Close-Up Vocals: Does the Room Really Matter?

radionowhere · Post by **radionowhere** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:35 pm

I'm getting ready to track vocals for a song I'm working on, and I'm wondering whether I can get the results I'm looking for at home.

I'm interested in getting what I think of as a "right up on the mic" vocal sound most of the time, something like Jakob Dylan's verses in the Wallflowers' "One Headlight" (for lack of a more exact reference).

My question: if I'm recording through a good chain and intending on putting a fairly dry vocal in the foreground of a somewhat busy full band mix, do I really need to track the vocals in a booth or in a tuned room at a quality studio?

Part of the reason I ask is that I'm about to lay down about $1,500 for a nice mic, but am wondering whether I might be better served saving that $ for studio time instead. I'd much rather get the mic and track at home, but...

Anyway, any perspectives much appreciated. Thanks!

kslight · Post by **kslight** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:53 pm

Well, assuming you have another mic to try it out with...why not give your intended room a whirl before making a commitment? I tend to say 'no', I've recorded vocals in many sub-par spaces (closets, for example) with good results. Notwithstanding of course your room should be quiet (ie: mic not picking up computer noise, neighbors, etc). Granted, if you are prepared to drop $1500 on a new mic, it might not be a bad investment to look at one of those Reflexion filters...I thought those were supposed to be good for recording vocals in acoustically not-ideal spaces...never tried one myself.

One thing that a proper studio might add though is a set of ears that will tell you when you flub and make you do it again until you get it right...so if you don't have that mentality to critique your own performance then that would be the main advantage of going to a studio, IMHO.

radionowhere · Post by **radionowhere** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 3:58 pm

Thanks, kslight.

Your response made me focus my question a little more. I guess what I'm asking is actually more like, "In these professionally produced tracks where it sounds like the artist/producer took this intimate type of approach to tracking/mixing the vox, is what I'm hearing essentially just the singer + mic + vocal chain? Or is it that even when the guy's right on the mic, it's the $2K/day studio room that's providing the final "expensive" polish to the vocal sound?"

Does that make sense?

kslight · Post by **kslight** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:41 pm

Well I never really recommend "right on the mic", I'm usually a bit off it...but I don't think the studio room is providing any expensive polish to the vocal sound. The booth really is there to isolate the vocals from bleed and other nuisances, a normal vocal booth should be fairly acoustically neutral, usually the main goal just to cut down on reflections. If you are recording in a "bad" untreated room yes these reflections could be a problem, if it was a relatively small room. And you wouldn't likely want to record your vocals in an extremely live sounding room.

The polished sound to me is a vocalist and a producer working together for the best performance possible and not settling for anything less. Otherwise you're just recording a crap performance through an expensive space heater

.

But then again, I've never been in a $2k/day room, so maybe they have something magic I don't?

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 5:03 pm

The tone of a vocal, or any other close mic'd sound, is hugely influenced by the room... and the 2k/day studio most likely has a great sounding room. That's still the most important part of the equation (after great talent)... and it's the reason why recordings made in 'real' studios will always sound 'better' than those made in half-assed situations.

A good vocal booth isn't just 'dead'... record an intimate vocal with a nice mic in a shitty room, and be prepared to hear a lot of that shitty room... compression, eq, etc. is just going to bring out the problems.

Also, another crucial part of a 2k/day studio is the power... usually solid, isolated, and regulated. This makes a big difference.... not a 15 amp breaker in your house on a box that also has a fridge and washer/dryer.

John

JWL · Post by **JWL** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 9:23 pm

Yes it absolutely matters, especially with condenser mics or ribbons. One great strategy is to use panels near the microphone to reduce the room tone in the recordings.

Details here: http://realtraps.com/podcast_01.mp3

cale w · Post by **cale w** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 9:41 pm

I've never hated an otherwise good song because I suspected the vocals were recorded in someone's bedroom. Also, I've never loved a crappy song just because it was recorded with pristine fidelity. That said, and though I don't have much experience recording vocals in pristine environments, I DO know from experience that whatever infinitesimal amount of room sound finds its way into your vocal mic will be instantly exacerbated by the least bit of compression. But if you believe in your songs and your performance, who cares? I feel like a lot of artist/engineers make music while worried about how other engineers will critique their approach. I'm not trying to imply that's your intended goal, just pointing out that that the strength of the material will always outweigh the techniques used to record it.

But from what little I know, dead booths are the way to get super dry, in-your-face vocals.

No Wave Casio Kitsch · Post by **No Wave Casio Kitsch** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:59 pm

I can fully appreciate the desire to track at home, but you also wouldn't have to spend $2k on studio time to go to a nice room to cut vocals. I can think of at least a few nice joints in the bay area you could book for less than $500/day including engineer.

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:07 am

>>>>That said, and though I don't have much experience recording vocals in pristine environments, I DO know from experience that whatever infinitesimal amount of room sound finds its way into your vocal mic will be instantly exacerbated by the least bit of compression.<<<<

THIS ^^^^

The room really does matter, but that doen't mean you need a $2,000-per-minute studio. It _does_ mean that you need a decent, tuned, non-echo-y place to track your dry, compressed, "in-your-face" vocal sound. Save some money for treatment, or at least some packing blankets to hang and some bean-bag chairs to stuff in the corners.

A couple other things-- I'm pretty sure that Jacob Dylan wasn't literally "right on the mike;" that is the effect we hear with a good recording with good clean signal with a fair amount of compression and no major discernable reverb. Singing _right on_ a condenser (especially without a pop filter; definitely get one) is not recommended, unless you like over-driving your mike and EQing out a lot of plosives.

Since you haven't purchased your microphone yet, I would strongly suggest finding a store with an employee that you can trust and work with (who really wants to help you, and doesn't mind working for his/her commission). If you have that in place, you can set-up some microphone auditions. Pick-out a bunch of mikes in the price range you have in mind, bring your own headphones (and maybe a control microphone that you know well; say if you already have a condenser or even an SM58). Set-up a bunch of your choices in a back area of the store, sing through them with a little mixer and headphones so you can really hear what you're supposed to. Pick the one that sounds best after you've eliminated the rest. Every microphone on every voice is not necessarily equal. If you're spending that kind of cake, spend the time to make sure it's right for you. And don't be afraid if there are a few people in the store-- belt it out, do some recitations; use the microphone. No mouse-y "check-- 1, 2." You need to give the thing real-world signal to make a good determination on which is best for you.

GJ

fossiltooth · Post by **fossiltooth** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 9:06 am

The sound of the room absolutely plays into the sound of any source, close-miked or not. Even on a close-miked screaming guitar cab, the room can make a real difference. More significant than say, a difference between mic pres or other basic electronic signal paths.

Also underrated: mics, placement, instruments, playing well, songs.

http://trustmeimascientist.com/2012/06/ ... at-doesnt/

Oftentimes I could care less about the gear. But we do need good spaces to make music in and good people to help us do it. If you have both in your apartment, then god bless. Most don't.

Nick Sevilla · Post by **Nick Sevilla** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 9:54 am

From my experience,
If you suspect your recording space will
not be good enough, then spend one day
in a great sounding studio instead.
Many artists I work with budget studio
time just for critical things like the lead
vocal and full drumkits or ensembles of
musicians.

If this is the only project you'll be doing,
save the money you were going to use
on that expensive mic for other things such
as studio time, mixing engineer and or
mastering engineer.

Cheers

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:47 am

The room modes are still there doing their thing even if the mic is stuck right up on the source, right?

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:44 am

yeah. i think if you're in a reasonably well treated room at home, you can get some good vocals, it's when people do stuff in totally untreated apartment bedrooms that shit gets all crazy. i mixed one song where every time the singer hit a C# you could hear the room go nuts. it took tons of selective eq to make it work in the mix. unfun!

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:01 pm

If you want the dry, up close sound, do your level best to deaden the space you are in. Hang some blankets, but stuff behind you and behind the mic. ALSO try to sing slightly softer, to not excite the room.
Consider a dynamic mic as well.

Or, go to a place with a room that sounds dry.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 2:03 pm

I was curious...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlrStQ8iAKE
Lotsa clues there...

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Close-Up Vocals: Does the Room Really Matter?

Close-Up Vocals: Does the Room Really Matter?

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