Need serious help with recording loud vocals!!!!!
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Need serious help with recording loud vocals!!!!!
So, I have a client right now who sings REALLY loud. She has a great voice but not a lot of mic technique, I am really struggling with levels and compression. I use a Millennia STT1 and a Soudelux U195 so the gear isn't the problem, I am thinking I need to get back to square one and get some advice. Can you suggest a starting point for compression, should I be using EQ on the front end? I have the verse right where I need it, the chorus is just so damn loud I can't control it. Every setting I try for compression is either too much or too little...HELP!!!!!!!
Thanks in advance,
Keith
Thanks in advance,
Keith
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The first question I would ask is, what exactly is the problem? Is she peaking your recorder, or is there just a large dynamic swing between the verses and the chori. When I get a singer like you describe, I track the verses first, then regain the preamp for the choruses. You might also ask her to take a step back for singing the choruses.
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- JGriffin
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In the pre-DAW years, engineers used to ride the fader while the singer was performing. I believe there's a discussion of this on the Tom Dowd DVD. If it's an option (that is, if you actually have an input fader rather than just a box with a knob into a computer) you may want to try it. In cases where I'm unable to use a fader, I sometimes cut the verse and chorus separately and set the levels for each individually.
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Are you trying to have her sing the song straight through?
Personally I never do that unless the singer can't do it any other way. My preference is to have the singer roll through all of the verses and then go back through the choruses. And of course, if you're doing that, you can change out any setting you like. Changing the gain is probably the most obvious first choice - if she's too loud, turn it down. If you're compressing on the way in (personally, I don't, but that's me) then you can adjust the compressor settings, or even layer through a second comp. Or hell, if you need to do it, just change out the microphone. You'd be amazed at how hard she can scream into an SM-7 or an RE-20 without causing you much grief. Remember that a dynamic mic, especially a large diaphragm type, will have some natural compression from the response of the diaphragm - that's why we use them where we do.
-Jeremy
Personally I never do that unless the singer can't do it any other way. My preference is to have the singer roll through all of the verses and then go back through the choruses. And of course, if you're doing that, you can change out any setting you like. Changing the gain is probably the most obvious first choice - if she's too loud, turn it down. If you're compressing on the way in (personally, I don't, but that's me) then you can adjust the compressor settings, or even layer through a second comp. Or hell, if you need to do it, just change out the microphone. You'd be amazed at how hard she can scream into an SM-7 or an RE-20 without causing you much grief. Remember that a dynamic mic, especially a large diaphragm type, will have some natural compression from the response of the diaphragm - that's why we use them where we do.
-Jeremy
try using a dynamic mic
A couple of suggestions
1 use a dynamic mic like an sm7, if its good enough for Michael Jackson its good enough for me. For loud gospel I will run it straight into my la2a no preamp
2 Try one of those Neumann kms 105s they can take some real loudness
3 use two mics set side by side and have one set for the verse and the other for the chorus, that way you can record straight through without stopping but have controlled levels.
-s
1 use a dynamic mic like an sm7, if its good enough for Michael Jackson its good enough for me. For loud gospel I will run it straight into my la2a no preamp
2 Try one of those Neumann kms 105s they can take some real loudness
3 use two mics set side by side and have one set for the verse and the other for the chorus, that way you can record straight through without stopping but have controlled levels.
-s
- RodC
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If you are tracking at 24bit, avoid trying to print at -6, we have had lots of discussions here about this. Try for peaks of about -18 to -12 with the norm down a bit more. I know everthing you read tells you different, but -18 is going to be much easier on your pres and you will have plenty of room to use envelopes/comp to clean it up when you are done.
Try different monitor mixes, find out what works best for her. Some singers want lots of themselves or some instrument, but they dont realize how that affects their singing.
Try different monitor mixes, find out what works best for her. Some singers want lots of themselves or some instrument, but they dont realize how that affects their singing.
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Track it at a lower level than you think is "right."
Only in the loudest of sections should it come up to where you would have normally tried to get it. Preserve all that dynamic goodness. Maybe use some comp/limiter thingy so the thing doesnt touch the vocal at all except for 1-2 db at the very loudest sections.... call that the "session saver" and get on with the recording! have fun!
Only in the loudest of sections should it come up to where you would have normally tried to get it. Preserve all that dynamic goodness. Maybe use some comp/limiter thingy so the thing doesnt touch the vocal at all except for 1-2 db at the very loudest sections.... call that the "session saver" and get on with the recording! have fun!
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I'd do a volume ride, record the different sections separately, or set up two different mics (one of the loud parts, one for the quiet parts). If one compressor is either too much or not enough to reign it in, I'd probably plug in two or three different compressors set to lower ratios and higher thresholds. That way, each one is doing a little bit of work and the sum of the work is a little more transparent than one unit doing a bunch of gain reduction by itself.
Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
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