[Manudub]

i will in the next future , much more collaborate with singer then i need some advice for recording them , for the take i have only one mic the shure" sm58" , my main problem is to give some relief to the voice , i have try some plug dedicated to that , but i'm not satisfied by the result...
sure i can google to find some tutorial , but when i hear the quality of the stuff here , i think some of you can easily help me...all advice are welcome !!

[Joe Bailey]

Hi Manu

whadda ya mean buy relief

[Manudub]

hard to describe with my poor english...
i mean i like to situate the voice in the mix not only with L-R panning but also with some deepness....
also if you have an advice to how make a sm 58 sound warm...i take it !!

[Lackatee]

Lots of variables to this question. Almost too many to even respond.

Good recordings start at the source and work there way through the signal chain. Its quite possible the vocalist your working with, doesn't really sound good through a 58. Could very well be the wrong mic for the singers voice. While there have been some amazing vocals recorded through 57/58's... Generally you want to use a decent condenser/tube/ribbon mic for more detailed response. The larger the diaphragm, the more broad the frequency range is on the microphone. That's why you see small Pencil style mics on hi-hats and overheads. Because the smaller the diaphragm, the better it picks up high frequencies. Same reason why you see people using 15' P.A speakers as mics in front of kick drums. That's 15' Diaphragm!! You think its gonna pick up some low end? Hell yeah!!

Preamps, Vocalist, Mic, Signal processing... all play a roll in the sound that you will capture.

This is just the way i do things on my equipment. But as an example, when I'm recording a vocalist, i usually have them sing the key spots 3 times(sometimes 4 or 5 depending on the material) Once i get 3 identical tracks from the singer, ill pan 2 of them to about 30 on both L/R and then ill leave the last one in the center to fill the whole stereo field. I maybe EQ the center track to give it some more low end as well. I'm running vocals through a pretty expensive chain which includes a channel strip where i can EQ to tape(hard drive) and get the sound i want WHILE tracking it. I start with a good Tube microphone, running into a tube preamp channel strip, then out of that into a compressor and then out of that into a AD converter into my sound card.

I'm not saying you need a huge chain like that to get a quality recording. But when you DO have a chain like that. You take all the work out in the end, so you don't have to do the things your asking about right now. When I'm done tracking my vocals, they are done. i RARELY have to EQ them anymore, and they stack very well when adding multiple layers. Which can be a problem with cheaper mics. The more you lay vocals, the shittier the sound becomes because the crap frequencies are being added up more and more every time you lay another vocal track.

With all that being said. I think you might want to consider getting a better vocal mic for recording. One that has the sound your looking for BEFORE you record it. It will save yourself some time and frustration in the end. And i also recommend compressing your vocals as you track them. This will give you a nice even playing field when your ready to mix and you you'll avoid any clipping from plosives, loud notes, and any other increase in the signal.

Good Luck, i hope that helps a little. Your questions is soooo general and the variables involved are mind boggling.

[Manudub]

yes , thx a lot of very nice advice...you put me on the right way , i have to made some try & work hard...i think i could access to some cool "neuman" mic from the radio i'm working...but the best will be to capture you in my cheap studio , don't you have plan for having some holydays in France...'lol"

[Joe Bailey]

A good dose of compression can help dodgy vocals too

[InspiredFunk]

Firstly ... change your mic - if you want real close up vocals, you will need more than an SM58 to get them really clean. The SM58 suits hard and distance vocals better, and is perfect for live performance.

Keep your eyes out for a good Rode - you can often find them lurking around at good prices.

Generally, when recording vocals, like most here, I ask vocalists to do multiple takes, both on the core melody, and various "freeform" elements and licks.

I tend to "mono" record voice, rather than Stereo - make sure your software is set accordingly - remember, you can always add stereo effects by using VST or effects software, or by simply doubling the vocal, moving one a split second forwards and panning each track to the left and right according to the width in the voice that you want.

Also, record the vocals clean. I usually put a bit of reverb into the monitor for the vocalist to hear whilst recording, but I record the bare track - its easy to add effects, much more difficult to take them away..

I have noticed some differences in the ability of certain software to make good recordings. For example, Cubase has far superior recording than, say Acid Pro. I am not sure what software you are running!

Originally Posted by Lackatee

Lots of variables to this question. Almost too many to even respond.

Good recordings start at the source and work there way through the signal chain. Its quite possible the vocalist your working with, doesn't really sound good through a 58. Could very well be the wrong mic for the singers voice. While there have been some amazing vocals recorded through 57/58's... Generally you want to use a decent condenser/tube/ribbon mic for more detailed response. The larger the diaphragm, the more broad the frequency range is on the microphone. That's why you see small Pencil style mics on hi-hats and overheads. Because the smaller the diaphragm, the better it picks up high frequencies. Same reason why you see people using 15' P.A speakers as mics in front of kick drums. That's 15' Diaphragm!! You think its gonna pick up some low end? Hell yeah!!

Preamps, Vocalist, Mic, Signal processing... all play a roll in the sound that you will capture.

This is just the way i do things on my equipment. But as an example, when I'm recording a vocalist, i usually have them sing the key spots 3 times(sometimes 4 or 5 depending on the material) Once i get 3 identical tracks from the singer, ill pan 2 of them to about 30 on both L/R and then ill leave the last one in the center to fill the whole stereo field. I maybe EQ the center track to give it some more low end as well. I'm running vocals through a pretty expensive chain which includes a channel strip where i can EQ to tape(hard drive) and get the sound i want WHILE tracking it. I start with a good Tube microphone, running into a tube preamp channel strip, then out of that into a compressor and then out of that into a AD converter into my sound card.

I'm not saying you need a huge chain like that to get a quality recording. But when you DO have a chain like that. You take all the work out in the end, so you don't have to do the things your asking about right now. When I'm done tracking my vocals, they are done. i RARELY have to EQ them anymore, and they stack very well when adding multiple layers. Which can be a problem with cheaper mics. The more you lay vocals, the shittier the sound becomes because the crap frequencies are being added up more and more every time you lay another vocal track.

With all that being said. I think you might want to consider getting a better vocal mic for recording. One that has the sound your looking for BEFORE you record it. It will save yourself some time and frustration in the end. And i also recommend compressing your vocals as you track them. This will give you a nice even playing field when your ready to mix and you you'll avoid any clipping from plosives, loud notes, and any other increase in the signal.

Good Luck, i hope that helps a little. Your questions is soooo general and the variables involved are mind boggling.

Greetings I like your information, What I do first is get the original voice recorded first with the 58/s mic no fx at all just the right level with treble mid base, then for the churse I do three defferent tones of the same voice high pitch original and low. ounce I have that down then I sink the three voices for the churse, then I add what ever type of fx I want on it. with the lead voice I just add a tight reverb. It is a little bit harder to get the sound your looking for when you use the voice equiptment from the start just because sometime how it sounds when your recording is not how it sounds when it is recorded 100% so I kind a build the sound I want. The computer can do the same but it will sound like you use the same voice tones in the end. I for got to add this before sinking the voices you could add defferent fx to each voice to invent a new tone also. I hope this idea helps

[herbanmusic]

Lackatee- Big RASpect, and though youre far more experienced ill be droping InI points also.
Emphasize bredrin's points in wrong mic for the singers voice : InI had to go through a few to find the right one to I deep low voice, and all this recording lately producing others voices found that true more than ever !
compressing your vocals as you track them : This is a key point to half workd ready straight away.
getting a better vocal mic for recording will save yourself some time and frustration in the end- Self explanatory, again emphasized.
InspiredFunk
I tend to "mono" record voice, rather than Stereo, but about doubling the tracks, adding delay with panning, is more of a matter of taste and style; Though an old trick, continues as efficient as ever, to add field to it !

About Lackatee's and Lion Heart Prod. of adding several layers of pitched signal, id go for being a matter of taste again and style(Spot on on most of Lackatee's style for example: Best example u can get !). Surely works for what Manu asks about deepness in the Voice.
About Lion Heart Prod. of several FX'd Layers o it careful cuz LFO's fx tend to clash highly !
About the reverb: A lot of people tend to record with reverb, cuz theyd probably been in the studio and thats what they heard..Couldnt be more wrong:Therefore "its easy to add effects, much more difficult to take them away.." couldnt be more true !

If and when you have the chance, try to have a go at differentsettings for different voices: A voice is like a fingerprint...There aint two the same !
Give thanks
Ras Bruno

[dubcreator]

You should always tend to record vocals clean.
So no reverb, no compression, no EQ...nothing.
Afterworth you always can cut or add things.
Even with a 58 you can get good results. Ofcourse also depending on the treatment/gear quality after.
But yes agree on a condenser or tube mic.
For recording hi quality you need a good mic, a good preamp and good soundcard.

I always record thru a high quality TLa pre amp straight into DAW without any treatment, so you always have the original vocal to work on. After that i run it again thru the preamp but then with some tube saturation according to taste.
Run it back from the multitrack to my desk and do dynamics and FX from there.