Recording Tips
Vocalist Info and Vocals Q&A
Vocalist Info
The secret to a great vocal sound is a vocalist who knows how to work the mic, and an engineer/producer who can keep that vocalist motivated. I know. You thought I was going to tell you that the mic should be 6 to 9 inches from the singer (or 1 - 4 feet for classical) but if they're hot closer is cool. You thought I was going to recommend using a Popper-Stopper or other pantyhose deal. You thought I was going to mention going from that $2,800 mic into that $1,500 tube pre into that cool $1,900 compressor into that (very very important) de-esser, then EQ'd a bit with NO effects onto tape. You thought I was going to tell you to keep the gain reduction from 1db to 5db and setting that (very very important) de-esser so that the sibilance is controlled and sounds natural, not peaky or spitty (enabling you to add more highs without glaring SS's).
Nope. That's not the secret to getting a great vocal sound. Key: Vocalists reach a sweet spot in their energy and in their sound when singing, and it can occur on a scratch vocal when the band is pumping, or it can occur after five hours of singing. Your job is to recognize the sweet spot and maintain it so that the performance is it's best. If the performance lacks, it doesn't matter how expensive the mic is! A great performance on a cheap mic will get you signed much sooner than a so-so performance on a Telefunken.
The Million Dollar Vocal Secret: Specific motivational language will keep a singer fresh longer and get you a way-better performance. This idea applies even if the singer is the most radical dude (or dudette) in town. It's simple, but it's overlooked nearly ALL the time. Here goes. Use positive language. I call it the Perfect End Result. It saves the singer mental and emotional energy that can be put to good use in the lyric and melody.
What is the Perfect End Result? Here's some examples: "Dude... sing that note a little higher." vs. "Dude.... you're FLAT on that note." - "Tina bring your energy up a bit more." vs. "Tina, your energy is dragging down too much." - "It will sound great if you sustain that note longer." vs. "It sounds lame when you drop off the end of that note."
Every creative person PRIDES themselves in their performance. It creates a mental uphill battle when you give the person a comment about what you don't want vs. what you DO want. (This...by the way is a great tip for parenting your kids, too.)
Key: no...BIG KEY: The mind does not understand the word "don't". Why? Because the mind works in pictures, not letters. If I say think of green jello wiggling in a bowl in front of you, what do you think of? Now, let's experiment. Picture that green jello for a minute. Now...... DON'T think of dark red cherries in that wiggly green jello. DON'T think of bright yellow sprinkles on the jello and spilled on the table. DON'T think of your best friend taking your jello and dumping it on the floor. DON'T THINK OF IT! Don't think of your friend's shocked face as the jello splatters all over the floor!!! DON'T think about what I'm saying! DON'T sing that note SHARP again... DON'T SING SHARP!!!
Do you get it? I guarantee that while you were reading that paragraph, you were NOT thinking of an elephant. Ahem. Up until now. Now you're thinking elephant. But no matter how many times I said the word DON'T, you pictured what I said. Your mind automatically locked onto the image/idea no matter what - it was instantaneous and effortless.
If you tell your singer she sounds like her energy is low, she will have to FIGHT off the energy drain since attention was brought to it's lowness. It's easier for her to increase her energy if you say the Perfect End Result - "Bring your energy up!" If you tell your vocalist what you DO want vs. what you DON'T want, that person doesn't have to mentally process away the mistake - they only have to aim forward at the bulls eye. If you tell your kids "Stay on the sidewalk, you'll be safer." - they will do it easier and more instinctively than if you tell them "Don't go out into the street, you could get killed."
I promise you. No matter what style of music you're into or what instrument you play, if you LOCK this technique into your method of music, you will accelerate your success and increase your staying power in delivering the passion and magic that music is all about.
Meanwhile, trust me. It's not the mic. It's the performance that will get you signed. Once you find the pocket, you'll know that groove is everything. LOCK IT in the pocket. Be committed to singing in tune!
BIG KEY: Practice DOESN'T make perfect - Practice makes progress. PERFECT practice makes perfect. Remember that idea every time you play or sing. It will make a huge difference in your musical skills and presentation.
Use common sense and read all the recording magazines you can get your hands on. If you're an engineer, it simply takes time and experimentation to discover what works. There are no rules. Try everything. Set up 10 mics around the guitar amp in different distances and combinations and phase settings. Study gain structure so you know how and where to eliminate distortion. Use good cables, good monitors (lots to talk about on my Studio Monitor Madness page) and compare your mixes (rough or final) to commercial CDs for reference. Look to the source of the sound as the main ingredient for great results. Be original and support others in their success. Positive energy towards others brings it right back to you - so receive it - there's plenty to go around.
Vocal Sound Q & A
Q) Could you
please tell me how to get that creamy/silky vocal sound? I use a SM57,
or an E-100 patched into an all-tube pre w/EQ, then into a compressor
direct to my hard disk. Sometimes I use my Mackie"D" to utilize it's
EQ, then into the hard disk. Is rolling off the top end the key or is
it boosting the bottom? -Nesz
A) When you listen to an outstanding CD with that silky vocal
sound, chances are that there was red carpet treatment at many levels,
starting with the expertise of the engineer and producer. Let's go from
the top to see what could be different, and what you can do in your
case.
Level One: The source. The sound of a persons
voice (technique and tone) has much to do with the sound, not to mention
using the correct distance to the mic (6" to 1' in studio, up to 4'
live), how warmed up the person is, how consistent they are from take
to take. In my 20 years of studio engineering, I often used EQ.
Once when recording a live big band, the singer, and older gentleman,
quietly agreed when I showed him where to stand next to the mic. When
they ran down the song, I was astounded at the sound of this man's voice.
It was huge. It was smooth. It was clear. It was bright. It was warm.
It was .... perfect. A classic voice that didn't need a shred of EQ!
His master tape could have been a cassette and it would have sounded
amazing.
Start at the source. Your singer should be committed to producing their
very best in the studio and on stage. Tons of Grammy-winning artists
use the Seth Riggs technique, so finding someone in your area that teaches
his method can be a good idea. Key:
Don't kid yourself into thinking that 5 or 6 lessons will get you sounding
like Celine Dion. Singing is an art - it takes time. I learned this
technique from Andrew Boettner, here in Southern California, and my
full-voice range increased an octave-and-a-half. Increasing your skill
increases your opportunity.
Level two: The mic. Top engineers on the
best sounding CDs are probably using a vintage AKG C12, Neumann U47,
Telefunken, or some other super-exotic mic. There are times when lesser
mics are used, but the majority of the time there is a priceless piece
at this point. Your budget is the determining factor here. If your artist
is trying to get signed, this isn't a key point. Their performance is.
If you are trying to get hired by the majors as an engineer/producer,
this is essential. If you are in the studio business, the importance
of a priceless mic depends on what your clientele can afford. Sometimes
studios rent their prize pieces so that their basic rate is affordable.
Level three: The mic pre's, EQ, & compressor.
Again, the top engineers are probably using vintage gear like Neve,
Teletronix, UREI, DBX 160's, or newer discrete or tube units like Avalon,
Prism, Millennia, GT, API or Manley. Some engineers ride automated faders
and don't use a compressor at all. That's good old school for
ya!
Level three: The monitoring system. Yep.
If you don't hear it right, how do you expect to EQ it right, much less
pick the best sounding gear? Check my article on
Studio Monitor Madness and
Mixing Solutions, otherwise I'll be
writing another page here!
Level four: The multitrack storage device.
While analog is highly prized, digital audio workstation systems are
improving, especially with better A to D converters. Roger Nichols says
he's never going back to analog, and Roy Thomas Baker aligned his machines
at +12. What can I say. Experts all have something different to say.
That's why we suggest Rule #1 -- "There are no rules."
Level five: The mixing stage. There was
a time when Bernie Grundman stated, "Analog is the choice of most high-end
mix formats." But that's been changing - particularly when the mastering
will be done using Separations.
Does it make a difference to use vintage gear?
I think it makes more of a difference to sing in-tune, but the real
vintage gear sounds great - otherwise there wouldn't be so many plug-ins
out there that are imitating it! If it's cost-effective for you, go
for it. If not, compare your vocals with the vocal sound on commercial
CDs and use your best judgment to get what you like. Great monitors
(and/or a great mixing engineer) always help you make the right choices.
You can adjust the enhancement frequencies of vocal EQ so that the voice
sits in a "pocket" left vacant by the way you have EQ'd and panned the
instruments. Don't let common frequencies build up - a sweepable EQ
is important so that you're not adding the same frequency to everything
in the mix. I don't recommend rolling off the top at all. That's where
the upper harmonics are. I usually added some high end at around 10-15K,
and some mids at 2.5K, and some bottom around 100hz, and sometimes rolled
off 50hz.... but it varied from voice to voice. When in doubt, SIMPLIFY.
Less is more.
Level six: The mastering stage.
Separation Mastering is the most ideal
way to take your vocal sound to the next level. No question about
it. Much optimization is available here. But check this
out -- here's a quote from a respected professional in the July 2006
issue of a major recording industry magazine about vocal sound in mastering:
“I believe
that mastering can really do quite a lot to enhance the vocal portion
of a mix. Of course, the client must keep in mind that manipulating
the frequencies that directly affect the vocal will also affect any
other instrument in that frequency range."
NOT SO with Separation Mastering.
“For example,
a difficult problem to fix would be that of isolating a sharply sibilant
vocal while enhancing the snap of a snare drum... mastering engineers
may choose to de-ess an entire stereo mix in an effort to de-ess a vocal.
Although.. this technique can instantly destroy the snap and sizzle
of the drum kit..."
There is NO RISK of loosing any
drum snap with proper Separation Mastering.
“Do multiple
versions of your mix. Giving the mastering engineer more options
to work with can ease your session tremendously."
Why spend time making multiple
mixes when you can make Separations and have TOTAL control over your
vocal sound in mastering?
“Running your mix past a mastering engineer's ears before the scheduled session gives you an opportunity to get a fresh perspective and — if necessary — go back and fix some things.”
The excellent engineer quoted in
this magazine article made good comments if you're stuck making a 2-track
mix. Some mastering engineers, we hear, have told their clients
to go back and remix when they didn't get the sound they wanted!
Separation Mastering nearly eliminates the "go back and fix it" syndrome!
Doing something
new takes a little willingness! We invite you to be willing to
check out this format! It should take no additional equipment...
just the tools you already are using! Read more
here.
| "I am truly amazed at the imaging, separation, and detail that you were able to reveal. On a couple of songs I could swear that you had access to the raw audio and were able to remix the track!!! Thanks also for bringing a warmth and depth to a fully digital recording that I was fairly sure was impossible without starting from analog tape." -Tom Harter - Green Bay, WI |
Q) Could you
tell me a little about trim, we have it on our board and need to know
exactly what it does. -Rick
A) Trim is the gain of the mic or line preamplifier. That is the electronic
component that enables you to change the *sensitivity* of either the
mic or the line input. Usually the line input stays at one point, but
variations are good when a track comes back too hot.
This differs from the faders, in that they brings the signal up or down
*after* the sensitivity control. If the trim is set to high and the
mic signal becomes distorted, the channel faders bring the entire signal
up or down, including the distortion. When you set up your mics, set
the fader for "0" or unity gain by sliding the fader up to a little
more than 3/4 of the way up toward the top of the fader distance. This
is the ideal place for the fader to be when using it as a mic input.
Then, adjust the sensitivity of the trim till you hear no distortion
at all even in the loudest case, leaving the fader where it is.
You should rarely, if ever, use the fader to control how hot the signal
is going to tape. It should stay put and the trim brought down if you
hear distortion or break up. Mic pre is a grittier distortion than actual
capsule break up at the mic itself. Mic breakup is a tubbier sounding
distortion because the capsule is flexing out of its coherent range.
Some consoles will have a meter to actually view the sensitivity setting,
but most these days don't have this feature. Some consoles also have
LEDs that light up when clipping is occurring. Pay attention to those
lights! They shouldn't come on, unless you want that harsher sounding
distortion. I don't recommend it. It's not as cool as creating distortion
at the source where it's smoother (like guitars or raspy voice tones,
etc.).
If your fader is at unity and a good signal is going to tape, and you've
adjusted the trim for a clean sound, the gain structure should be right.
