Advice for vocal recording

Mr Alan

Alright folks,

I need a little help here and thought that theres nowhere better to go than boards.ie!

Basically my band and I have been trying to home record a decent sounding demo. We are using a boss 864 multi channel recorder.

We can get everything except the vocals sounding quite good, but we are really struggling with the vocals. We've tried using an SM58 and SM57 and tried the various tips I've found here, but still dont think the quality matches the rest of the recording.

Even last night, we put a mini disc into the sound desk and recorded a song (acoustic and vocal) straight onto that and the standard of the recording was much better, granted it was just a guitar and vocal but still!:(

I know that SM58s can be used and have been in the past (incl by Bono:)) but wat are the advantages of a proper vocal recording mic? is the difference in quality very noticeable?

any help would be greatly appreciated! apologies if my technical talk leaves a lot to be desired, this kind of thing is not my strong suit!

Cheers,
Alan

teamdresch

Most likely the mic isn't the problem.
Chances are you're missing the compression and hint of reverb that you'd hear on most records.
Have you tried using either?

PaulBrewer

Mr Alan wrote: »

Alright folks,

I need a little help here and thought that theres nowhere better to go than boards.ie!

Basically my band and I have been trying to home record a decent sounding demo. We are using a boss 864 multi channel recorder.

We can get everything except the vocals sounding quite good, but we are really struggling with the vocals. We've tried using an SM58 and SM57 and tried the various tips I've found here, but still dont think the quality matches the rest of the recording.

Even last night, we put a mini disc into the sound desk and recorded a song (acoustic and vocal) straight onto that and the standard of the recording was much better, granted it was just a guitar and vocal but still!:(

I know that SM58s can be used and have been in the past (incl by Bono:)) but wat are the advantages of a proper vocal recording mic? is the difference in quality very noticeable?

any help would be greatly appreciated! apologies if my technical talk leaves a lot to be desired, this kind of thing is not my strong suit!

Cheers,
Alan

Alan, I think of recording anything as through a system. In this instance the system is mic to pre amp to Analogue to Digital Conversion and back out through the Digital to Analogue conversion of you Boss.

If you Minidisk recording sounds superior perhaps run your mic through you desk first and into a Line In on the Boss avoiding it's Mic Pres.

If you can try borrowing a condenser mic and see does that get you a better sound.

PaulBrewer

teamdresch wrote: »

Most likely the mic isn't the problem.
Chances are you're missing the compression and hint of reverb that you'd hear on most records.
Have you tried using either?

Teamdresch is correct about compression too.

Mr Alan

teamdresch wrote: »

Most likely the mic isn't the problem.
Chances are you're missing the compression and hint of reverb that you'd hear on most records.
Have you tried using either?

Yea we've tried experimenting with different levels of reverb, but it just doesnt sound strong enough, almost like a backing vocal at times, despite the level being right or very close to right-it just really lacks a clarity.

its hard to explain.

as for compression, well i have no idea about that, as i said, I'm not the most technical, another member of our band looks after the more "technical" side-but its his first time trying to record also, so we're a little stumped

teamdresch

how about sticking up a clip so we can hear for ourselves?

Mr Alan

In work at the minute, but i may try that later.

any tips about compression etc in the mean time would be greatly appreciated.

dav nagle

Mr Alan wrote: »

In work at the minute, but i may try that later.

any tips about compression etc in the mean time would be greatly appreciated.

Compression is used so the overall level of the 'vocalist' maintains a good volume level in the mix and if it used well it can smoothen out a vocal sound and just about any instrument. It can give a vocal a soft warm feel too. It can stop peaking if the singer is singing particularly loud in one part and soft in another. Have you considered recording the vocals elsewhere?

Niall - Dahlia

Mr Alan wrote: »

it just doesnt sound strong enough, almost like a backing vocal at times, despite the level being right or very close to right-it just really lacks a clarity.

If it lacks clarity (muddy?) a bit of subtractive EQ might do the job. Just a simple roll-off of the bass frequencies might help alot. Try a high-pass filter starting from 100Hz and bring it up see if that helps, but stop if the vocals start sounding thin.

As Dav said a bit of compression might strengthen the vocal. You could also try some delay on the vocal too instead of the reverb, reverb could be making things worse clarity-wise. Hard to tell without hearing!

dav nagle

Mr Alan wrote: »

Alright folks,

I need a little help here and thought that theres nowhere better to go than boards.ie!

Basically my band and I have been trying to home record a decent sounding demo. We are using a boss 864 multi channel recorder.

We can get everything except the vocals sounding quite good, but we are really struggling with the vocals. We've tried using an SM58 and SM57 and tried the various tips I've found here, but still dont think the quality matches the rest of the recording.

Even last night, we put a mini disc into the sound desk and recorded a song (acoustic and vocal) straight onto that and the standard of the recording was much better, granted it was just a guitar and vocal but still!:(

I know that SM58s can be used and have been in the past (incl by Bono:)) but wat are the advantages of a proper vocal recording mic? is the difference in quality very noticeable?

any help would be greatly appreciated! apologies if my technical talk leaves a lot to be desired, this kind of thing is not my strong suit!

Cheers,
Alan

The difference between an sm58 and a pro audio mic is huge. Bono makes use of that microphone but remember he has the best engineers in the country working with the best outboard behind him so ultimately at garage band level one cannot compete with that. If you want to PM me your band can do the vocals in my home studio using a pro mic and a sound proofed booth.

niallk

Try turning down your support of liverpool and support a real team i.e. Man United and mess around with the EQs a bit. I'd also recommend throwing a smidgeon more talent into the vocals.

Mr Alan

niallk wrote: »

Try turning down your support of liverpool and support a real team i.e. Man United and mess around with the EQs a bit. I'd also recommend throwing a smidgeon more talent into the vocals.

one post away from access to the soccer forum, lord bless us and save us :rolleyes:

pvt.joker

niallk wrote: »

Try turning down your support of liverpool and support a real team i.e. Man United and mess around with the EQs a bit. I'd also recommend throwing a smidgeon more talent into the vocals.

great post

niallk

I don't quite know where to put my 50th post.
I'll have a think about it.
I'll stick to the Man Utd board so don't worry.

henessjon

yeah its th emic get a large diaghram mic and use the comp and revb

raindog.promo

Would masking be a possibility?

Try taking 3-5K out of the guitar EQ and seeing how that effects the vocals? Maybe even add some 3-5K onto the vocal EQ.