BEST vocal sound?

[bluemt]

Sorry wrong Post!

[Disco_Doctor]

>I have yet to recreate it in pro tools and look forward
>to sugestions of what to use...

Jules,

Without a doubt - use Pitchblender. Learn how to tweak the settings so you can get it do do subtle VSO'ing of the pitch and delay, and blend lightly with the original vocal track - the results are worth the effort. Very similar to effects you can achieve with the H3000...

DaveG - I like the "intimate" sound of putting the vocalist very close to the mic also. The way to achieve good results and avoid the proximity effect is to use an omnidirectional microphone instead of a cardiod. Dampen the room really well. Give it a try!

[Dr. J]

Hey Dennis, I use the TLM 103 also. I go through numorous pre's, and the better the pre, obviously you get better sound. But I have use most all of the techniques mentioned above, and they all work. (in different situations) After your mic, the most important thing is your room. If you don't have an accoustically designed space, you can create one fairly cheap. Auralex even makes a new product, that can act as a portable foldable vocal booth, for like under $1,000.00 After that, I agree with a lot of what has already been said. I like to compress well. I like the Focusrite Plug in better for vox than the C-1. And pitchblender is also really cool. I also like to use 16th sec. delays panned dead center with the vocal, slightly lower in the mix. The different colors created by differrent delay plug-ins or outboard peices can add to thickness to your overall sound.

[KymataDigital]

Hey, Dennis.

Some of the stuff suggested in here I like...some I don't. (Compressing after the A/D stage without compressing before?!)

The TLM-103 is a fine mic for vocals. I am also guessing that you got the Mackie with the XDR pre-amps, which are transparent if you don't fool around with the gain on the Mackie itself. The Meek? Hmm...I personally never liked the Meek sound. Anywho...

To get that thicker more stereo sound, split the output of a harmonizer plugin (PurePitch). One side gets treated with +9cents/18ms, the other with -9cents/24ms. Then both sides are then run through a LPF (at around 15k) to make the effect less noticeable. Mix wisely and transparently.

Just make sure you get the cleanest sound into PT before anything. And, capture the greatest performance possible!
/paul

[This message has been edited by KymataDigital (edited May 23, 2000).]

[thefly]

anyone out there had tried the Manley VoxBox or the TubeTech Recording Channel?

[Oli P]

thefly: Yes...both are very high end. Very dynamic and good sounding, but I don't like the compressor too much on either one.

My favourite setup is: M149 (in omni) into a Demeter tube pre, then a Urei 1176 and a Manley Massive Passive....then converter.

Disco: It is supposedly the same people who designed the H3000 who make the Pitchblender.
The "fat thats good for you" preset gets you halfway there

[phobia]

Use less reverb to bring the vocal closer. At least less Decay. Try to bring in more early reflections.

Catching the ambience of a room is the most important thing. Often Mixing Engineers use several delays instead of verbs.

If your verb cannot to that try sending the vocal to 2 different delays returning panned (not hard) left and right. One delay with 1/8 and one on 1/16 notes (in ms). Detune the returned delays up and down respectivly and compensate the levels (as tuning affects how you hear these levels). You may also try chorusing the delays or as some people to, send the returned delay into a verb.

The effects should not be heard, but you should defenitly hear that something important is missing if you bypass them.

Also compress the recorded vocal to even out some (not all) dynamics letting the vocal sit better ontop of the mix.

// Joakim W

[Dennis]

Now I know this question will have the typical "it depends..." answer...

BUT, what are the more typical compression settings you all use...

what would you say is AVERAGE?

D

Also, what compression plug-ins do you use.

[tuchel]

Try any mic pre Rupert Neve designed. Amek 9098, focusrite blue or red, neve 1272. I can't live without it for vocals. Nice high dense sound. Rent a unit and see if this is what you seek.

tuchel

[Kenny Gioia]

I like Compressorbank for vocals the best

Channelstrip for the master Fader

Channelstrip for Bass

Haven't decided on Kik or snare yet