| Distressor for vocals? [message #339313] |
Tue, 06 May 2008 10:08  |
 binary
Messages: 30
Registered: April 2008
Location: Shipley, UK |
Member |
|
|
Anyone here track vox with distressor's often?
What I really, really, desperately need a valve compressor to do all the lead vox with, and thought I was gonna be able to borrow one.. but it seems it's not happening now and I've been waiting on it 
I need to get on with tracking the vox.. I can borrow a distressor off a mate.. Will this do the job well enough to be able to work with it in mixdown?
Female vocals, there isn't much bottom end richness to her voice, and it can often get a bit harsh at around 4k in loud parts. hence a nice creamy valve compressor would be ideal.. but ya know.
There's a lot of range to her singing too.. from really quiet to really loud.
Distressor gonna help me out do you reckon.. since I don't have that valve option.
Cheers
laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339324 is a reply to message #339313 ] |
Tue, 06 May 2008 10:58  |
marcel
Messages: 424
Registered: May 2005
Location: Vancouver |
Active Member |
|
|
Will be fine, given that all other elements (mic, pre, EQ, converters) are fine. I use mine all the time for tracking vox, the sidechain EQ 'emphasis' setting is good for just the sort of harshness you're talking about. Don't hit it too hard, but that goes for any vocal tracking compressor IMHO.
Pad the mic so she can get right up close to get more low end via proximity.
If you're recording to a 24 bit system, tho, there is a case to be made for not needing compression at all during tracking. If you leave lots of headroom and ride the preamp gain conservatively here and there you may be able to go that route, and sort the comp. sound out later.
Just a thought.
Best, Marcel
Best, Marcel
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339328 is a reply to message #339313 ] |
Tue, 06 May 2008 11:26 |
darling
Messages: 19
Registered: May 2004 |
Member |
|
|
I track vocals with a distressor alot. Many people do. Works great.
best DD
www.myspace.com/davedarlingmusic
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339331 is a reply to message #339313 ] |
Tue, 06 May 2008 11:35 |
binary
Messages: 30
Registered: April 2008
Location: Shipley, UK |
Member |
|
|
I need to keep the peaks down definately.. But I'm looking for that smooth richness to the signal too.
I have read how it can emulate classic units like the La-2A, which is probably what I should be using for the vox.
The mic and pre are great (Neumann m269c - Neve 31102 - Rme Converter)
So the Distressor is gonna sort me out too??
I need to a find a good room pronto also..
I have somewhere in mind with a really high ceiling, it's an old mill, probably not ideal, but not many early reflections so it won't sound like my front room at least.
laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339337 is a reply to message #339331 ] |
Tue, 06 May 2008 11:47 |
marcel
Messages: 424
Registered: May 2005
Location: Vancouver |
Active Member |
|
|
| binary wrote on Tue, 06 May 2008 09:35 |
I need to keep the peaks down definately.. But I'm looking for that smooth richness to the signal too.
I have read how it can emulate classic units like the La-2A, which is probably what I should be using for the vox.
The mic and pre are great (Neumann m269c - Neve 31102 - Rme Converter)
So the Distressor is gonna sort me out too??
I need to a find a good room pronto also..
I have somewhere in mind with a really high ceiling, it's an old mill, probably not ideal, but not many early reflections so it won't sound like my front room at least.
|
Be careful of room sound with vocals, unless you are absolutely sure of where you are going with the final mix, and do not plan to process (edit heavily or tune, even to some extent compress) the vocal after tracking.
Once it's there, it's... There.
Best, Marcel
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339339 is a reply to message #339313 ] |
Tue, 06 May 2008 11:51 |
binary
Messages: 30
Registered: April 2008
Location: Shipley, UK |
Member |
|
|
Well this is the thing..
The guitar and other instruments except for the piano have all been tracked at my house.. in quite small rooms..
the vocals don't seem to sound right in any of the rooms here.. I'm pretty stuck where to do them actually, and how to find the right place.
I've got one of those SE reflection filters, but it's shit.
I'm pretty stumped on this really
laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339459 is a reply to message #339379 ] |
Tue, 06 May 2008 19:21 |
binary
Messages: 30
Registered: April 2008
Location: Shipley, UK |
Member |
|
|
| gwailoh wrote on Tue, 06 May 2008 19:33 |
You mention that her voice has intense dynamics. Keep in mind that you don't have to track the vocal "live" to a single track, if you don't want to. If you record soft and loud passages separately to two tracks you can balance them later at mix time. This is a very natural sounding way to control dynamics without squashing them irreparably during tracking. That's if you want a natural sound, of course.
|
Shit is... she's up and down so frequently.. and it's all part of her performance and charm..
she'll get take in one.. and the way she does it will be so right and.. well... perfect.. it's just capturing it through the gear.. if you're in the room, you feel it so much... it just needs to convey on tape.. well.. on hard disk.
so what do you think? pad the fuc outta the room/space? make a little vox booth in my shitty low ceiling living room? Loads of foam and blankets? Or got a for a big room with very few early reflections?
Is it gonna take a lot of experimentation with the el-8? She gets tired easily, and occasionally she's in the perfect frame to drop the mosy amazing vocal take.. so i need to be on it!!
Wish I could show you so you could see. It's really tough to explain!
laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone
|
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339505 is a reply to message #339313 ] |
Wed, 07 May 2008 03:15 |
binary
Messages: 30
Registered: April 2008
Location: Shipley, UK |
Member |
|
|
I'd like to be able to, but I don't have a plethora of gear.
The mic sounds lovely on her voice.. It's so delicate in the top end.. I can't explain it.
I just know that I need to add some silkyness to her voice.. probably though tubes.. but I don't have this option.. something I may be able to do in mixdown?
I'm just wondering if the distressor will do a nice job of keeping the vox from smashing you in the face and maybe clipping me out
ahhhh it's stressful as shit.
I dunno where to even track them either!
laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339510 is a reply to message #339313 ] |
Wed, 07 May 2008 05:01 |
binary
Messages: 30
Registered: April 2008
Location: Shipley, UK |
Member |
|
|
I'm really fretting now.
Where would you guys recommend me tracking the vox then?
Would it be a good idea to build some sort of dead booth out of blankets and shit? Or go for a large open space?
laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone
|
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339575 is a reply to message #339313 ] |
Wed, 07 May 2008 11:51 |
amorris
Messages: 495
Registered: June 2004
Location: florida |
Active Member |
|
|
I have never tracked with a distressor but have definely mixed with one. I think it does a great job with rock and rap vocals in a mix. in your face energy with modern reactions. valve stuff gives you what it gives you.
but saying you "desperately need" a valve compressor and even think of a distressor is confusing. absolutely different animals. to me of course. like needing a mack truck but can get a ferrari with the same horsepower. sure but for 2 different jobs.
|
|
|
| Re: Distressor for vocals? [message #339594 is a reply to message #339459 ] |
Wed, 07 May 2008 13:34 |
 |
gwailoh
Messages: 141
Registered: April 2005
Location: Santa Cruz, CA |
Active Member |
|
|
| binary wrote on Tue, 06 May 2008 17:21 |
| gwailoh wrote on Tue, 06 May 2008 19:33 |
You mention that her voice has intense dynamics. Keep in mind that you don't have to track the vocal "live" to a single track, if you don't want to. If you record soft and loud passages separately to two tracks you can balance them later at mix time. This is a very natural sounding way to control dynamics without squashing them irreparably during tracking. That's if you want a natural sound, of course.
|
Shit is... she's up and down so frequently.. and it's all part of her performance and charm..
she'll get take in one.. and the way she does it will be so right and.. well... perfect.. it's just capturing it through the gear.. if you're in the room, you feel it so much... it just needs to convey on tape.. well.. on hard disk.
so what do you think? pad the fuc outta the room/space? make a little vox booth in my shitty low ceiling living room? Loads of foam and blankets? Or got a for a big room with very few early reflections?
Is it gonna take a lot of experimentation with the el-8? She gets tired easily, and occasionally she's in the perfect frame to drop the mosy amazing vocal take.. so i need to be on it!!
Wish I could show you so you could see. It's really tough to explain!
|
Understood re performance and charm.
Do you feel you absolutely *must* compress during tracking? How about recording at a safe level, then using fader automation during mix to control dynamics in a largely transparent way?
It sounds as though the "smooth richness" you're seeking might have less to do with compression and more to do with microphone, if I understand you.
Re el-8 learning curve, IMHO most compressors with more than one knob require some number of hours of hands-on to become comfortable with. Perhaps an exception is an ELOP-style with just a single "more" knob.
Re your recording space. Since this vocal is obviously important to you, is it inescapably necessary to record it in your room? What about tracking vox in a commercial facility? Along with a good-sounding room, you'd also gain a wide mic selection and, who knows, maybe even that valve compressor you're hungering for?
Mark Phillips
I'm not old I'm vintage.
http://www.markphillips.com
http://www.myspace.com/mark_phillips
http://www.smartmonsters.com
|
|
|
Recording Engineering & Production: The nuts and bolts of making records better, not just louder and cheaper. Some of the brightest minds from the creative and scientific world of audio discuss the elements of audio production that interest you most.
Members
Search
FAQ
Register
Login
Home
