad of lenses” in my recordings from an amazing $10,000 German mic that literally helps to expose the molecules of ones soul, to a $100 handheld mic that allows someone to be more carefree and live. We combine these with preamps and compressors that symbiotically react to an artist and their unique voice. We are either going for purity, larger than lifeness or some creative statement. Its reaching your goal that matters.
Singing is very self-exposing, in particular for people who enter the studio for the first time. How do you deal with insecurity?
First understand that anyone that sings, is naturally not an introvert. I believe there is a latent or as yet unexperienced need for self expression, analogous to a baby chick pecking its way out of an egg. My job is to get them to peck a little harder and help expose their feelings in song. I have worked with hundreds of singers, and with the proper coaching and coaxing (my trade secrets) they have all come out of their shells and have thrived in the studio. All artists need to be exposed slowly and comfortably as they evolve in the studio.
Metaphorically speaking, soon you won't be able to get them to put their clothes back on.
Should all singers do warm up exercises before they record or are a couple of takes enough to get their voice ready? What kind of exercises would you recommend?
A singer is an athlete, and even more so in the fact that the small muscles used to vocalize are very sensitive. Taking care of one'ss voice is a lifelong endeavor and should include warm up exercises each time you sing whether you are on the road or in the studio. I usually do a combination of yodels and lip trills to get my self ready before I sing. I also like to do a light aerobic workout to get the heart pumping and to get in touch with my breathing. I recommend a visit to a vocal instructor or coach at some point in your career From personal experience I can say that my coach the amazing Cari Cole here in New York saved my voice when I was singing 4 nights a week. To this day, I do my exercises before I sing and I also help my clients with these as warmups. Its not worth hurting yourself by being lazy or naive. Do your warmups!
How long does a session with a vocalist normally last before the performance starts suffering?
I have another analogy I use with singers called the Are you a Rocket or a Rocky” Some singers are like rockets in that they can do 3 or 4 takes and then fizzle out, where some are like Rocky Balboa, the harder you hit them the stronger they get. I like to first evaluate a singer based on this, so I can develop a sensitivity for their physical being. From there I am interested in their spirit, and how I can push the boundaries of performance without hurting them in any way. We could go 2 hours and get great stuff, or 8 hours with breaks and really work our asses off to get the same results, the adventure is in knowing that the precipice of the mountain is sometimes a few steps away.
Technically, what are the main reoccuring problems when recording a vocalist?
Sometimes its hard to decide on that perfect” combination of signal path. The mic, pre, compressor etc. I go nuts over this at times because I would hate to miss a golden moment by not getting the sound just right. So to avoid any unnecessary pressure on an artist, I like to casually record a half day to explore various gear combinations without any stress. You'd be amazed at the great stuff we get a lot of times and if the budget allows, its nirvana. Another issue that crops up is an artist that is under the weather or not warmed up. Here you must do what you can to physically, get the artist up to speed. Drinks, aerobics, rests between takes, coaching and positive reinforcement are all things you use and do to get what you need in maybe the only day you'll have. 99% of most things can be overcome in the studio with the right approach.
Modern, cheaper recording technology seems to enphasize the high frequencies a lot, and this often creates problems with trebly sounds like esses and tis. How would you deal with that if you didn't have a whole cabinet full of mikes to choose from?
There are a few ways to conquer sibilance” both physically and in the mix. An extreme example is a singer I once recorded who just had dental work done (front teeth veneers) and she had this very sibilant whistle sound around 12,000 hertz. I had her go back to the dentist and she had him lightly file between teeth a bit. Sibilance gone! Now you can't file everyone's teeth down, but you can use multiple pop filters to help attenuate some of the high end, sing at an angle to the mic to avoid direct sibilant air blasts (this helps for plosive p and b sounds as well) and adjust the singers technique a bit to avoid the problem in the first place.
The beauty of recording in a computer workstation are the great plugins designed for this, we call them de essers”. Get your self a few of these and see what works best. Remember it's always a compromise when using plugins like these because overdoing it tends to darken up the overall vocal. These generally work by honing in on the offending frequency and notching out, so I like to get it to work about 60% and live with a little sibilance, better then a lifeless vocal.
Are there some kind of mics that work better on male voices and others that are preferable for female ones?
Traditionally I would say sometimes, technically I would say no. In the past, a Neumann U47 was a most coveted vocal mic, and used on Sinatra, the Beatles and Aretha. A Telefunken 451 was typically used for big airy voiced females like Celine, but there are no rules. There are an amazing amount of microphone types out there and if you have a wide variety in your locker it's wise to try a handful out on an artist and get the best match, male or female.
Are there some kind of mics that work better for different kinds of music?
In my experience yes, depending on the music, I may pull out a certain combination of mics that I have had success with. For example, the German mic I mentioned earlier, the Brauner KHE, is incredible microphone for ballads and softer songs, think Janet Jackson or John Legend, where you need to hear every gorgeous breath and nuance. For rock, a handheld indestructible mic like Bono's favorite SM 57 may suffice or the aforementioned Neumann U47 or its modern day clones.
Alex Nuca
Recording the perfect (or the best possible) vocal track is an art that involves not only technical knowledge but also a certain amount of psychology. Which of these two elements is more important?
I think they are of equal importance, they are both tools used to reach the ultimate goal. When recording a vocal you first need to know what you are looking for ,which sometimes is very elusive and may only rear its head during the process. I go into a session with my toolbox, if you will, consisting of my tuned room, my gear , my experience and my knack for feeling what the artist can do and a sense of where we are at the time. In recording a vocal, you must take a very sensitive, empathetic approach, and you must constantly go with your gut, and that's where the psychology comes in to play. You have to read the ebb and flow of an artists head space and emotion and react accordingly. The pacing in the studio is critical, you can destroy a session by simply pushing someone too hard or making a ill taken comment, you have to tread lightly and really get into their body, mind and soul. At the best of times, I feel communion with an artist, like I am singing along with him or her, it allows me to sense exactly where we are going and know how far we can get, and thats why I do what
I do.
As far as the gear goes, that's the other side of the coin, its the lens we are all hearing” through so to speak, and like a great cinematographer you need equipment that will help make tangible, this exchange of feelings, words and language that is music. I use a myriad of lenses” in my recordings from an amazing $10,000 German mic that literally helps to expose the molecules of ones soul, to a $100 handheld mic that allows someone to be more carefree and live. We combine these with preamps and compressors that symbiotically react to an artist and their unique voice. We are either going for purity, larger than lifeness or some creative statement. Its reaching your goal that matters.
Singing is very self-exposing, in particular for people who enter the studio for the first time. How do you deal with insecurity?
First understand that anyone that sings, is naturally not an introvert. I believe there is a latent or as yet unexperienced need for self expression, analogous to a baby chick pecking its way out of an egg. My job is to get them to peck a little harder and help expose their feelings in song. I have worked with hundreds of singers, and with the proper coaching and coaxing (my trade secrets) they have all come out of their shells and have thrived in the studio. All artists need to be exposed slowly and comfortably as they evolve in the studio.
Metaphorically speaking, soon you won't be able to get them to put their clothes back on.
Should all singers do warm up exercises before they record or are a couple of takes enough to get their voice ready? What kind of exercises would you recommend?
A singer is an athlete, and even more so in the fact that the small muscles used to vocalize are very sensitive. Taking care of one'ss voice is a lifelong endeavor and should include warm up exercises each time you sing whether you are on the road or in the studio. I usually do a combination of yodels and lip trills to get my self ready before I sing. I also like to do a light aerobic workout to get the heart pumping and to get in touch with my breathing. I recommend a visit to a vocal instructor or coach at some point in your career From personal experience I can say that my coach the amazing Cari Cole here in New York saved my voice when I was singing 4 nights a week. To this day, I do my exercises before I sing and I also help my clients with these as warmups. Its not worth hurting yourself by being lazy or naive. Do your warmups!
How long does a session with a vocalist normally last before the performance starts suffering?
I have another analogy I use with singers called the Are you a Rocket or a Rocky” Some singers are like rockets in that they can do 3 or 4 takes and then fizzle out, where some are like Rocky Balboa, the harder you hit them the stronger they get. I like to first evaluate a singer based on this, so I can develop a sensitivity for their physical being. From there I am interested in their spirit, and how I can push the boundaries of performance without hurting them in any way. We could go 2 hours and get great stuff, or 8 hours with breaks and really work our asses off to get the same results, the adventure is in knowing that the precipice of the mountain is sometimes a few steps away.
Technically, what are the main reoccuring problems when recording a vocalist?
Sometimes its hard to decide on that perfect” combination of signal path. The mic, pre, compressor etc. I go nuts over this at times because I would hate to miss a golden moment by not getting the sound just right. So to avoid any unnecessary pressure on an artist, I like to casually record a half day to explore various gear combinations without any stress. You'd be amazed at the great stuff we get a lot of times and if the budget allows, its nirvana. Another issue that crops up is an artist that is under the weather or not warmed up. Here you must do what you can to physically, get the artist up to speed. Drinks, aerobics, rests between takes, coaching and positive reinforcement are all things you use and do to get what you need in maybe the only day you'll have. 99% of most things can be overcome in the studio with the right approach.
Modern, cheaper recording technology seems to enphasize the high frequencies a lot, and this often creates problems with trebly sounds like esses and tis. How would you deal with that if you didn't have a whole cabinet full of mikes to choose from?
There are a few ways to conquer sibilance” both physically and in the mix. An extreme example is a singer I once recorded who just had dental work done (front teeth veneers) and she had this very sibilant whistle sound around 12,000 hertz. I had her go back to the dentist and she had him lightly file between teeth a bit. Sibilance gone! Now you can't file everyone's teeth down, but you can use multiple pop filters to help attenuate some of the high end, sing at an angle to the mic to avoid direct sibilant air blasts (this helps for plosive p and b sounds as well) and adjust the singers technique a bit to avoid the problem in the first place.
The beauty of recording in a computer workstation are the great plugins designed for this, we call them de essers”. Get your self a few of these and see what works best. Remember it's always a compromise when using plugins like these because overdoing it tends to darken up the overall vocal. These generally work by honing in on the offending frequency and notching out, so I like to get it to work about 60% and live with a little sibilance, better then a lifeless vocal.
Are there some kind of mics that work better on male voices and others that are preferable for female ones?
Traditionally I would say sometimes, technically I would say no. In the past, a Neumann U47 was a most coveted vocal mic, and used on Sinatra, the Beatles and Aretha. A Telefunken 451 was typically used for big airy voiced females like Celine, but there are no rules. There are an amazing amount of microphone types out there and if you have a wide variety in your locker it's wise to try a handful out on an artist and get the best match, male or female.
Are there some kind of mics that work better for different kinds of music?
In my experience yes, depending on the music, I may pull out a certain combination of mics that I have had success with. For example, the German mic I mentioned earlier, the Brauner KHE, is incredible microphone for ballads and softer songs, think Janet Jackson or John Legend, where you need to hear every gorgeous breath and nuance. For rock, a handheld indestructible mic like Bono's favorite SM 57 may suffice or the aforementioned Neumann U47 or its modern day clones.
Alex Nuca
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
7 Quick Tips For Recording Great Amp Sounds
by Rich Tozzoli
Whether you're recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.
1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone's center. You'll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ'ing to a minimum.
2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you're miking off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You'll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.
3. Change your tubes.
If you've got a tube amp, don't just assume the tubes are good. You'd probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration. Always have a second set on hand, and unless you're a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don't get lazy.
4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you're recording for yourself, don't settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn't have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You'll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.
5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor's makeup gain to get more volume.
6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You'll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.
7. Use more than one amp.
If you've got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer, producer and composer. He has worked with artists such as Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola and David Bowie, among many more, and is the author of Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing Rich is also a lifelong guitarist and composer. His work can be heard regularly on FoxNFL, HBO, and Discovery Channel, and he's recently released the full-length Rhythm Up
Whether you're recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.
1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone's center. You'll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ'ing to a minimum.
2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you're miking off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You'll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.
3. Change your tubes.
If you've got a tube amp, don't just assume the tubes are good. You'd probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration. Always have a second set on hand, and unless you're a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don't get lazy.
4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you're recording for yourself, don't settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn't have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You'll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.
5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor's makeup gain to get more volume.
6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You'll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.
7. Use more than one amp.
If you've got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer, producer and composer. He has worked with artists such as Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola and David Bowie, among many more, and is the author of Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing Rich is also a lifelong guitarist and composer. His work can be heard regularly on FoxNFL, HBO, and Discovery Channel, and he's recently released the full-length Rhythm Up
Sunday, 3 July 2016
Techniques To Get Great Sounding Vocals
Nov. 30, 2015, by Barry Rudolph
Someone once said: A good music producer worries about the most important things” and a strong argument can be made that the most important things in pop music production are the vocals.
The singer is charged with artistically conveying the song's lyric over a music track production that (hopefully) propels the song's meaning and emotion across to the listener in an accessible and entertaining way.
Obviously the singer/artist/song are one of the main reasons engineers, producers, musicians and the studio personnel have jobs. They exist to facilitate the production of a song's music and vocal performances. It is the focus of this article to deconstruct the process vocal recording in the studio.
To better understand the process of recording vocals and for illustrative and tutorial purposes, I've divided it into activities in two spaces: what goes on in the studio area and what's required in the control room.
In The Studio
Recording studios come in all shapes, sizes and décors. There are only a few basic requirements conducive to getting a good vocal performance.
It does not take a special or a big room to record vocals but the studio's size, acoustic properties and construction are just as important as a recording space as they are for acoustically louder instruments like drum kits, brass or string sections.
Large Rooms
In the case of using a larger tracking room for overdubbing pop music vocals, engineers and producers prefer to stop down” its size in order to record a dry vocal sound with little of the room's ambient qualities included.
This, of course, allows them the freedom of adding whatever ambient effects they feel appropriate later in the final mix.
Gobos can help stop down” the size of a studio. (click to enlarge)
Tall baffles or gobos are placed around the singer and mic to stop most of the room's sound from being recorded along with the singer. If you are working in a large room with a pleasing decay time, there are plenty of reasons to record vocals sans any gobos.
The difference in ambience could work well to layer multiple tracks sung by the same person such as for double tracking or harmony stacking or for recording a singing group or choir.
You could capture a unique ambience possible only in that room instead of adding a simulation electronically from a commonly available digital reverb. I'm suggesting a high quality room like EMI's Abbey Road Studio 2 — the Beatles' playground!
Smaller Rooms
If you are working in a small room or vocal booth, then dry is what you'll get but make sure the dryness is not more of a tonality — an actual comb filter EQ effect caused by close, highly-reflective parallel walls, floors and ceilings.
Again, the use of a few gobos with soft, non-reflective surfaces will help kill those reflections.
You might try a Se Electronics microphone Reflexion filter — it uses a small screen of highly absorbent materials to surrounds the mic itself and prevents sound reflections entering the back and sides of the mic.
Especially good for acoustically bad sounding spaces like bathrooms, closets and hallways, a microphone filter separates” the mic's pick-up of the singer completely from the coloration of the surrounding space.
If you're working in an all in one space” studio, the room sound issues expand. You'll have to eliminate noises from you computer's fan(s), poor acoustics at the mic's position, and external noises from A/C equipment or the streets outside, etc.
makes portable vocal booths — these look like old-time phone booths” with a window and door and come in different sizes depending on how big the vocal singing party is going to be.
My own Tones 4 $ Studios is a single space setup used mostly for mixing, and for recording I use a product by RealTraps called a portable vocal booth
A portable vocal booth.
It's a pair of 2- X 2-foot absorbent panels that mount to a mic stand and forms a right-angle corner behind the mic and singer. This configuration does much more than a mic filter.
The portable vocal booth removes the influence of the sound of the adjacent walls, provides isolation from the rest of the room's sounds — be it other musicians or the racket coming from my Pro Tools rig (computer, drives, power amp fans) as well as reduces external street noises.
Singers appreciate it for the sound and also because they can pin the lyric sheets to the panels directly in front of them.
Singer's Station
The singer's station” consists of a boom mic stand to hang the mic over and above the music stand, microphone, pop filter (if required), music stand with light, headphones and control box, stool, small table to hold tea, coffee or water etc.
Or, in the case of a female demo singer I once recorded (whose name I can't remember), a plate of strips of raw meat.
A metal music stand must be covered with soft cloth material to prevent sound reflection and checked to see if it vibrates sympathetically to the singer's voice. Make sure it does not.
The entire station should be placed on a rug to mute any foot tapping and stop sound reflections coming from the floor. All mic, headphone and power supply cables should be dressed away so nobody trips and pulls over a multi-thousand vintage condenser mic over.
I try to locate the station under dimmable studio lighting for this reason and also for reading lyrics and for seeing the singer's hand gestures and signals from in the control room — even if the studio is darkened.
The look” of this setup—rug style, gobo colors etc. is up to the producer and artist's tastes and preferences.
It should look warm and inviting to the artist and help set up the vibe of the session. I think this all helps in subtle ways—it is more special treatment for the artist and transforms the space.
However, for some artists and producers, none of this matters, especially if scheduling, cost, budget and availability impinges on the optimum choice for a studio. At those places, you may have to do all this remodeling and redecorating” yourself.
Two looks at a singer's station. (click to enlarge)
Sightlines
With respect to the visual sightline to the control room, most of the time eye contact is wanted — remember, the producer is acting as the listening audience and the artist will look for reassurance or emotional feedback” from him/her, the engineer and anybody else in the session in the form of facial gesturing or even body language.
I've worked in studios that used closed-circuit TV to see the artist singing who could not see us back in the booth. I can't prove any connection, but I bet the quality and emotion of the performance will be different—but depending on the singer, maybe better or maybe worst.
Microphone Choices
There are three microphones choices for vocal recording: condenser, dynamic and ribbon. The differences are vast and the right choice can make or break the vocal sound and performance.
Most of the time, a large diaphragm condenser mic is used for vocals for its ability to capture the loudest to the softest of sound and nuance.
The large diaphragm offers a big surface area to pickup low frequencies and most modern condensers have huge dynamic range specs meaning it will be difficult to distort them with close, loud singing.
While old vintage condensers sound wonderful, I find them (depending on their condition and upkeep) a little more finicky, temperamental and a little unreliable compared to some of the newer mics coming from Germany.
So in the world of condenser mics there are a lot of great choices. I like the whole line of Brauner mics, Neumann (both new and vintage models), an AKG C12, Sony's out of print C-800G and vintage C-37, Manley Reference , David Bock , and Dave Pearlman mics, and John Peluso remakes of classic vintage mics such as his 2247 SE or P12 models.
Dynamics in the studio work great for loud and brute force singers. There is nothing like the urgency of the sound brought on by a good dynamic mic. Some singers must physically hold the mic to produce” their vocal sound because they are used to working it during live shows.
I've tried to let them sing their vocal that way if there is no handling noise and minimal P-popping. I've sometimes given the singer a handheld dynamic mic while standing in front of stand-mounted condenser mic. I would record both mics to two tracks and later go between them in the mix.
The list of good dynamics is long and here are a few worth using for studio vocals. I like Shure SM7A or B, Electro-Voice RE20 or RE27N/D , and Heil Sound PR 40, PR 22, PR 20 or PR 20 UT.
Ribbon mics have always been favorite vocal mics, dating back to the 1930s. Today the modern versions are better than ever with wide-open sound, more gain and rugged ribbons less prone to damage from close vocals like the old classic models.
In general, ribbons are great for harsh or bright sounding voices that need some mellowing. I like the AEA R84 , Shure KSM353 , and the Coles 4038 with its brontosaurus bottom end.”
Microphone Positioning
The mounting, positioning, distance from the singer, and even the angle of the mic all weigh heavily on the finished vocal sound.
I like to use a heavy floor stand and boom. I try to position the boom's counter-weight opposite the singer — out of the way. The counter-weight should be padded in case someone does not sufficiently tighten the stand's height and it slips and comes crashing down.
I learned a lesson years ago when, in a hurry, I (or the other assistant) didn't fully tighten a mic boom overhead of session drummer Earl Palmer's kit.
Halfway through the session it came down and the counterweight hit him in the head. The producer nearly called the session while ol' Earl stopped bleeding. (Sorry again Earl!) I prefer to use a good shock mount microphone holder and hang it so the mic's capsule end is about eye level and aimed at the singer's mouth.
Check with your singer(s), who will have a definite preference as to the way they like to project sound towards a studio mic. It is better to angle the mic down rather than allow the singer to sing straight into the mic's capsule.
Microphone angled down toward the singer (above), and directed straight at the singer. (click to enlarge)
Windscreens — Pop Filters
With the mic angled and above the source, you may not need to use a pop filter, but your singer must keep from pointing upwards at the mic; this will defeat the whole purpose.
So if the singer can sing straight ahead just below the bottom of the mic without tilting up, then no windscreen is needed.
If the singer cannot keep straight ahead or wants to sing directly into the mic, you'll have to use a screen. There are several great models out there and for the perfect popping storm — singers with an extreme popping problem try Pete's Place Blast Filter
Middle Atlantic has a more conventional two-stage nylon mesh type.
The Stedman filter is also a good choice because, like the Blast Filter, it's metal and washable.
Pop filters change the sound slightly. There is a greater or lesser loss of super high frequencies depending on the particular filter. But there is another method to reduce plosives — an ordinary #2 pencil.
Although not as effective for big pops, this trick will kill most small pops.
Simply strap the pencil vertically in line with the mic body's length (assuming you are hanging the mic vertically) using rubber bands (don't use tape) so that the pencil bisects the face of the capsule.
The pencil will disturb the puff of air from a P pop and divert the impact from the capsule.
The pencil-on-the-mic trick”. (click to enlarge)
Headphones
Headphones for you singer are very important. I have several different models I bring if the studio's selection sucks.
All three of these models are closed-back, circumaural earphones that attenuate ambient noise and keep the cue mix from leaking out.
I like Shure SRH840 phones for their fat and loud sound. Ultrasone HFI-680 are bright phones your artist may prefer, and finally, AKG K271 phones or some variant offer the most unvarnished truth of the sound.
Try to get your singer to keep both ears covered with the phone cushions to prevent spill. The phones should fit well and make sure a powerful amp drives them.
Barry Rudolph is a veteran L.A.-based recording engineer as well as a noted writer on recording topics.
With Live Sound, You Can Make Anyone Sound Good
Someone once said: A good music producer worries about the most important things” and a strong argument can be made that the most important things in pop music production are the vocals.
The singer is charged with artistically conveying the song's lyric over a music track production that (hopefully) propels the song's meaning and emotion across to the listener in an accessible and entertaining way.
Obviously the singer/artist/song are one of the main reasons engineers, producers, musicians and the studio personnel have jobs. They exist to facilitate the production of a song's music and vocal performances. It is the focus of this article to deconstruct the process vocal recording in the studio.
To better understand the process of recording vocals and for illustrative and tutorial purposes, I've divided it into activities in two spaces: what goes on in the studio area and what's required in the control room.
In The Studio
Recording studios come in all shapes, sizes and décors. There are only a few basic requirements conducive to getting a good vocal performance.
It does not take a special or a big room to record vocals but the studio's size, acoustic properties and construction are just as important as a recording space as they are for acoustically louder instruments like drum kits, brass or string sections.
Large Rooms
In the case of using a larger tracking room for overdubbing pop music vocals, engineers and producers prefer to stop down” its size in order to record a dry vocal sound with little of the room's ambient qualities included.
This, of course, allows them the freedom of adding whatever ambient effects they feel appropriate later in the final mix.
Gobos can help stop down” the size of a studio. (click to enlarge)
Tall baffles or gobos are placed around the singer and mic to stop most of the room's sound from being recorded along with the singer. If you are working in a large room with a pleasing decay time, there are plenty of reasons to record vocals sans any gobos.
The difference in ambience could work well to layer multiple tracks sung by the same person such as for double tracking or harmony stacking or for recording a singing group or choir.
You could capture a unique ambience possible only in that room instead of adding a simulation electronically from a commonly available digital reverb. I'm suggesting a high quality room like EMI's Abbey Road Studio 2 — the Beatles' playground!
Smaller Rooms
If you are working in a small room or vocal booth, then dry is what you'll get but make sure the dryness is not more of a tonality — an actual comb filter EQ effect caused by close, highly-reflective parallel walls, floors and ceilings.
Again, the use of a few gobos with soft, non-reflective surfaces will help kill those reflections.
You might try a Se Electronics microphone Reflexion filter — it uses a small screen of highly absorbent materials to surrounds the mic itself and prevents sound reflections entering the back and sides of the mic.
Especially good for acoustically bad sounding spaces like bathrooms, closets and hallways, a microphone filter separates” the mic's pick-up of the singer completely from the coloration of the surrounding space.
If you're working in an all in one space” studio, the room sound issues expand. You'll have to eliminate noises from you computer's fan(s), poor acoustics at the mic's position, and external noises from A/C equipment or the streets outside, etc.
makes portable vocal booths — these look like old-time phone booths” with a window and door and come in different sizes depending on how big the vocal singing party is going to be.
My own Tones 4 $ Studios is a single space setup used mostly for mixing, and for recording I use a product by RealTraps called a portable vocal booth
A portable vocal booth.
It's a pair of 2- X 2-foot absorbent panels that mount to a mic stand and forms a right-angle corner behind the mic and singer. This configuration does much more than a mic filter.
The portable vocal booth removes the influence of the sound of the adjacent walls, provides isolation from the rest of the room's sounds — be it other musicians or the racket coming from my Pro Tools rig (computer, drives, power amp fans) as well as reduces external street noises.
Singers appreciate it for the sound and also because they can pin the lyric sheets to the panels directly in front of them.
Singer's Station
The singer's station” consists of a boom mic stand to hang the mic over and above the music stand, microphone, pop filter (if required), music stand with light, headphones and control box, stool, small table to hold tea, coffee or water etc.
Or, in the case of a female demo singer I once recorded (whose name I can't remember), a plate of strips of raw meat.
A metal music stand must be covered with soft cloth material to prevent sound reflection and checked to see if it vibrates sympathetically to the singer's voice. Make sure it does not.
The entire station should be placed on a rug to mute any foot tapping and stop sound reflections coming from the floor. All mic, headphone and power supply cables should be dressed away so nobody trips and pulls over a multi-thousand vintage condenser mic over.
I try to locate the station under dimmable studio lighting for this reason and also for reading lyrics and for seeing the singer's hand gestures and signals from in the control room — even if the studio is darkened.
The look” of this setup—rug style, gobo colors etc. is up to the producer and artist's tastes and preferences.
It should look warm and inviting to the artist and help set up the vibe of the session. I think this all helps in subtle ways—it is more special treatment for the artist and transforms the space.
However, for some artists and producers, none of this matters, especially if scheduling, cost, budget and availability impinges on the optimum choice for a studio. At those places, you may have to do all this remodeling and redecorating” yourself.
Two looks at a singer's station. (click to enlarge)
Sightlines
With respect to the visual sightline to the control room, most of the time eye contact is wanted — remember, the producer is acting as the listening audience and the artist will look for reassurance or emotional feedback” from him/her, the engineer and anybody else in the session in the form of facial gesturing or even body language.
I've worked in studios that used closed-circuit TV to see the artist singing who could not see us back in the booth. I can't prove any connection, but I bet the quality and emotion of the performance will be different—but depending on the singer, maybe better or maybe worst.
Microphone Choices
There are three microphones choices for vocal recording: condenser, dynamic and ribbon. The differences are vast and the right choice can make or break the vocal sound and performance.
Most of the time, a large diaphragm condenser mic is used for vocals for its ability to capture the loudest to the softest of sound and nuance.
The large diaphragm offers a big surface area to pickup low frequencies and most modern condensers have huge dynamic range specs meaning it will be difficult to distort them with close, loud singing.
While old vintage condensers sound wonderful, I find them (depending on their condition and upkeep) a little more finicky, temperamental and a little unreliable compared to some of the newer mics coming from Germany.
So in the world of condenser mics there are a lot of great choices. I like the whole line of Brauner mics, Neumann (both new and vintage models), an AKG C12, Sony's out of print C-800G and vintage C-37, Manley Reference , David Bock , and Dave Pearlman mics, and John Peluso remakes of classic vintage mics such as his 2247 SE or P12 models.
Dynamics in the studio work great for loud and brute force singers. There is nothing like the urgency of the sound brought on by a good dynamic mic. Some singers must physically hold the mic to produce” their vocal sound because they are used to working it during live shows.
I've tried to let them sing their vocal that way if there is no handling noise and minimal P-popping. I've sometimes given the singer a handheld dynamic mic while standing in front of stand-mounted condenser mic. I would record both mics to two tracks and later go between them in the mix.
The list of good dynamics is long and here are a few worth using for studio vocals. I like Shure SM7A or B, Electro-Voice RE20 or RE27N/D , and Heil Sound PR 40, PR 22, PR 20 or PR 20 UT.
Ribbon mics have always been favorite vocal mics, dating back to the 1930s. Today the modern versions are better than ever with wide-open sound, more gain and rugged ribbons less prone to damage from close vocals like the old classic models.
In general, ribbons are great for harsh or bright sounding voices that need some mellowing. I like the AEA R84 , Shure KSM353 , and the Coles 4038 with its brontosaurus bottom end.”
Microphone Positioning
The mounting, positioning, distance from the singer, and even the angle of the mic all weigh heavily on the finished vocal sound.
I like to use a heavy floor stand and boom. I try to position the boom's counter-weight opposite the singer — out of the way. The counter-weight should be padded in case someone does not sufficiently tighten the stand's height and it slips and comes crashing down.
I learned a lesson years ago when, in a hurry, I (or the other assistant) didn't fully tighten a mic boom overhead of session drummer Earl Palmer's kit.
Halfway through the session it came down and the counterweight hit him in the head. The producer nearly called the session while ol' Earl stopped bleeding. (Sorry again Earl!) I prefer to use a good shock mount microphone holder and hang it so the mic's capsule end is about eye level and aimed at the singer's mouth.
Check with your singer(s), who will have a definite preference as to the way they like to project sound towards a studio mic. It is better to angle the mic down rather than allow the singer to sing straight into the mic's capsule.
Microphone angled down toward the singer (above), and directed straight at the singer. (click to enlarge)
Windscreens — Pop Filters
With the mic angled and above the source, you may not need to use a pop filter, but your singer must keep from pointing upwards at the mic; this will defeat the whole purpose.
So if the singer can sing straight ahead just below the bottom of the mic without tilting up, then no windscreen is needed.
If the singer cannot keep straight ahead or wants to sing directly into the mic, you'll have to use a screen. There are several great models out there and for the perfect popping storm — singers with an extreme popping problem try Pete's Place Blast Filter
Middle Atlantic has a more conventional two-stage nylon mesh type.
The Stedman filter is also a good choice because, like the Blast Filter, it's metal and washable.
Pop filters change the sound slightly. There is a greater or lesser loss of super high frequencies depending on the particular filter. But there is another method to reduce plosives — an ordinary #2 pencil.
Although not as effective for big pops, this trick will kill most small pops.
Simply strap the pencil vertically in line with the mic body's length (assuming you are hanging the mic vertically) using rubber bands (don't use tape) so that the pencil bisects the face of the capsule.
The pencil will disturb the puff of air from a P pop and divert the impact from the capsule.
The pencil-on-the-mic trick”. (click to enlarge)
Headphones
Headphones for you singer are very important. I have several different models I bring if the studio's selection sucks.
All three of these models are closed-back, circumaural earphones that attenuate ambient noise and keep the cue mix from leaking out.
I like Shure SRH840 phones for their fat and loud sound. Ultrasone HFI-680 are bright phones your artist may prefer, and finally, AKG K271 phones or some variant offer the most unvarnished truth of the sound.
Try to get your singer to keep both ears covered with the phone cushions to prevent spill. The phones should fit well and make sure a powerful amp drives them.
Barry Rudolph is a veteran L.A.-based recording engineer as well as a noted writer on recording topics.
With Live Sound, You Can Make Anyone Sound Good
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