Recording Vocals

Need a helping hand to make sure you do it right, first time? Got some good advice to pass on, so no-one makes the same mistakes you did? This is your forum.
User avatar
rayc
Posts: 8451
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:31 pm
Location: South of Bundaberg North of Brisbane

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by rayc »

Whilst researching my problem I found this...

06-08-2007 #8
RAMI Guest

OK, everybody just be groovy, man. The plug-ins are really outta sight! Peace.
Cheers
rayc
User avatar
rammer24
Posts: 2736
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:41 pm

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by rammer24 »

rayc wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2017 6:21 am MOST of the Modern Plugs click when I use them as in: run smoothly for 10 seco9nds then a wobble or something else like on/off. Any ideas?
That's weird. That sounds like something that only happens to trial versions.
User avatar
rammer24
Posts: 2736
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:41 pm

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by rammer24 »

rayc wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2017 7:39 am Whilst researching my problem I found this...

06-08-2007 #8
RAMI Guest
Yeah, I told them to make my ban permanent. So, all my posts say "GUEST" now. :D
Last edited by rammer24 on Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by Greg_L »

rayc wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2017 6:21 am MOST of the Modern Plugs click when I use them as in: run smoothly for 10 seco9nds then a wobble or something else like on/off. Any ideas?
They're free, so there's no trial version. It must be something on your end in your setup.
Rebel Yell
User avatar
JD01
Posts: 15816
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:11 pm
Location: Wales, UK

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by JD01 »

I just don't think I know enough to use the modern plugins. Tried one today and struggled with it so went back to using my Scarlett one that came with my 2i2
User avatar
JD01
Posts: 15816
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:11 pm
Location: Wales, UK

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by JD01 »

EQing vocals: I've said before that I'm pretty shit at knowing what to do with EQ and working out what cuts/boosts are necessary - I always thought there must be some science to it that I just don't know.

Anyway - was EQing a vocal track yesterday for a bit of practice and tried this:
1. Make a small(ish) EQ bump that's also relatively narrow.
2. Move it up and down the freq spectrum until I hear something I like.
3. Make a small(ish) EQ cut that's also relatively narrow.
4. Move this up and down until I hear something I like (i.e removing something I don't like)
5. Adjust the width and depth of these boosts and cuts until I like them even more.
6. Repeat 1 - 5 until I can't get any more improvement.

Does this sound reasonable?
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:22 am EQing vocals: I've said before that I'm pretty shit at knowing what to do with EQ and working out what cuts/boosts are necessary - I always thought there must be some science to it that I just don't know.
There isn't. If there was we wouldn't need ears.
Anyway - was EQing a vocal track yesterday for a bit of practice and tried this:
1. Make a small(ish) EQ bump that's also relatively narrow.
2. Move it up and down the freq spectrum until I hear something I like.
3. Make a small(ish) EQ cut that's also relatively narrow.
4. Move this up and down until I hear something I like (i.e removing something I don't like)
5. Adjust the width and depth of these boosts and cuts until I like them even more.
6. Repeat 1 - 5 until I can't get any more improvement.

Does this sound reasonable?
That's called parametric sweeping, and yes it's reasonable. In fact, it's beyond reasonable, it's straight up normal. That's pretty much how you EQ something with a parametric EQ. I think the tired old cliche "cut before you boost" has merit though. Cutting bad stuff often makes you not need to boost the good stuff.
Rebel Yell
User avatar
JD01
Posts: 15816
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:11 pm
Location: Wales, UK

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by JD01 »

Cool - I'd never actually done this until yesterday and, as I was writing this out this morning, I did start to think "hang on, I bet this is completely normal" I've obviously heard of parametric sweeping but never really understood it until yesterday - probably just not confident enough in my ears or abilities. I suppose its one of them things you have to work out for yourself or you'll never really get it.

Not sure I want to try it with guitar tone but it's definitely going to be handy with vocals.
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by Greg_L »

JD01 wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:17 am Cool - I'd never actually done this until yesterday and, as I was writing this out this morning, I did start to think "hang on, I bet this is completely normal" I've obviously heard of parametric sweeping but never really understood it until yesterday - probably just not confident enough in my ears or abilities. I suppose its one of them things you have to work out for yourself or you'll never really get it.

Not sure I want to try it with guitar tone but it's definitely going to be handy with vocals.
It works with anything. How the fuck were you EQ'ing anything before? Were you just randomly drawing in bumps and dips?
Rebel Yell
User avatar
JD01
Posts: 15816
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:11 pm
Location: Wales, UK

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by JD01 »

Greg_L wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:25 am
JD01 wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:17 am Cool - I'd never actually done this until yesterday and, as I was writing this out this morning, I did start to think "hang on, I bet this is completely normal" I've obviously heard of parametric sweeping but never really understood it until yesterday - probably just not confident enough in my ears or abilities. I suppose its one of them things you have to work out for yourself or you'll never really get it.

Not sure I want to try it with guitar tone but it's definitely going to be handy with vocals.
It works with anything. How the fuck were you EQ'ing anything before? Were you just randomly drawing in bumps and dips?
I was just doing a sweep with a big, narrow bump, looking for something that stuck out as being particularly nasty and then cutting that so I'd end up with a couple of really deep narrow cuts. I've only ever really done it on drums though to pull ringy bits out that annoy me a bit.
User avatar
ido1957
Posts: 932
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:45 pm
Location: Edmonton. Alberta

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by ido1957 »

JD01 wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:22 am EQing vocals: I've said before that I'm pretty shit at knowing what to do with EQ and working out what cuts/boosts are necessary - I always thought there must be some science to it that I just don't know.

Anyway - was EQing a vocal track yesterday for a bit of practice and tried this:
1. Make a small(ish) EQ bump that's also relatively narrow.
2. Move it up and down the freq spectrum until I hear something I like.
3. Make a small(ish) EQ cut that's also relatively narrow.
4. Move this up and down until I hear something I like (i.e removing something I don't like)
5. Adjust the width and depth of these boosts and cuts until I like them even more.
6. Repeat 1 - 5 until I can't get any more improvement.

Does this sound reasonable?
Yes as Greg said this is a very popular method of finding good and bad eq sounds and making adjustments. I do this on pretty much everything i.e. instruments and vocals (as needed). Sounds like you've got a good handle on from the list above.
Also re vocal eq specifcally...it really really depends on the key/singer/mic.
General guidance - I usually roll off the bottom end until it gets out of the way of the bass/drums/low stuff. But not so much that it gets "tinny" or "thin". Then I always do that sweep you mentioned and find the harsh areas. My Sputnik mic was brutally harsh at 4K for example. I do find that opto compressors will change the tone of a vocal (i.e. it brings up the low stuff) which is why I eq before I compress in the FX bin.
People want something for nothing, they want it right now. Either they can't tell quality or don't care but feel it is important that everyone agrees with them.
User avatar
JD01
Posts: 15816
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:11 pm
Location: Wales, UK

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by JD01 »

ido1957 wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2017 9:57 am I do find that opto compressors will change the tone of a vocal (i.e. it brings up the low stuff) which is why I eq before I compress in the FX bin.
Cheers, Bubba was telling me about sorting out the order of things in Reaper the other day so I will keep this in mind.
User avatar
rammer24
Posts: 2736
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:41 pm

Re: Recording Vocals

Post by rammer24 »

It's a legit way to do it, but I would do a few things differntly.
JD01 wrote: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:22 am 1. Make a small(ish) EQ bump that's also relatively narrow.
Yes, except don't make it a small(ish) bump. I boost that mother fucker about 12-18db. Also, narrow the Q so that you're hitting a narrow range of frequencies as you sweep.
2. Move it up and down the freq spectrum until I hear something I like.
I actually never bother looking for anything I like. I go right to steps 3 and 4 and only look for stuff I don't like, and cut it. I almost never boost. I certainly never look for anything to boost this way.
3. Make a small(ish) EQ cut that's also relatively narrow.
4. Move this up and down until I hear something I like (i.e removing something I don't like)
5. Adjust the width and depth of these boosts and cuts until I like them even more.
Yes, these are the steps I do, but like I said, I make a huge boost when I sweep, and narrow the Q. It's one time where subtlety isn't necessary.
Post Reply