Helpful ReplyCould Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me!

Page: 123 > Showing page 1 of 3
Author
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
2018/05/23 22:56:34 (permalink)

Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me!

I know it sounds desperate and it is.  I've been struggling with s**tty sounding vocal tracks for years and I've had it!  If this doesn't improve soon I'm seriously giving up making music.  I ask you to please listen to this track: https://johnbowen.bandcamp.com/track/point-of-view
 
I know it's a bit out of my range and I'd appreciate you not rating the song or the performance.  I don't want to know.  I'm not posting the song for review.  I'd just like to know if you can help me improve the vocal track SONICALLY.  I've tried countless EQ plug ins and settings. I've tried compression. I've tried harmonic enhancers, everything.  I bought a $500.00 microphone (Avantone CV-12) and I've acoustically treated my dedicated room.  The result is what you have here, which is in my opinion a gritty, dirty sounding piece of crap!  All my vocal tracks have this sonic (un)quality.  I don't want the gritty "outer space" sounding thing this is.  I want a nice clean and clear sounding track. I can live with the bum notes, but I can no longer live with vocal tracks that sound like they're recorded off of the telephone. I've taken notice that many of the tracks that you guys upload here sound so much better than this and some of you have a cheaper mic.  Is it perhaps the lack of outboard gear that some have.  I've watched countless youtube videos on the subject but this is going nowhere.  I'm tired of wasting time and money and getting nowhere.  You are my last hope.  I will diligently try any suggestions you give.  Again, please don't review the song or performance.  I really don't want that.  I don't want hear how the instruments sound fake and that I'm straining my voice etc. I don't want to know if you love it or hate it.  Please just help me with the sound quality of the voice track.
 
Thank you so much!
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
#1
Daibhidh
Max Output Level: -86 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 204
  • Joined: 2016/11/25 21:51:53
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/23 23:21:02 (permalink)
John, what preamp are you using for the microphone? The preamp is sometimes more important than the microphone.
#2
Daibhidh
Max Output Level: -86 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 204
  • Joined: 2016/11/25 21:51:53
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/23 23:25:18 (permalink)
If you could tell us the signal chain that would help.

1. Acoustically treated dedicated room.
2. Avantone CV-12 ($500.00 microphone)
3. Balanced cable?
4. Mic preamp?
5. Compressor?
6. Soundcard?

We can really get to the bottom of this with that information.
#3
gswitz
Max Output Level: -18.5 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 5694
  • Joined: 2007/06/16 07:17:14
  • Location: Richmond Virginia USA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/23 23:51:57 (permalink)
idk
 
Different mics are so different. You might want the sound of a different type of mic.
 
LDCs work for some people but not everyone. Some people like the Ribbon sound (me).
 
You don't have to spend a ton of money to get a taste for the different mic type. You can get inexpensive ribbons. Same with Dynamics. 
 
Most people don't sing with as much dynamic range as this sample song you gave. If you're belting it out in a bar, the variance of volume is not as great as when you sing softly like this. No criticism, of the vocal, btw. I thought it sounded nice for what it was. I listened to the end.
 
Things to try...
1. Dynamic Mic
2. Ribbon Mic
3. Lots of tube saturation
4. Lots more compression
4a. I would probably try I high rate of compression and blend it with the uncompressed.
4b. Consider using a multiband compressor and squashing the high end band while also raising it up for more articulation and air.
 
 

StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
#4
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 00:15:59 (permalink)
Daibhidh

3. Balanced cable?
4. Mic preamp?
5. Compressor?
6. Soundcard?

We can really get to the bottom of this with that information.



 
I assume the mic cable is balanced.  It's the one that came with the Avantone.  I also use a very short one to go from the mics power supply to my interface, which is a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6.  I don't have a mic pre per se.  I just run the mic through the interface (aka soundcard ).  I don't use compressors.  I tried many of them.  I don't have much luck with them, especially on vocals, but that might be because I don't know what the hell I'm doing with them.  It doesn't seem to me that it should be as hard as it is to get a clean sound.  Let me ask you: What do YOU think of the sound?  Lend me your ears ().  Am I just being too hard on myself? 

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
#5
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 00:21:20 (permalink)
@gswitz-In addition to the Avantone, I also have a Peavey Dynamic and a cheap Apex condenser.  A few days ago I tested them too and it still sounded crappy (to my ears).
 
I also have a Line 6 UX2 which I set aside 2 years ago for the Focusrite.  Sometimes I wonder if I should dust that off and try that again.

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
#6
John T
Max Output Level: -7.5 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 6783
  • Joined: 2006/06/12 10:24:39
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 00:54:07 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby petec 2018/05/25 10:44:57
This vocal recording is way, way better than you think it is, you know. It isn't gritty, and it definitely doesn't sound recorded off the telephone. It's very clear, doesn't have weird room artefacts or resonances.
 
There are always ways to improve things, but I think you might be starting from a negative place in terms of your perspective on it. That might be the first thing to fix; how you're thinking about it. Just wanted to throw that in.
 

http://johntatlockaudio.com/
Self-build PC // 16GB RAM // i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz // Nofan 0dB cooler // ASUS P8-Z77 V Pro motherboard // Intel x-25m SSD System Drive // Seagate RAID Array Audio Drive // Windows 10 64 bit // Sonar Platinum (64 bit) // Sonar VS-700 // M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 // KRK RP-6 Monitors // and a bunch of other stuff
#7
gswitz
Max Output Level: -18.5 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 5694
  • Joined: 2007/06/16 07:17:14
  • Location: Richmond Virginia USA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 00:56:29 (permalink)
I think maybe you're being too hard on yourself. 
 
This video shows me singing into a ribbon mic. One take wonder. :P 
 
There are three spectral analysis windows visible.
  The bottom is uncompressed.
  The middle is compressed.
  The top is the compressed and uncompressed blended together.
 

 

StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
#8
bwbalint
Max Output Level: -85 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 296
  • Joined: 2015/03/28 17:13:56
  • Location: Eastern USA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 00:57:46 (permalink)
Not sure if you have already tried this, or are even interested, but You may try some vocal doubling and mild reverb.  Consider also some plugins that may augment your voice, like Waves CLA vocals.  Lots of different presets to start with, some of which may be appropriate, but of course it can be fine tuned to taste.  

CbB latest incarnation, Focusrite Scarlett (2nd generation), WIN10 1809 build,  , MCU pro , Yamaha Motif classic 6 , focusrite ASA one
#9
Lynn
Max Output Level: -14 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 6117
  • Joined: 2003/11/12 18:36:16
  • Location: Kansas City, MO
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 00:57:51 (permalink)
John, I've heard a number of your songs in the song forum over time so I'm familiar with your music.  This is how I hear your vocal right now:  there's nothing wrong with the quality of the sound of the vocal recording.  I mean, nothing.  I hear no dirt nor grit.  I would use this system in a heartbeat. I believe what goes in is what comes out.  Don't be too critical of yourself, but if you have any doubts, try recording someone else and see if you still think it sounds the same.  I've always applauded your songwriting, so keep on moving forward.

All the best,
Lynn

my songs
www.soundclick.com/lynnwilson

www.youtube.com/lywilson
my videos

Cakewalk by Bandlab| Sonar Platinum @ 64bits| i7 860 | 8 gigs ram | W10 @ 64 bits | RME FF 400
#10
chris.r
Max Output Level: -86 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 206
  • Joined: 2014/12/20 20:18:15
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 01:16:50 (permalink)
Johnbee58
I don't use compressors.  I tried many of them.  I don't have much luck with them, especially on vocals, but that might be because I don't know what the hell I'm doing with them.  It doesn't seem to me that it should be as hard as it is to get a clean sound...

 
It's not that easy to use compression the right way before you learn how to listen properly what they should bring to the sound. Give yourself the right amount of time watching some video lessons on how to use compression, even the free ones on youtube. You should start hearing the effect with some time spent on it.

gswitz
You can get inexpensive ribbons.


What inexpensive ribbons do you mean?
I love the sound of ribbons, always believed they are rather on the expensive side.
#11
gswitz
Max Output Level: -18.5 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 5694
  • Joined: 2007/06/16 07:17:14
  • Location: Richmond Virginia USA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 01:24:19 (permalink)
Inexpensive Ribbon
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/642524-REG/MXL_R144_R144_Studio_Ribbon_Microphone.html/?c3ch=CSE&c3nid=98
 
DIY
https://www.diyrecordingequipment.com/products/rm5-ribbon-mic
 
 BTW, this was the first video I did thinking about the Shelford Channel and playing through the single ribbon mic.
 

 
 Sweetwater has 5 for under $300
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search.php?s=ribbon&sb=score&params=eyJmYWNldCI6eyJQcmljZSBSYW5nZSI6eyIxIjoiMyIsIjIiOiI0IiwiMyI6IjUifX19
 
I own this one (AKG R77)
https://www.frontendaudio.com/MXL-R77-Ribbon-Microphone-p/9999-06238-2.htm?gclid=CjwKCAjwopTYBRAzEiwAnU4kb_Nzqs77AZOs0Sx4xkU4wM8AxMuF6IFYZwV7FOVbXB8PFzbSacnGfhoC6AYQAvD_BwE&click=18920
and a Royer 121 and it's hard to hear the difference in this video where I compare the two...

 
At around 1:35 I compare the R121 with the AKG R77. I mean they are different, just not $800 different. :-)
 
If you set youtube to highdef you can read the names of the tracks I'm soloing.

StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
#12
chris.r
Max Output Level: -86 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 206
  • Joined: 2014/12/20 20:18:15
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 01:30:36 (permalink)
Cheeers gswitz. A ribbon MXL, maybe not excellent, but not bad either. One day I should try'em on overheads.
The RM-5 price range sounds more familiar. Thanks.
#13
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 01:48:34 (permalink)
I always wanted to try a ribbon mic, but I always thought they were way out of my price range.  I'm considering that MXL, BTW.
 
I thank you guys for the kind words.  I was thinking that I may just be suffering "ear fatigue" after busting my a$$ in my studio for the better part of today on that project I linked you to.  Most of the time if I give my ears a few hours break from listening to the same thing over and over to perfect it, I'll go back later (like the next day) with fresh ears and my perception will be better and I'll enjoy it more.  Then I think "Hey, that's not so bad".  What was I beefin' about?
 
Lynn, Thank you so much for that!  What you said really made my day after what I've been through today.
BTW-I checked out your tune "The Pain of Love".  That song is sooooo cool!!!!  Especially love the sax work!

 
 

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
#14
bitflipper
01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
  • Total Posts : 26036
  • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
  • Location: Everett, WA USA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 02:28:52 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby Steev 2018/05/24 09:01:39
If I was handed that vocal track, my first thought would be "good, I don't have to do much to it". It's raw, but it's good.
 
Of course, you could effect it up but it's not that kind of vocal. Clean and natural is what I'd go for. Which doesn't mean no digital cheating. Just keep it gentle.
 
First up, some conservative pitch correction. Not across the board, just in a few places here and there where there are fast pitch changes that fall a little short. When it comes to pitch editing, less is better than more. Make all your corrections by hand, and don't touch any phrase just because it looks off in the graphic. If you're using Melodyne, also take advantage of its volume editing at this time to lower the loudest words, which will make step two easier. 
 
Next, apply compression. Cakewalk's CA2A is just what the doctor ordered. Don't be afraid to let it do 6-12 dB of compression. You might also consider two-stage compression, with the second stage running as a parallel compressor.
 
Beyond those two standard actions, it's all a matter of taste, and there are gobs of options to choose from. Double-tracking would be good, especially on the chorus. Mix the double -6 to -12 dB below the main vocal, for subtle thickening. Listen to David Gilmour's vocals on Dark Side of the Moon, which are all double-tracked but you'd never know it.
 
I would not apply a lot of reverb to this particular vocal, which would make it sound more distant and less intimate. You could, however, automate the reverb to just add a little sparkle to the end of certain phrases.
 
Another option is delay, again very subtle. If you can hear the delay, there's too much.
 
Getting a bit further out and a little less natural, consider a very light touch of chorus effect. This can be applied very, very subtly. So much so that nobody would ever guess that's what you're doing. 
 
Another neat trick with vocals is distortion. You want to be conservative, of course, but adding a little grit and/or sheen can be very effective. Even on a soft vocal like this. 
 
Oh, and don't worry about your microphone. It's plenty good enough. I love ribbons, but cheap ones can sound awful and they only worsen over time. If you want to experiment, I'd suggest instead picking up an SM-58 for a hundred bucks, or borrow one to try. Sometimes, a cheap mic is just the ticket - it's about matching the device to the voice. But again, your current mic is fine.


All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

My Stuff
#15
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 02:49:15 (permalink)
Thanks Bitt!  Clean & natural.  My thoughts exactly.  I could use doubling and other fancy effects but I don't want to.  I want it natural.  (I do have a bit of delay and verb on it.  Very little). Can the CA2A still be had?  Isn't that a Cakewalk product that hasn't been re-introduced yet?  I don't currently have it so I'm wondering if it's available at the moment.
 


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
#16
Daibhidh
Max Output Level: -86 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 204
  • Joined: 2016/11/25 21:51:53
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 05:19:52 (permalink)
The CA2A isn't available at present. I get the feeling Bandlab is planning to introduce it when they reveal their new marketing model. Thus far they haven't been selling anything. But when they open the doors for business, I believe that CA2A will be there. They could do that now, but I think they have something special in the works and they want it to happen at the same time.
#17
richardskeltmusic
Max Output Level: -89 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 60
  • Joined: 2015/01/16 07:37:13
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 06:09:52 (permalink)
I recently signed up to an online recording and mixing course - previously I had picked things up as I went along (starting in Sonar 4 way back when). This made a big difference to me. Whilst there are many "How To..." videos and articles on the internet,  the most important thing for me was learning to do things in the right order. The course I did emphasised that there are much bigger benefits to the correct approach than buying expensive gear or plugins, and for me it was the best $ investment I have made in my musical career.
 
For Vocals and for me (others may disagree) the steps are 1) Record 2) Comp 3) pitch correction if neccesary 4) edit the levels to reduce the variance between loud and soft sylables/words/phrases: using clip gain in Sonar - only then do I reach for EQ and Compression.  Personally I find that compression and EQ work far more prectably and controllably when presented with an edited vocal track, and that makes it much easier to place it in the mix where you want it.
#18
Kalle Rantaaho
Max Output Level: -5 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 7005
  • Joined: 2006/01/09 13:07:59
  • Location: Finland
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 08:36:42 (permalink)
Clean & natural would be my words as well. Most vocal tracks are not "au naturelle", and that's the "problem". 
As mentioned in the posts above, things like compression and doubling, among others, are the secret behind most "professional" sounding vocal tracks. Maybe there's also a conflict between the reality and your own perception of how your voice sounds.

SONAR PE 8.5.3, Asus P5B, 2,4 Ghz Dual Core, 4 Gb RAM, GF 7300, EMU 1820, Bluetube Pre  -  Kontakt4, Ozone, Addictive Drums, PSP Mixpack2, Melda Creative Pack, Melodyne Plugin etc.
The benefit of being a middle aged amateur is the low number of years of frustration ahead of you.
#19
Euthymia
Max Output Level: -86 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 223
  • Joined: 2016/10/18 05:19:00
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 09:54:28 (permalink)
You're getting some good advice here, John.
 
You have a well-regarded mic going into a well-regarded interface especially known for its good preamps, so don't worry about hardware. None of my mics cost me more than $50 (before modding) and I go straight into the preamps of my Presonus Firepods and my tracks sound great.
 
Going out and buying a different mic or external preamp or whatever is not going to suddenly cure your dissatisfaction. You've already spent your way past doubt about the quality of your gear.
 
The only thing I might suggest regarding the capture is that it sounds a bit thin, so if you are singing more than about 10" from the mic, you may try moving closer and see if you get some more body. It sounded to me like getting closer to the mic might help. If you get plosives (pops), try singing across it at more of an angle, and of course use a pop screen.
 
Now as far as processing, in my book, vocal tracks always need some compression and EQ, because those are what help our ears "cozy up" to recorded and reproduced sound. This is in my opinion.
 
It struck me while reading the helpful replies in this thread that this might be just the kind of thing that BandLab would be great for.
 
You could, if you wanted help with your processing, post stems of your song on BandLab, of course being careful to only grant access to people you wanted to help you with processing ideas so that you didn't wind up sampled into a hip hop ditty about weed or something. Then those of us who wanted to demonstrate the effect of a touch of EQ and compression and chorus and so forth could take your vocal track, throw some of those on there, and upload it back to BandLab. I haven't tried the BandLab DAW, but it might be possible to do it in that for demonstration purposes.

-Erik
___________
3.4 GHz i7-3770, 8G RAM, Win 7 64-bit
2X PreSonus Firepods, Event 20/20bas, Alesis Monitor Ones, Alesis Point Sevens
Cakewalk by BandLab, Mixcraft Pro Studio 8.5
Warning: if you tell me my issue can be remedied by buying more RAM, an SSD, or a Waves plug-in, I will troll you pitiilessly
#20
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 10:26:54 (permalink)
Thank so much richard, Kalle & Euthymia!
Euth-I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "thin".  I did an earlier take at approx 4" away from the mic and this one was at least 7.  I still wasn't initially happy with it, but I changed my mind a bit after giving my ears a well needed and deserved rest. I'm finding the same is true with this take.  I had at least 8 hours "rest" and this morning it sounds much better (to me) on my Walkman.
 
I seriously was considering purchasing the MXL ribbon, but Bitflipper kind of scared me away from that idea when he said a cheaper ribbon mic could make the situation worse (sorry gswitz).  You are so right that I've spent about as much on gear as  should need to.  Between the Avantone, the Auralex padding and the plugins (which include the Waves Renaissance EQ and the Waves SSL G Channel strip, among others), I've run out of patience on throwing money at this thing.  I'll consider the Bandlab option, but yes, I definitely want to avoid the trap that that poor fellow found himself in with the "rap song" issue.
 
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
#21
gswitz
Max Output Level: -18.5 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 5694
  • Joined: 2007/06/16 07:17:14
  • Location: Richmond Virginia USA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 10:58:07 (permalink)
I didn't mean to say only a ribbon. I meant to say consider Mic type. Ldc vs sdc vs dynamic vs ribbon. I know you have a ldc. Most people have dynamics. That's why i focused on ribbon.

Ribbon mics are fragile. I store mine upright. I don't use them with smokers smoking in the room. i wear gloves when handling them. But they are wonderful to me.

My sdcs are probably my next favorite mics.

If you are struggling with your sound, borrow some mics from a friend. Just try different ones. That's all.

StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
#22
garybrun
Max Output Level: -82 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 436
  • Joined: 2005/11/03 11:15:44
  • Location: Norway
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 11:19:38 (permalink)
If your not happy with the sound you hear in your head.... maybe you have not found the right microphone?
Many stores will let you borrow to try out...  I always recommend this before purchasing a microphone.

Sonar Platinum 64bit, Win 10 64 bit, English,
Intel Core i7 4960X @ 3.67GHz, ASRock Motherboard, 48GB DDR3 1600MHz, Nvidea NVS 510, Intel 750 1.2 SSD, 488GB SSD, 300GB SSD, 22TB in SATA
Hardware: VS-700 set ASIO, Presonus RM32ai, Studio Live III 32, Studiolive 32R,  RME Fireface 800, Matrox MX02 Rack, Roland Integra 7, Roland A-88, Edirol R-4 Pro, Focusrite Liquid Channel x 2, Jomeek Studio Channel VC1Qcs, Ultra Dyne 9024, TD30KV, Komplete 9 Ultimate, Monitors: Focal TRIO6 BE, JBL Studio Monitor 4412, SE Monroe Egg 150, Avantone x 2.
#23
Skyline_UK
Max Output Level: -54 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 2133
  • Joined: 2004/04/15 17:55:09
  • Location: Midlands, UK
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 11:32:10 (permalink)
I listened carefully all the way through and the things that hit me were:
(1) The melody lines are very complex, if not over complex.  Sorry if that impinges on your request not to critique the song itself, but that's what jumped out at me. It's very difficult to sing with energy, feeling and gusto when you're stepping carefully through a complex melody line, trying to mentally anticipate the next note to be sure you don't sing it wrongly. As I listened I was distracted by the odd journey of the melody lines instead of being drawn into the meaning of the song. 
(2) Yes, it's too high for you in this key, and would no doubt sound better in a lower one.
(3) The EQ seemed toppy, with a lack of body in the vocal, but this is probably related to (2) also.
(4) Some Melodyne pitch correction here and there would be a good idea.
(5) I'd try a smidgeon of reverb on the verses line.
(6) I'm not convinced that some of the special FX in places helped.
 
At this stage, for this song, I don't think the answer lies in buying more gear.
I hope that helps in some small way!
 
 

My stuff
 
Intel Sandy Bridge i7 2600 @ 3.4GHz, 4 cores, 8 threads, 16GB RAM.
OS & Programs drive: 240GB SSD
Data drives: 1 x 1TB drive RAID mirrored, plus extra 1TB data drive 
Windows 10 Home 64 bit
Cakewalk by BandLab 64 bit, Studio One 3, 
Band In A Box 2016, Ozone 8
+ too many other plugins
BandLab page
#24
Steev
Max Output Level: -84 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 314
  • Joined: 2006/02/04 08:24:08
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 11:38:05 (permalink)
bitflipper
If I was handed that vocal track, my first thought would be "good, I don't have to do much to it". It's raw, but it's good.
 
Of course, you could effect it up but it's not that kind of vocal. Clean and natural is what I'd go for. Which doesn't mean no digital cheating. Just keep it gentle.
 
First up, some conservative pitch correction. Not across the board, just in a few places here and there where there are fast pitch changes that fall a little short. When it comes to pitch editing, less is better than more. Make all your corrections by hand, and don't touch any phrase just because it looks off in the graphic. If you're using Melodyne, also take advantage of its volume editing at this time to lower the loudest words, which will make step two easier. 
 
Next, apply compression. Cakewalk's CA2A is just what the doctor ordered. Don't be afraid to let it do 6-12 dB of compression. You might also consider two-stage compression, with the second stage running as a parallel compressor.
 
Beyond those two standard actions, it's all a matter of taste, and there are gobs of options to choose from. Double-tracking would be good, especially on the chorus. Mix the double -6 to -12 dB below the main vocal, for subtle thickening. Listen to David Gilmour's vocals on Dark Side of the Moon, which are all double-tracked but you'd never know it.
 
I would not apply a lot of reverb to this particular vocal, which would make it sound more distant and less intimate. You could, however, automate the reverb to just add a little sparkle to the end of certain phrases.
 
Another option is delay, again very subtle. If you can hear the delay, there's too much.
 
Getting a bit further out and a little less natural, consider a very light touch of chorus effect. This can be applied very, very subtly. So much so that nobody would ever guess that's what you're doing. 
 
Another neat trick with vocals is distortion. You want to be conservative, of course, but adding a little grit and/or sheen can be very effective. Even on a soft vocal like this. 
 
Oh, and don't worry about your microphone. It's plenty good enough. I love ribbons, but cheap ones can sound awful and they only worsen over time. If you want to experiment, I'd suggest instead picking up an SM-58 for a hundred bucks, or borrow one to try. Sometimes, a cheap mic is just the ticket - it's about matching the device to the voice. But again, your current mic is fine.


WOW talk about covering all the bases, excellent advice bitflipper, clear concise, accurate.


John, if I had a dollar for every time I felt or even heard of somebody never being satisfied with the sound of their own voice it would be l like I hit the Powerball Lottery.
 I have a pretty impressive mic cabinet I collected and built over the years, don't want to brag or drop names, but maybe I should trade some of them in for a new car.
 And that's something I actually should do while I still can because with today's mic manufacturing DAW technologies, spending a lot of money on anything isn't as important or critical as it used to be.
 And I'm familiar with the Avantone, Warm Audio, Audio Technica to name a few and they are as close to being silver bullet mics as any mic can be, but there is no such thing at any price range, you might as well go out and try to catch and find a Unicorn.
 Many don't realize what a great mic an SM58 is because they are so common and cheap. But that didn't stop Michael Jackson from recording mega hit albums with one, I had one for 30 years of live shows until upgrading to the Beta 58, and the only reason for that was because the SM 58 was stolen one night. But the only real thing I would consider an upgrade is the Beta is super cardioid, so it's a tad better rejecting leakage and feedback in live situations. Other great mic that are close to silver bullet vocal mics, but they don't work for everybody, and neither does any one particular piece of gear.
 
 I love the CA2A, it's so good and authentic I actually retired my Teletronix LA2A. It's actually quite superior to the original for two main reasons. It's ultimately reliable because it never needs maintenance, and I can run multiple instances, which I could never afford to do.
 I actually had 2 of them for a time with the idea of strapping both together across the output buss for stereo, but it was a real pain to get consistent results every time. I felt it was kinda like getting caught in the middle of conversation of a bickering married couple, trying getting 2 vintage analog LA2A's to play nice with each other. 
 Waves also released an excellent LA2A clone often on sale for $29 (us) which is almost as good as Cakewalk CA2A. They work and sound identical, but being the CA2A can also be used as a ProChannel module is a real game changer.
 And the TKO goes to Cakewalk!
 
 And to close, I once was driven crazy trying to get the perfect acoustic guitar sound for a very anal perfectionist client on a particular piece.
  After about a week of frustration, I had almost exhausted every possibility I could think of, a student of mine stopped by with a matched pair of Behringer C2 small condenser pencils he just bought for $60 to ask me my opinion of them. Just for the heck out it, I swapped out my extremely lovely Rode NT-5's...….
 And guess what happened? 
 
I don't know what your looking for John, but I really like what you did and how it sounded.
 And yes of course, as an engineer I would surely mix and adjust it differently the way I (personally) think it should sound, and believe me, the differences would be very subtle, but you might personally think I screwed it up.
 
Sometimes the only changes needed are in our attitudes and perspectives.
And while I'm a firm believer of being highly critical of myself as I feel you are being here, I fully understand how easy it is to fall into a pattern of never being satisfied, and that can lead to a bad place to be.

Steev on Bandlab.com
 
Custom built workstation. Windows 10 Pro x64.
 
SONAR Platinum. Cakewalk by Bandlab.
Sony Sound Forge Pro 10, ACID Pro 7, Vegas Pro 11
Pro Tools.
 
ASRock 990FX mobo, AMD FX 8370 8-Core. 16 gb DDR3 PC1866 G Skill Ripjaws X RAM. AMD FirePro V4900 1gb DDR5 accelerated graphics card. 
Behringer X Touch DAW Controller
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 gen 2, OctoPre Mkll
Western Digital 500GB SSD bootdrive,  WD 500GB 10k rpm VelociRaptor for DAW projects . 2x1 TB WD Caviar Black SATA3 storage drives
 
#25
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 14:40:44 (permalink)
Skyline-Obviously I didn't make myself clear when I said I didn't want a review or critique! This is why I don't post for reviews anymore and I was afraid this was going to happen. It just so happens I like complex melodies.  I'm a jazz lover and they can be complex. Sing a simple song and have a simple melody.  Boring!  I don't see what this has to do with the sonic fidelity of a vocal track. 
 
To all of the others-Thanks for your tips.  Fact is I DO own a Peavey Dynamic.  It's a PVM 38 which I've heard is a kind of emulation of a Shure SM 58.  I used it for more than 20 years with much satisfaction.  Then I started listening to the advise of those who said
that the condenser mic was the best way to go and bought the cheap Apex that I have.  It has 2 button settings and neither did the trick.  I sprung big time for the Avantone.  The sales guy at Sweetwater told me that there is an alternate tube to put in it and that "might" make it sound different.  I personally kind of doubt it.
 

post edited by Johnbee58 - 2018/05/24 15:11:16

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
#26
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 15:34:52 (permalink)
garybrun
Many stores will let you borrow to try out...  I always recommend this before purchasing a microphone.


I find this surprising given the sanitary factor.  I've heard of at least one online music retailer who has a no refund policy on microphones due to the possible spread of infection.


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
#27
Cactus Music
Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 8424
  • Joined: 2004/02/09 21:34:04
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 16:44:02 (permalink)
The only thing I might suggest regarding the capture is that it sounds a bit thin, so if you are singing more than about 10" from the mic, you may try moving closer and see if you get some more body. It sounded to me like getting closer to the mic might help. If you get plosives (pops), try singing across it at more of an angle, and of course use a pp screen.
 
This is exactly what I was hearing. There's not much timbre in your voice to begin with and yes it might be because your singing a very high part, also I can hear the room around you so I assume you were far away from the mike.  
My first thoughts are see if you can get closer to warm your voice up a bit. Or try a dynamic mike and swallow it. I tried all sorts of mikes over the last 30 years and settled on a Shure Beta 58.  I also use a Joe Meek pre amp with a tiny bit of compression. Like you I have a 6i6 and they are not very good. The pre amps are next to useless for my voice so I use the back 3/4 and the Joe Meek. 
Your weak link is the 6i6 pre amps. 
 

Johnny V  
Cakelab  
Focusrite 6i61st - Tascam us1641. 
3 Desktops and 3 Laptops W7 and W10
 http://www.cactusmusic.ca/
 
 
#28
Johnbee58
Max Output Level: -72 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 946
  • Joined: 2014/06/21 10:45:53
  • Location: Reading PA
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 17:48:37 (permalink)
Cactus Music
 Your weak link is the 6i6 pre amps. 
 




The fact that you can hear my room also doesn't say much about the Auralex treatment.  They even sent me a detailed graphic on where to put them based on pics I sent them.  That was a big waste of money.  I should've stuck with my wall posters.
 
I have a Line 6 Pod Studio UX2 that I could still set up and use.  Would you suggest that?
Regarding my voice not having timbre-It used to when I was in my 30s, but now at 62 and asthmatic, that is falling apart.  I could argue that this is another "critique" but I cannot deny that my voice is crappy and is also a part of the "weak link" in my music, but there is nothing I can do about that.  The key the song is in also matters a lot to me.  I could easily bring the instrumentation down a half or whole step (it's MIDI so that's very easy) but this song is part of a "suite" in which the other song is also in A minor so linking them wouldn't sound right if I had one in  A minor and the next one in A flat.  Also I enjoy music in certain keys and transposing, at least to me, would take something away from it.  I realize this is not a very professional way to look at it, but I'm not a professional so I don't care.  I do this for fun.  If I had to take into consideration all the factors that would have to be considered to have my music "professional" it would become a task and not very enjoyable.  I can pretend I can sing good again.  Can't I?

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
#29
Cactus Music
Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 8424
  • Joined: 2004/02/09 21:34:04
  • Status: offline
Re: Could Some Kind Soul Here PLEASE Help Me! 2018/05/24 18:07:43 (permalink)
"I have a Line 6 Pod Studio UX2 that I could still set up and use.  Would you suggest that?" 
 
I would certainly try everything you have on hand until you find the right combination of gear. 
If you have a real music store nearby, they should let you try stuff out. I took back more gear than I kept while on my quest for vocal signal path.  
 
You and I are sort of in the same boat as I too do not like the sound of my recorded voice these days, Ya, I'm 65 and my old recordings from 20 years ago sound much better to me. I think the old analog stuff just added that elusive warmth everyone talks about. 
 
Pre Amps do make a difference and I will be saving up for something better for myself. Lots of good information has been shared in the Hardware forum here on pre amps. I bought the Joe Meek as it was in my price range but I know I could do much better. For now it's a big step up from the Focusrite pre's.  And myself I just cannot use a LDC mike at all. I snort and make too many noises.  
 
I don't think you wasted money on the room treatment. I hear the room, but it's a good sound.  As said you have an excellent recording , clean and clear and the fact that I can hear the space your in is not a negative part of this. 

Johnny V  
Cakelab  
Focusrite 6i61st - Tascam us1641. 
3 Desktops and 3 Laptops W7 and W10
 http://www.cactusmusic.ca/
 
 
#30
Page: 123 > Showing page 1 of 3
Jump to:
© 2024 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1