Need serious help with recording loud vocals!!!!!

[lodstudios]

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

[leftofthedial]

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.

[lodstudios]

Thanks.

She isn't overloading the preamp, just getting a REALLY hot signal on the chorus. Should I just turn the tube gain down for the chorus? Tried having her stand back but it just screws with the dynamic of the vocal.

[leftofthedial]

If the room is lively, yes, that could be a problem. Sounds like you should just grab the gain knob and turn her down in the chorus. If you know the song, you probably could ride a fader or the trim pot. Otherwise, no shame in punching in and out.

[8th_note]

Are you recording on a DAW? If the choruses aren't distorted then I would create a volume envelope that lowers the volume on the choruses. I don't like to smash vocals with a compressor so usually I go through and manually lower the volume of loud passages, or even words, if necessary.

[lodstudios]

Recording through an 828 to my MAC. Automation wouldn't really apply because the assages just about clip when you get to the chorus.

[JGriffin]

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.

[Professor]

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

[bluesbaz]

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

[RodC]

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.

[joel hamilton]

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!

[Chrisbrownsound]

Should I just turn the tube gain down for the chorus?

YES! It's that easy!

[drumsound]

If she's consistant you can ride the gain while recording. If not record the verses, then records the chorus. A dynamic mic might be your best friend in this situation as well.

[lodstudios]

Yes, I almost always track the Verses first and then the chorus...I will try with altering the gain for the chorus.

Thanks!

[cgarges]

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