Audio Recording Techniques : Tips on Vocal Recording

[svennbreng]

Thanx for the info. Weakest portion of my recording is the vocals.

[mando18]

what type of equipment should i buy to record vocals. starting out.. until i can step to a more expensive piece. i have nothing now.. but looking to lay down vocals. maybe create mix beats. instrumentals. are their any types of music makes u may suggest as well?? as equipment.. plz write back. thanks.

[cleemeyer1]

this is common sense shit..

[bluesforU2]

That all looks very costly! Yikes! I enjoyed your video though!

[Kurrency2011]

It's called a pop filter -.-

[MPMProduction]

ok, i actually do the same steps, let me give u an example: say a song starts in the low range and it builds u to a high range, in the low range the level is fine but when i'm in the high range it starts cliping, so what do u sugesst?

1- bringing the level lower !? (the the input shound is too weak

2- using of compressor + limiter? it still can clip and the sound dynamics change

Can you advise me to a good vocal input chanel setup?

[chipzndipz78]

for my home studio i use a dynamic mic instead of a condenser it rejects a lot of unwanted sounds work well for home use and sounds great. condenser mics are more sensitive an require a sound both.

[JulieBrownsGuitar]

This should be called "Tips on what expensive things that most of you can't afford should buy"

[razorbladegreatscape]

Which is the model of that big shure? Itself its crazy man.

[cirex00]

How can I NOT get Clipping when i sing loud? moving back and fourth is not a good option since you voice will differ. Like if you've got this loud/high part in a song that you are recording , how do I do that without getting clipped . you know if you're too close or loud your voice becomes Distorted in the mic! i don't want that. Please help.

[amaurythewarrior]

@cirex00 just lower your gain ...



[chipzndipz78]

@cirex00 be for you start recording check the volume level on your mic and make sure its not peeking in the red if it is means its to loud and causes distortion and clipping.now for best sound u want it as close to peek level as possible with it not actually peeking (in the red).you just got play with it

[studioeuroton]

@cirex00 You can always use a compressor/limiter with some ratio of compression of about ... 4:1

Just experiment with knobs and you are a way to go. :D :D

[cirex00]

I've got a question, When i record vocals i have a hard time finding the right distance from the mic. If i'm to far away from the mic my voice is not picked up as it sould and if i'm too near it will clip! and if i move back and fourth the level will differ.

so I need to be able to stand at a certain distance from the mic and sing loud without clipping. What/how do i do that?

thanks

[ipainter]

This is more of a very brief introduction to recording. The title suggests that this video is directed at an audience that already understands everything that was covered. I need more in-depth information. What kind of compressors? How do you achieve sounds appropriate for Jazz, Rock, Hip-Hop, Pop, etc... This is intended to be constructive feedback. Many people recording are FAR past this level. For instance – I'm a working engineer already and have credit on 3 published records.

[omarbon23]

what mic. if i do guitar while have vocal.??

[OwnStylaa11]

how can i hear myself in the headphone when i record?

[superlocrian1]

@OwnStylaa11 why would you wanna do that???

[OwnStylaa11]

@superlocrian1 so i know how i sound into the mic?

[superlocrian1]

@OwnStylaa11 ohh you mean overdubing….

[dessekirt]

why do you turn the microphone upside down?

[8bitdeath]

@dessekirt So you can dramatically swing your arms about to make the song more exciting.

[TheGraal]

@dessekirt You turn the microphone upside down, so your voice hits the capsule more than the body of the mic. If the microphone is parallel with your body, you create a ping pong reflection that might muddy up your recording. Hope this helps. Cheers!

[jamesbondaygee]

hate fido!

[translative245]

dude u gave only 1 tip!?

[babycoach01]

good stuff man very educational.... defantly for me..

[evenmix1]

xxpinkstrawberriexxx if you are looking for a free recording program try kristal audio engine it's got effects . you will need a preamp to record a mic on a pc to raise the level it is not loud enough by itself. the soundcard that comes with a pc is not good enough so you need a interface most come with a built in preamp. try a shure sm-58 mic try these things out. total cost about $200.00 for interface and mic

[xxpinkstrawberriexxx]

hey somebody who rly knows about these things, first of all where could i get that kind of microphone, and second of all how does the recording actually happen? I'm not a computer geek for sure XD but i'd just like to get some kind of software where i could put a mp3 file on the background and then sing to it, i tried audacity and it was terrible :::( so what's the best program, best mic and stuff to record singing? :)) and HOW do you do it i've tried to search this everywhere!

[s2who]

funny..he's standing in a room full of mic's...in front of the main vocal mic...and he still needs a clip on to record this...

[Luciecompton1993]

thanks for the tips....will put them to use

[AKASLOVERBOY]

sory for ma bad eng :: YyyYYyYyYy mayn yy yyy yy y y we use cendnsor michrophone ?

[Mattc92497]

... i believe that was tips on microphones for recording vocals, not on recording vocals.... im just saying somebody that clicked on this video might have been expecting more tips than "if your loud, stand farther away"... haha

[FreshDoeClub]

@Mattc92497 the video's title is "Tips on Vocal Recordings"

[weretakingdc]

@vleon1012 no this guy is definately a noob

[Mosesfaceee]

@weretakingdc that's what he was getting at.

[Neil123789]

@weretakingdc Definitely not a noob. Frank Green has recorded albums for the Eagles, the Oakridge Boys, Kansas, Faith Hill and lots more. He's teaching the basics, he obviously knows more, he's just sharing some information with beginners.

[nypdrums]

telefunken?

[olliebug1]

I'm not sure how they record vocals in studios, but when I do it I just record verses first and then the chorus on a seperate track. Problem solved. No need to move around and you can mix the two so they're equal later. Just an idea for those struggling. Peace.

[eTnKT]

@olliebug1 thx dawg. helped me alot there =]

[olliebug1]

@eTnKT No problem bro! Good luck!

[TheAirsoftcrazy]

The second one looks kinda funny!

[TheProgmagog]

Furthermore, you dont move back or close to the mic to control your level. There is a knob on the preamp for that. You move near or further from the mic to increase or decrease the bass response of the mic. This is known as "proximity affect... effect?" The proximity affects the bass effect:) not sure which, but its true either way. If the sound is too bassy, move back a bit. If its too thin, move closer. Try this before any eq.

[DrMarkyC]

@TheProgmagog I understand where your coming from, but there isn't really a 'Wrong' or 'Right way, its what ever way sounds the best in respect to the type of song. As for the singer moving closer or further away to control levels is true, many songs (if not all) contain varying degrees of dynamics. E.g the vocalist may sing quiter in the verse than in the chorus, the engineer will set a strong level for the verse but the moment the singer sings for the chorus those levels clip.

[DrMarkyC]

@TheProgmagog Furthmore, a good singer knows this and should pull back slightly from the microphone to keep the consistenty in the levels. if not the engineer will have to know the song and know when the vocalist is going to sding louder or quiter so he/she can adjust the levels, Which isnt always the easiest task to get right :)

[TheProgmagog]

@TheProgmagog

Yeah, You gotta work the distance a bit and each mic will have its own feel. The problem is, that when you pull back and sing louder, you start to hear the room, and the bass proximity thins out. Sometimes thats good, sometimes not:( Good acoustics are paramount. An engineer can ride the fader a bit while watching a scratch take as the waveform scrolls by. Deffinately takes some practice, but it keeps things consistant in a way you cant get otherwise. Proceed With Caution:)

[TheProgmagog]

@TheProgmagog

Your word "slightly" pull back is deffinately fair enough. My problem is that my singing has way too much dynamic range for a single fixed input setting to remain optimal. I gotta at least go between a high and low level input level, sometimes somewhere between. Moving back 100 cm doesnt even do it and that is an extreme difference in proximity. So, I have my preamp at arms length and push or pull the level as I need. Deffinately easier to anticipate my singing than another's.

[TheProgmagog]

Not the BEST tips I ever heard. Actually I see this mic angle and windscreen almost always, but it is not the purest solution. The old school way (like how they recorded Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole would be to raise that mic about 10 cm then angle it down pointing directly at the mouth. Dont aim up toward the mic as you sing, but sing straight forward. You avoid the plosives without the presence dampening windscreen.

[Skateboredskool]

Thank You :D