Mixing Vocals - Help
muntahunta
Jan 19 2008, 05:21 PM
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i need help mixing vocals because no matter what i do, they always sound as if their totally seperate from the mix.

the music sounds ok, but the vocals just dont blend in like i'd like them too.

are there any tricks for this or is it all experience?

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Hisham Al-Sanea
Jan 19 2008, 11:18 PM
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it depends oin how did you recorded the vocal track if the intrance is good so you can ,mix that well i think you need to seround the vocal and give some enhancer and some reverb or delay

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MickeM
Jan 20 2008, 12:12 AM
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Yeah some reverb should be good. And you can (should) put the vocals on several tracks. Try compressing them maybe?

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muntahunta
Jan 20 2008, 12:17 PM
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well i have the ability to record them again.

im recording them through my POD X3 using the "Studio Vocal" preset, which is really clear. im also using an SM58

i usually add reverb but it doesnt really help at all :S

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Hisham Al-Sanea
Jan 20 2008, 11:30 PM
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try to seround and enhancing the vocal

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Majickal
Jan 22 2008, 01:50 PM
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Some simple "Rules" to live by when recording vocals:

1. record the performance not the fx. That is record a completely dry (effect-less) vocal track, if you need to use compression to manage the dynamics feel free, but watch for over compression as this can cause pumping or other nasty artefacts in your track. (you can always add effects later if required)

2. Always place the mic on a mic stand and use a popper stopper or sibilance screen as they are sometimes known (example: http://www.coutant.org/popstop/). This will reduce plosives and stop spit clogging up your mic.

3. attach an example track and i can break it down for you. This will help me identify exactly where you are experiencing trouble and help you rectify it.



Chris

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muntahunta
Jan 22 2008, 02:57 PM
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i have just uploaded a track i've just finished
https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...c=11047&hl=

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Nemanja Filipovi...
Jan 24 2008, 06:00 PM
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you can try just volume down your vocal and little compreson...but it is very hurd,considering the equpment...
in big studios it comes down to 3000$ mic 3000$ preamp, converters?????$ and great acusic room....so in the end with litlle work(comreson,eq)you can here the efect you vont....I tryed my self and had the sam problem(in home studio edition)...but it was hurd.....so I just take down vocal fader a litlle and a litlle compreson...hope it helps

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Kyle Logue
Feb 4 2008, 07:14 AM
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From: Nacogdoches, TX
QUOTE (muntahunta @ Jan 19 2008, 10:21 AM) *
i need help mixing vocals because no matter what i do, they always sound as if their totally seperate from the mix.

the music sounds ok, but the vocals just dont blend in like i'd like them too.

are there any tricks for this or is it all experience?


EQ->Pitch Correction->Compression->Chorus->Delay->Reverb

These are really the only effects that you need on vocals. (Chorus is optional)

A lot of the troubles to be had in getting the vocals to sit within a certain mix can be fixed by adjusting the panning of the tracks. Here's some little tricks I picked up from running sound over the years:

1) Every track in a song will compete with other tracks unless you EQ it and pan it to share audio space.
2) Never pan a bass guitar or a kick drum...they need to remain in the center channel
3) When doubling a track, pan one 75% left and the other 75% right to spread out the tracks.
4) You can double a track without re-recording....just duplicate and shift the track left or right a few milliseconds.
5) Learn to EQ! Listen to popular music and copy their EQ until you get the hang of it.

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Nemanja Filipovi...
Feb 9 2008, 10:54 PM
Singing Instructor
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here some tips...EQ for vocals....

EQ gently with narrow bandwidths.
boost(pool your band spot up on the grafix multyband equalizer) 12-15k, 5k, 200-500hz (a bit),
cut(pool down) 500hz-800hz (only if needed)
If high notes pierce
male vocals reduce 900hz, female reduce 3k.
to de-ess a vocal----->ther are allso programs for that Deesser...he reduce the amount of the letter S in singing
reduce 7k

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Falcon_itSELF
Nov 3 2008, 06:06 PM
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Buy a condenser mic... Akg c-2000 is a chep microphone and have a good quality ...
Use a Good preamp... Presonus have some good models for a inexpensive price.

I don´t like use pop filter... you can place the microfone above the mouth or below...

" Pointing the mic down at the singer´s mouth produces a sound with minimal nasal quality while de-emphasizing lip smacks, breaths, sniffs... "
" Pointing the mic up at the singer´s mouth might fill out an otherwise thin sound. However, this technique accentuates nasal tone quality as well as breaths, lip smacks and sniffs.

Place the microphone 6 to 12 inches from singer. ( Unless you have a good acoustic in your room )

Try use a low-cut ( hipassfilter ) on ~ 80 HZ cutting 18 dB per octave ( third order ).
Try in 100 Hz too cutting 12 dB per octave ( Second order )


Some Mixing tips:

Compression:

- Try a fast/medium attack ( 3 to 5 ms ) --- Medium/long release ( 0.5 to 1 s ) --- Ratio ( 3:1 to 7:1 )

Before you comp, do a volume track automation.

Equalizer:

- Try boost between 3 and 5 Khz - gives more presence

Don´t use a lot of reverb !

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Jose Mena
Nov 3 2008, 06:30 PM
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The same happened to me when I first recorded vocals, I thought it was the mic, the pre amp, even if I had an excellent sounding vocal, in tune and everything, it seemed like it was on top of the mix and not a part of it.

As already advised record the vocal totally dry, no effects at all, good mic, pre amp, and all that stuff will help you get a nice sounding vocal track, but the problem you are experiencing is totally a mixing problem.

SM-58 can give outstanding vocal recordings, I've heard them, but I guess it depends on the timbre of the singer, pre amp and all that, anyway to cut to the chase, this is what I found out that helped me:

Apply all my time based effects in auxiliary buses:

I have at least 5 of them:

1. Room Reverb
2. Plate Reverb
3. Chamber Reverb
4. medium delay aproximately 250ms 30% feedback
5. long delay aproximately 500ms 21% feedback

By sending a little of the instruments to the Room Reverb Aux bus, I am giving them reverb, and all instruments share this reverb, this way I save in system resources, and all instruments sound like they are in the same room

On the vocal I usually apply some plate reverb, other instruments might get a little bit of hits too.

Also add a little bit of medium delay, and maybe long delay if the song calls for it, now the trick is to not make it evident that you have applied all these effects, it should be very subtle, you almost don't hear them, but if you take them away you feel they are gone. The vocal sounds like almost dry but with some depth, anyway this is how I do it, there might be 1000 different approaches, but using aux buses is the best way I found how to mix, and allowed me to mix in the vocals which was the biggest challenge.

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Gus
Nov 3 2008, 06:42 PM
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QUOTE (Nemanja @ Feb 9 2008, 10:54 PM) *
here some tips...EQ for vocals....

EQ gently with narrow bandwidths.
boost(pool your band spot up on the grafix multyband equalizer) 12-15k, 5k, 200-500hz (a bit),
cut(pool down) 500hz-800hz (only if needed)
If high notes pierce
male vocals reduce 900hz, female reduce 3k.
to de-ess a vocal----->ther are allso programs for that Deesser...he reduce the amount of the letter S in singing
reduce 7k


Hi, Nemanja. You or someone else has more tips to record female voices?

Another problem I found is that when the singer releases her voice to full power, it saturates. I could not correct this later even with compression. Should I just ask her to sing more far away of the microphone when singing more loud?

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