How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
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- gimme a little kick & snare
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How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Hi all...
I've been working on a track made up entirely of samples from 1930s-40s shellac 78s, which has been fun, but then I decided to add a newly-recorded vocal on top. Unsurprisingly I'm having a little trouble getting the vocal to work with samples from scratchy 70- & 80-year-old records--my vocal doesn't really match the sound of the 78s. I even tried using a ribbon mic thru an old tube preamp (which is as close as I can get to being period-correct) but it still sounds too hi-fi.
I tried rolling off a bunch of hi end and it more or less works, but it still doesn't sound quite right to me, like I'm just karaoke-ing over old records. I'm not trying to make it sound like it's a REAL vocal sampled from some old 78, but I'd like it to sit a little better with the sources, like they inhabit more or less the same world if that makes sense.
Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks.
I've been working on a track made up entirely of samples from 1930s-40s shellac 78s, which has been fun, but then I decided to add a newly-recorded vocal on top. Unsurprisingly I'm having a little trouble getting the vocal to work with samples from scratchy 70- & 80-year-old records--my vocal doesn't really match the sound of the 78s. I even tried using a ribbon mic thru an old tube preamp (which is as close as I can get to being period-correct) but it still sounds too hi-fi.
I tried rolling off a bunch of hi end and it more or less works, but it still doesn't sound quite right to me, like I'm just karaoke-ing over old records. I'm not trying to make it sound like it's a REAL vocal sampled from some old 78, but I'd like it to sit a little better with the sources, like they inhabit more or less the same world if that makes sense.
Any thoughts/suggestions? Thanks.
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- losthighway
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Most of those really old recordings have a pronounced mid frequency element in it, that nasal quality. I imagine in addition to what you're doing, high passing it pretty radically and maybe boosting a pretty narrow (maybe an octave) mid frequency (maybe somewhere between 750 hz and 1.5k) might give it some of that pinched sound. Also maybe a little bit of extra saturation, like an overdrive pedal not truly distorting it, but warping it just a little.
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- gimme a little kick & snare
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Thanks -- that 'gramophone' IR looks interesting, I'll check it out.
I did try chopping off the lows/highs & boosting the mids, yeah, but I think I overdid it...it sounded too telephone-y/carbon mic-y. More of a 1920s sound, but I'll revisit that. I like the idea of adding some saturation, yeah, I'll try that. Thanks!
I did try chopping off the lows/highs & boosting the mids, yeah, but I think I overdid it...it sounded too telephone-y/carbon mic-y. More of a 1920s sound, but I'll revisit that. I like the idea of adding some saturation, yeah, I'll try that. Thanks!
- losthighway
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Totally. With that stuff I find I have to do it too far, and then back it up. When I go looking I usually overdo those flavors, and then after a break from listening I dial it back.KermitPickle wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 11:47 amThanks -- that 'gramophone' IR looks interesting, I'll check it out.
I did try chopping off the lows/highs & boosting the mids, yeah, but I think I overdid it...it sounded too telephone-y/carbon mic-y. More of a 1920s sound, but I'll revisit that. I like the idea of adding some saturation, yeah, I'll try that. Thanks!
- digitaldrummer
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
maybe try running the vocal through a small guitar amp (champ, pignose, etc.) and re-recording it?
Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Maybe parallel processing? Or maybe the band passed track BW main, and make the full frequency 100% wet on a reverb? Vice Versa?
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Make a cone out of some posterboard at either sing through it, or use a speaker of some sort on a send and put the small opening by the speaker and an inexpensive mic in the horn.
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Maybe also try a bit reducing plug in.
They can work wonders on this type of stuff, where you need to degrade the signal in a different way than just EQ and grit.
Here is the Wiki on these:
https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/78rp ... ack_curves
They can work wonders on this type of stuff, where you need to degrade the signal in a different way than just EQ and grit.
Here is the Wiki on these:
https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/78rp ... ack_curves
Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Ok cool, all good suggestions here. I'll tinker around and see what works.
It also just occurs to me I should maybe work the mic closer and get more bass/proximity effect.
Wow, there's a lot to digest here. Is the suggestion basically to boost at 300 Hz and roll off everything above 10 kHz? I already did the treble cut...Nick Sevilla wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 1:19 pmHere is the Wiki on these:
https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/78rp ... ack_curves
It also just occurs to me I should maybe work the mic closer and get more bass/proximity effect.
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
That would be be fun -- I actually own an acoustic megaphone that I found in the gutter on my street. It says "Eagles Varsity Cheer '89" and "Maria" on it, I'll try that.
I also like the bit reducer idea a lot too, I should have thought of that.
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Years ago I made one from a Willie Nelson poster that I still have.KermitPickle wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 2:17 pmThat would be be fun -- I actually own an acoustic megaphone that I found in the gutter on my street. It says "Eagles Varsity Cheer '89" and "Maria" on it, I'll try that.
I also like the bit reducer idea a lot too, I should have thought of that.
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
Are you looking to make the vocals sound like the 78's... or are you maybe looking to make the vocals sound equally lo-fi?
Because I'm wondering if maybe you could just make the vocals lo-fi but in a little different way that makes them fit into the space *not* used by the 78's.
Because I'm wondering if maybe you could just make the vocals lo-fi but in a little different way that makes them fit into the space *not* used by the 78's.
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Re: How to get a newly-recorded vocal to sit with samples from shellac 78s?
What are people's thoughts on iZotope's Vinyl plugin? It's free…
https://www.izotope.com/en/products/vinyl.html
Though I rather like the idea of mixing the new vocals into the space where the old 78 RPM material isn't.
https://www.izotope.com/en/products/vinyl.html
Though I rather like the idea of mixing the new vocals into the space where the old 78 RPM material isn't.
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