Johnbee58
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Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
Hi I use Sonar X3 Studio. Last year I spent more than $1200.00 to improve my vocal tracks. I bought an Avantone CV-12 tube condenser mic ($500.00), a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 ($250.00) and an Aurelex Roominator kit for sound re inforcement ($500.00). Please listen to this track and tell me what I'm doing wrong with the vocal: https://johnbowen.bandcamp.com/track/she-doesnt-play-that-gameI think this sounds terrible!! There's a kind of distortion on the vocal track that I just cannot stand anymore (even though I record with very LOW gain). I'm seriously considering trashing all my gear and giving up this damned frustrating hobby for good unless I get some answers soon. What am I doing wrong? All I want is a cleaner vocal sound. This sounds like an absolute joke. I hear a dirty gritty sound on this vocal I hate! Seriously, I've heard better sound quality from a cheap $20.00 dynamic mic! Would appreciate any and all help on this. John B.
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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Sheanes
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/27 00:20:45
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you have it positioned in the right direction I assume.
would try to rule out that the distortion comes from the mic (try a different cable, differenct input channel so you know it's not a bad mic port on the focusrite). Ofcourse it could be there's a bad connection in the mic.
from what I've read, microphones often have a tyypical sound/color....so it might be you need a different flavor for your voice.
also sounds to me you're a bit far away from the mic (that's also I could emagine the mic is facing wrong direction).
don't give up, you'll fix it....the music sounds nice too !
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Sheanes
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/27 00:33:34
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if you have the gain on that preamp box real low, that could be the problem maybe, the signal might be so weak then that it's fighting to come through properly. Have you tried to raise the gain on the box, and reduce it on the focusrite ?
or try to plugin the mic directly into the focusrite, so see if the problem is in that red preamp box.
if the preamp box or mic are giving you that distortion you could try to return it under warrenty I hope.
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Johnbee58
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/27 06:27:43
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Thanks Sheanes  Actually, it doesn't matter how low or high I have the input gain, or how close or far from the mic I am. Still the same dirty and disgusting noise. Sometimes I think maybe it's psychological because sometimes, in my mind, it doesn't sound too bad and other times I think it just sucks. I was hoping that some here would listen and give me their impression of it. I've contacted reps at both Sweetwater and Avantone who are telling me (after hearing samples) that the mic is doing its job fine. So it's either in my mixing, tracking or room. I have two other mics (another cheaper condenser and a dynamic) and another interface that don't sound much different. BTW-The "red box" does not contain the volume in/output. The knob on it is a 9 position polarity switch. Before you ask, I tried all 9. No difference. The only gain control is on the Scarlett. Also, thanks for liking the music. JB
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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patm300e
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/27 07:00:07
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Is there any way to try another PC? I had a PC that made everything sound bad. Upgraded/switched PCs and it fixed it just fine. It seems the only common denominator in your path. That and your monitoring setup...
Just spitballing here.
 SPLAT on a Home built i3 16 GB RAM 64-bit Windows 10 Home Premium 120GB SSD (OS) 2TB Data Drive. Behringer XR-18 USB 2.0 Interface. FaderPort control.
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Rob[at]Sound-Rehab
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/27 07:35:15
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☄ Helpfulby jacksop 2017/01/27 07:47:39
patm300e
Is there any way to try another PC? I had a PC that made everything sound bad. Upgraded/switched PCs and it fixed it just fine. It seems the only common denominator in your path. That and your monitoring setup...
Just spitballing here.
how can that happen? the PC just stores the 0s and 1s ... Johnbee58
Hi
I use Sonar X3 Studio.
Last year I spent more than $1200.00 to improve my vocal tracks. I bought an Avantone CV-12 tube condenser mic ($500.00), a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 ($250.00) and an Aurelex Roominator kit for sound re inforcement ($500.00). Please listen to this track and tell me what I'm doing wrong with the vocal:
https://johnbowen.bandcamp.com/track/she-doesnt-play-that-game
I think this sounds terrible!! There's a kind of distortion on the vocal track that I just cannot stand anymore (even though I record with very LOW gain). I'm seriously considering trashing all my gear and giving up this damned frustrating hobby for good unless I get some answers soon. What am I doing wrong? All I want is a cleaner vocal sound. This sounds like an absolute joke. I hear a dirty gritty sound on this vocal I hate! Seriously, I've heard better sound quality from a cheap $20.00 dynamic mic! Would appreciate any and all help on this.
John B.
Hi John, you should be posting a try recording of just the vocals to have others see if the problem is indeed with the recorded vocals or with the mix. I just a very brief listen and your mix is boomy and instruments are right where your vocals are sitting. IMHO there is a lot of collision which can easily color the vocals quite badly. i would start trying to carve a vocal sound first and see if you can get something you are happy with, then bring in the band and make sure they all stay clear of the vocals ...
GOOD TUNES LAST FOREVER +++ Visit the Rehab +++ DAW: Platinum/X3e, win10 64 bit, i7-3930K (6x3.2GHz), Asus Sabertooth X79, 32 GB DDR3 1600MHz, ATI HD 5450, 120 GB SSD OCZ Agility3, 2x 1TB WD HDD SATA 600 Audio-Interface: 2x MOTU 1248 AVB, Focusrite OctoPre, (Roland Octa-Capture) Control-Surface: VS-700C VSTi: WAVES, NI K10u, FabFilter, IK, ... (too many really)
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Johnbee58
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/27 10:08:38
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@ptm300e-Thanks for your observation, but I would agree with SoundRehab. The PC could be a factor in a case where there is low memory resulting in the clicks and pops that you get when the processor is overtaxed but that is not my case. Plenty of memory. @SoundRehab-Thanks for your idea. On this particular mix the vocals are purposely low only because having the vocal track higher in the mix is more annoying because you hear the dirty filthy grit around the vocal track more. IOW-making the track louder also makes the anomaly louder. I see it like the difference between feeling a smooth piece of wood as opposed to a piece of wood that hasn't been properly sanded down to smooth the rough edges. And I've been EQing all over the place. Is anybody else hearing this, or is it just me? Am I perhaps being a bit too critical of my own work? I could isolate the vocal track if that would help you judge. JB
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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Sheanes
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/27 10:22:12
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Hi John,
Listened to it again, I can't hear any nasty things in the vocals or mix, the mix certainly sounds fine.
To really spot if there's something wrong in the recording stage (mic or anything else), perhaps you could load just the vocals on soundcloud or anything.
If people could listen to the raw vocals recording only (without EQ etc) it would be easier to tell if there's a prob or not.
hang in there !
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stevesweat
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/27 10:22:51
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I couldn't hear any distortion, yeah maybe post the vocal alone
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tlw
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 10:47:36
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I don't hear any obvious distortion in the vocals either.... There's a certain harshness there though.
What first struck me is that the vocals and piano are fighting over the same space, so eqing the piano to reduce it a bit innthe frequencies it shares with the vocals might be worth trying.
Secondly the vocals sound like they've been boosted around the high-mid "telephone" frequencies which often makes voices sound thin and harsh. Try letting more of the lower vocal fundamentals and harmonics through.
Finally, are you sure what you're finding unacceptable isn't simple how your voice sounds? That may sound harsh, but as a pretty ropey singer myself it's something I've had to learn to live with. When we speak or sing what we hear is mostly our voice transmitted through the bones of the jaw and skull. That gives us pretty accurate pitch information but no real idea of tone quality at all. Which is why most people find recordings of their own voice a bit of a shock and a little unsettling when they first hear them.
And don't forget the possibility you may be having a "bad tone day", when things just sound wrong and horrible even if they sounded fine all last week....
Sonar Platinum 64bit, Windows 8.1 Pro 64bit, I7 3770K Ivybridge, 16GB Ram, Gigabyte Z77-D3H m/board, ATI 7750 graphics+ 1GB RAM, 2xIntel 520 series 220GB SSDs, 1 TB Samsung F3 + 1 TB WD HDDs, Seasonic fanless 460W psu, RME Fireface UFX, Focusrite Octopre. Assorted real synths, guitars, mandolins, diatonic accordions, percussion, fx and other stuff.
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Hatstand
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 11:08:27
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I agree with the previous posts, it doesn't sound distorted to me. If you can post a link to just a dry vocal track, we may be able to offer some more accurate analysis.
Sonar Platinum - Windows 10 Pro 64bit - AMD FX 8150 processor - 16Gb RAM - 27" Monitor (it's not the size that counts, it's what you do with it)
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markno999
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 16:24:30
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John,
I don't hear any distortion either. Your piano is stepping on the vocal frequencies a bit. If you have something like Waves Center or an EQ that allows M/S and Center EQ, pull your piano down about 3-4db in the center to make more room for your vocal track. I don't think the vocal track sounds bad. A lot of other factors play on your sound such as proper gain staging, compressor setting, choice of reverb, etc.. I have found that Tape and Console emulations bring a lot to the party as well, mixing through them from the start.
Not crazy about the reverb on the vocals, that could be contributing to some of the issues you are hearing. Would like to hear the vocal without any reverb to get a better idea on the quality of the verb plug or settings. The track is really pretty good so I wouldn't get too discouraged, seems to be just a mix issue rather than a mic or equipment problem at least on the surface.
Regards
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Johnbee58
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 17:19:44
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Thanks guys. I'm going to try to get the dry vocal track to you. It's not the mix that's bothering me, though I agree that there is room for improvement in that area too. I hear the problem when I solo the vocal, and I've tried to re record it many times with the same dissatisfaction. I think it might be an EQ issue. In addition to the EQs that come with Sonar, I also have Waves Renaissance EQ, but I really don't have much technical savy with EQ or compression. I just screw around with those things until it starts to sound decent. But I can't seem to tweak this problem out. I have two other mics and another interface and I tried all of the combinations and I'm still very disappointed with my vocal sound. I'll work on getting the isolated voice track to you soon. Thanks again. JB
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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Sheanes
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 17:40:07
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not an expert at EQ/Compressing vocals either.
perhaps you could start with one of the FX chains for vocals (located in Browser) and if you have the Nomad plugins that came with Sonar X2 or X3, they have EQ/compressors with presets for vocals too.
eh, sorry...just see you have Sonar Studio and probably that stuff is not in there..
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Johnbee58
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 19:05:39
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Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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Sheanes
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 19:27:20
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the room is the prob imo, there's a 'concrete' reverb/echo room sound that's not pleasant.
most clearly heard in the word 'before' at 1.00 minute.
imo no microphone prob, but you sound a bit far away from the mic but that could be latency perhaps, my ears are not so good.
what can you do ?
treat the room to become really 'dead' and then add a reverb on the computer later....but I don't know if that would sound great....probably no ideal solution.
if you have a room with wood on the walls, or a lot of furniture etc, carpets....(avoid concrete and tiles on wall/floor/ceiling).....would try to record the vocals there to see if it gets better.
good luck, you're on the way to better sounding vocals / hang in there.
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Sheanes
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 19:50:48
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oh sorry, I just see I listened to the effect track hahaha !!! I'm an idiot.
now I hear your recording room is pretty 'dead' allready, so the reverb efect in the other track is not so great imo.
probably difficult to get a nice reverb from the raw vocal track itself as it's got not a lot of warmth in it from the room.
I guess you'll need a reverb type that has an impulse that's 'warm' and iic (not good at this either sorry) you'll need a 'warm' convolution reverb.
anyway, mic sounds ok and problem is reverb sound imo.
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Johnbee58
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 22:04:38
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Sheanes
oh sorry, I just see I listened to the effect track hahaha !!! I'm an idiot.
So glad you corrected that. You had me a bit alarmed. Last year I spent $500.00 to treat the room with Aurlex acoustic panels. I had a through room analysis done and have it set up as per their directions (thought I didn't get deep curtains for the three windows yet). I thank you for your observation. JB
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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bayoubill
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/28 23:43:56
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It sounds fine to me. I don't hear overbearing distortion on my system that would cause me concern. Keep recording more tunes and experiment. Experience will cue most of your sound problems. Thanks for posting your song! Please keep em' coming
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mudgel
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 08:00:01
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The process of producing a recording is as much art as it is science. I don't know exactly how much time you e devoted to your hobby but if you had spent the same amount learning a guitar or piano would you be able to perform to a standard that would prove entertaining to your listeners. You be the judge. I'm 63 pin a few weeks and got this bug when I was 14 yet I still find things to learn all the time. The scope of this music/recording/mixing etc. is so vast that you would diminish the art by assuming you could just buy some gear and be happy with your ability to record and mix to any great satisfaction. Give yourself some time, and take the pressure off yourself to get it all right. Learn what's making the sound wrong and correct these things a little at a time. Read about the knobs your twiddling and experiment. You have to train your ears too. All the best and keep at it. I recommend you get involved in projects like the one in the linked thread. It's a great learning tool. http://forum.cakewalk.com...-My-ROPE-m3552104.aspx
post edited by mudgel - 2017/01/29 08:27:40
Mike V. (MUDGEL) STUDIO: Win 10 Pro x64, SPlat & CbB x64, PC: ASUS Z370-A, INTEL i7 8700k, 32GIG DDR4 2400, OC 4.7Ghz. Storage: 7 TB SATA III, 750GiG SSD & Samsung 500 Gig 960 EVO NVMe M.2. Monitors: Adam A7X, JBL 10” Sub. Audio I/O & DSP Server: DIGIGRID IOS & IOX. Screen: Raven MTi + 43" HD 4K TV Monitor. Keyboard Controller: Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88.
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David
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 08:32:38
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John , your wording of distortion has us confused as we are not hearing a "distortion".
what are you monitoring on? does is sound the same to you on anther system?
Your reverb is not flattering your voice at all , makes it sound very boxy.
Take off all effects except eq and try find the frequency you are hearing by boosting
with a narrow q and sweeping till you find it then cut that frequency .
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bitflipper
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 09:20:37
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Hi John. I just gave the dry isolated track a listen, and I don't hear any distortion or other technical flaws there. It's well-compressed and the EQ sounds natural. I then downloaded it and brought it up in Audition for a more objective analysis. There is no clipping, overs or dropouts. I looked for evidence of acoustical problems, and although there's a tiny bit of comb filtering showing in the spectragram it's not enough to be audible to my ears.
Maybe you're just disappointed with the new microphone. If you're not accustomed to using a quality condenser, the raw sound of it can seem awfully thin and dry. But it's just being brutally accurate. Unlike a dynamic, a condenser does almost nothing to help you sound better. I actually prefer the sound of my own voice through a cheap dynamic, and usually only put up the "good" mics when I'm recording somebody else!
If the photo shows where you actually record your vocals, it's too close to the wall. That could account for the comb filtering. Do some tests with the mic in different positions, always with the dead side facing the wall. The acoustic foam is no doubt helping, but absorption is never perfect or completely linear.
 All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. My Stuff
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Guitarhacker
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 09:22:34
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I also didn't hear any distortion or gritty sound as you described it.
A solo track might show it. But it's interesting that a super clean track is often not desired either because it sounds "too clean" and the solution is to use a vocal warmer plug in which is nothing more than a distortion plug in that adds some grittiness back to the vocal track and makes it sound warmer to the ear.
The only thing I heard was a fairly good recording.
Quite often we are not satisfied with our own voice when we hear it recorded and tend to try to nit pick it to death in an attempt to "fix it" somehow. Everyone has a different voice and you gotta work with the one you have. I didn't really like my voice either when I first started recording. If only I could sound like so and so.... but that ain't never gonna happen. You gotta learn to work with YOUR voice. So.... If you're not liking your own voice, there are things you can do to change it a bit. It might help to do some vocal exercises to strengthen your voice. That usually improves ones voice a bit, and sometimes pretty dramatically. The other thing is to work with the gear you have and your singing and figure out how best to record it and where your voice fits into the music. Not every sounds like Barry White or Barry Gibb.
Buying good quality gear isn't going to make you sound better, in fact it often does the exact opposite because now, you can hear all the issues and nits, that you were missing before.... kinda like hi-def TV isn't always kind to actors on close ups.
Don't quit or give up.... keep working and you will reach a point of balance.
Another option is get a singer whose voice you do like and start working with them.
Hope this helps a bit.
My website & music: www.herbhartley.com MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface BMI/NSAI "Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer "
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stevesweat
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 09:52:29
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Guitarhacker
I also didn't hear any distortion or gritty sound as you described it.
A solo track might show it. But it's interesting that a super clean track is often not desired either because it sounds "too clean" and the solution is to use a vocal warmer plug in which is nothing more than a distortion plug in that adds some grittiness back to the vocal track and makes it sound warmer to the ear.
The only thing I heard was a fairly good recording.
Quite often we are not satisfied with our own voice when we hear it recorded and tend to try to nit pick it to death in an attempt to "fix it" somehow. Everyone has a different voice and you gotta work with the one you have. I didn't really like my voice either when I first started recording. If only I could sound like so and so.... but that ain't never gonna happen. You gotta learn to work with YOUR voice. So.... If you're not liking your own voice, there are things you can do to change it a bit. It might help to do some vocal exercises to strengthen your voice. That usually improves ones voice a bit, and sometimes pretty dramatically. The other thing is to work with the gear you have and your singing and figure out how best to record it and where your voice fits into the music. Not every sounds like Barry White or Barry Gibb.
Buying good quality gear isn't going to make you sound better, in fact it often does the exact opposite because now, you can hear all the issues and nits, that you were missing before.... kinda like hi-def TV isn't always kind to actors on close ups.
Don't quit or give up.... keep working and you will reach a point of balance.
Another option is get a singer whose voice you do like and start working with them.
Hope this helps a bit.
I agree with Guitarhacker. I too hate my voice and mostly harmonize. Like others mentioned, I also don't like the reverb you used - easy to overdo any reverb, really. FWIW your voice reminds me a lot of R Stevie Moore.
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mudgel
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 14:52:38
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Could be something in the monitoring setup that only you can hear on playback/monitoring as it seems we can't hear what you're describing. Check your speakers and leads.
Mike V. (MUDGEL) STUDIO: Win 10 Pro x64, SPlat & CbB x64, PC: ASUS Z370-A, INTEL i7 8700k, 32GIG DDR4 2400, OC 4.7Ghz. Storage: 7 TB SATA III, 750GiG SSD & Samsung 500 Gig 960 EVO NVMe M.2. Monitors: Adam A7X, JBL 10” Sub. Audio I/O & DSP Server: DIGIGRID IOS & IOX. Screen: Raven MTi + 43" HD 4K TV Monitor. Keyboard Controller: Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88.
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Johnbee58
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 16:02:44
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Thanks all for taking time to listen and offering your input. Your observations are making sense to me. I think I've caused undue confusion by using the word "distortion", but it sounds like a dirty gritty sound. Not on all the notes but some. Maybe if it was somebody else's voice, I wouldn't notice so much. In regards to the person who suggested vocal warmups, etc, it's true that my voice is getting weaker. I'll be 62 this coming July, but that's not what was disturbing me about this. It was a sonic and not a performance issue. I listen to my tracks mostly on my Sony Walkman thru my Beats headphones. That's my exercise for my diabetes. Sometimes I think it's just ear fatigue because if I turn it off for a few hours and go back later, it doesn't sound half bad. Anyway, I've burned myself out on this tune. I'll try something different (reverb, eq setting, mic positioning etc) next tune. I greatly appreciate all of your suggestions. John B.
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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bitflipper
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 16:42:45
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Johnbee58
...I listen to my tracks mostly on my Sony Walkman thru my Beats headphones. That's my exercise for my diabetes. Well, there ya go. Beats. Ugh. You probably paid a couple hundred bucks for them, too. Sorry. Monster notoriously doesn't publish headphone specs, their official stand being users don't care about specs. No, I did not make that up. They actually said that. Apparently, which pop star endorses them is more important than, say, impedance. I've seen reviewers state that their impedance is quite low, potentially making them incompatible with many low-powered devices and - most germane to this discussion - prone to distortion. I, too, listen to my mixes while walking (also for medical reasons). Once upon a time, I'd use high-end IEMs on my walks, but they kept breaking so I switched to cheap ($39) Sennheiser earbuds. No low end, no high end and prone to distortion - but still relevant insofar as I could still distinguish a decent mix from a bad one. I just never made any big decisions based on what I heard through them until confirming the problem on my studio monitors.
All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. My Stuff
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Johnbee58
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 19:08:13
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Bit- I'd tend to agree with you on any other equipment but the Walkman. The Walkman and the Beat headphones are the perfect combination IMHO. I don't know what it is, but no matter how crappy my mixes sound on my other gear, speakers or headphones (I monitor vocal tracks and mixes with a good pair of Sennheisers, BTW) my stuff sounds much better on the Walkman/Beats combo, and that's good (for me). But I do know what you mean as far as the lacking on any other gear. In fact, at least for my own use, the Walkman/Beats combo is my "benchmark". If the mix sounds good on them, that's good enough. John B.
Lenovo Core i5 4460 Desktop PC (Windows 8 64 bit), Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, Nektar LX61 Keyboard MIDI Controller, Avantone Pro CV-12 tube condenser microphone, JBL LSR308 8" active monitor speakers. Cakewalk by Bandlab, Reason 7, NI Session Strings Pro, NI Strummed Acoustic Guitar, Miroslav Philharmonic, Auturia DX7 V, Garritan JABB 3, EZ Keys, EZ Drummer. "I will create music the way I want to whether a million people are listening or no one is listening." Dan Fogelberg, Singer/Songwriter-1951-2007
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SPress57
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/29 20:28:05
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I think you've got adequate answers (they address the questions you ask). I'll offer another opinion though. I hear no "grittiness." I listened to both the original mix and the dry vocals. You're coming through cleanly. I detect no artifacts of equipment or weird contributions of the room. I think Guitarman and TLW said it like I would--your own voice, recorded and played back, can be a real problem. I hate listening to myself that way. I think I sound great when I hear me through my own head...transmitted through bone and sinew with all the attendant attenuation/amplification/EQ those head structures provide. But played back to be heard as others hear me? YUK!
Some years ago, when I was still in my singing prime, I sang a duet with my brother. I kept thinking as we would practice and then as we performed before an audience, "I really don't like his voice." Mine, however, pleased me greatly. Then--horror--I heard the recording that had been done. I sounded just like my brother. Our vocal timbre is so close that our sound meshes well. Still, I just didn't like hearing it. We sound so alike. What I didn't like in his voice was strikingly in mine too. I sound like him and he like me.
You might want to record the song with another vocalist, if you can get one. Otherwise, I'd suggest leaving this song for another one or at least giving it a long rest.
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patm300e
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Re: Can Someone PLEASE HELP! I'm At The End Of My ROPE!!
2017/01/30 07:32:41
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Not to hijack the thread, but to inject this little tidbit of knowledge... bitflipper
Once upon a time, I'd use high-end IEMs on my walks, but they kept breaking so I switched to cheap ($39) Sennheiser earbuds. No low end, no high end and prone to distortion - but still relevant insofar as I could still distinguish a decent mix from a bad one. I just never made any big decisions based on what I heard through them until confirming the problem on my studio monitors.
I too listen on cheap headphones - Taotronic Bluetooth... https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Bluetooth-Headphones-Wireless-Earphones/dp/B01GNYFT8E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485779339&sr=8-3&keywords=Taotronics+Bluetooth+HeadphonesThe bottom end was REALLY lacking on these until I found these: http://www.complyfoam.com/ I ordered the ones for my headphones and WOW what a difference. They essentially formed a MUCH better seal of my ear canal. I can reduce the volume AND have better bass response. They also have a version for IEMs that is just a foam wrap around the custom ear piece. Haven't tried that yet, but I plan to!
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