Vocals

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.  You're going to need to be far more specific if you're looking for help.  Specifically: what kind of sound are you looking for, what is the current issue with the existing track? 

Generally there are some basic approaches - firstly, ensuring the original recorded signal is as good as possible.  Recorded cleanly with a good mic, good preamp and isn't clipping anywhere.  If the original track was recorded poorly, there's limited things you can do with it. 

If the vocal track was recorded well enough, signal processing is primarly about shaping it into what you're looking for - so, what are you looking for?  

Generally, EQ, compression and reverb are items you'll find applied to most vocal tracks in varying degrees.  But again, it depends what you're looking for - if you're looking for a large, lush ambient sound - then you'll want to look at certain lush reverb patches.  It also depends on the dynamics of the vocal track you've recorded and the tune itself - is the song very dynamic - where vocals will require more compression to sit nicely in the mix as the tune goes from soft to loud?  Other options include saturation to help fatten some vocals up (again, depending on what you're looking for, how the signal was recorded, the vocalist's voice and the tune you're recording).

Hopefully this gives you some ideas, but moreso - helps you understand the types of details we'd need to give you any real assistance.

Hope that helps.
Russ
 

Hello,
 
Thank you for your reply.
 
I am recording with a Samson C01U, which should be a pretty good mic.
So whenever I record a voice, I get the original voice as it sounds.
 
Now, how can i change the sound of the voice?
I am not looking for autotune, just make it sound better.
Maybe...from flat and boring, to alive & colourfull ?
 
As example, when you hear an artist singing right in front of you,
it sounds way different than listening his or her voice from his or her cd.
 
What effects or compressors did they use to make the voice sound so good?
 
I hope I gave a little more explination..

Using a USB mic is not the best way to record to Sonar.  A USB mic can inject issues that make it difficult to deal with. I would recommend getting a USB INTERFACE and use a "real" condenser mic that runs through that interface.

But... back to the sound. If you are getting a clean recording of the voice..... isn't that exactly what a good mic is expected to do? 

That is what I aim to achieve in my miked audio sessions. 

So if you are not liking the results, the obvious thing would be to have a close look at your voice. Again, I think a sample of the vocal in a mix  (could be simple vox/piano mix) so we know exactly what you are talking about.


more than one time I have heard people say they don't like the vocal results they are getting but without hearing it we have no clue. As it turned out the issue was often with that singer's voice and or vocal singing techniques and not an equipment issue. At other times it was not a problem, the person was not used to hearing their own voice recorded cleanly. 

From flat & boring to alive and colorful.....  not asking much are you?  Again, an example would speak better than words. I still think my stuff is flat & boring so that would be relatively speaking...... Some techniques such as layering and doubling as well as reverb, compression, EQ, tape simulation, and good basic vocal recording techniques will go a long ways in the hands of someone who understands when and how much to use in a given circumstance.  we can help to point you in the direction you must go, but only you can do it, and we need to hear where you are in the process now.

Again I will say, posting an example so we can hear where you are right now is the BEST way to get us all on the same page. Once we hear it, we can offer specific advice. There is no need to fear posting something here. Trust me when I say we have heard everything from the most professional sounding tunes to stuff that is obviously from someone who has no clue. But, with an attitude of willingness to learn, that is the best way to get objective advice from people who can offer to point you in the right direction. It's not common to get ridiculed here when you are asking for advice. You normally (99.9%) get the respect due someone truly seeking the advice to improve your art and skills. 

First off, the usb mic is probably not going to a good job of capturing the audio.  Decent, but not great.  If that is what you are stuck w/ find the best sounding room to record in.  Put the mic in the rooms available and crank up the vol recording.  Have a spoken voice, maybe some claps to get a sense of the air in the room.  For home recording a small, dampened room will get the driest, and best sounding "air" available (unless you are lucky!).

As far as processing your acoustic recordings, voice in your case, it is a case by case project.  But for voice, my usual chain includes the opto or fet (or both!) compressors in the ProChannel.  Those are both good.  The Sonitus is also good, has great visual feedback (so you can understand what the hell is going on) and is clean.  What you want to do is even out the vocals (a little) so the quiter sections more closely match the loud ones.  You should do this after volume automating the track.  One thing it takes a while to understand is how too much compression will cause sibilence and your "th"s to get hard and raspy.  Vol automation can help w/ this and using more than one comp (such as a little FET then opto chain as above) is smoother - more realistic.  Once the vocal "sits" in the song how you want it, you can try some eq.

Almost every vocal can use some high pass filtering.  Depending upon the voice, there is little going on down below a 100 Hz, or even 200.  All there is down there is noise, thumps and other sound that eats into your headroom and mucks w/ your compressor w/o giving you any real information.  Raise the filter until you can hear it bite into the sound, then back off your settings (gain and filter mode).  You don't want the noise but you don't (usually) want something that sounds unnatural.

Hopefully at this point you have a nice, strong and fairly even vocal w/ no large dynamic shifts and sounds pretty clean.  Even if your room has some reverb (and they all do) you probably want something prettier for your lead vocals.  PerfectSpace is a convolution reverb that will add an imprint of differnet spaces.  Find one that works for the song.

At this point you should have something workable.  There are plenty of other vocal tricks as in the cake Vocal strip (which ain't a bad way to go, esp. if you are learning).  After you can shape a recording some you'll start to hear tech problems.  You'll invest in a better mic, better preamp, better convertors and room treatment and still hear flaws, but minor.  Rinse and start again on hardware as you refine your mixing techniques.  Working w/ your equipment you will find what works for you and your ear and develop a style - not so much in sound as in technique to get a sound.

@

How about using a better vocalist?

I agree with most of the advice given, but I'll add my usual workflow.
 
Use a pop filter, and don't sing too close to the mike, unless you are after a particular effect.  Go through the vocal and use Volume Automation to even it out.  Double track the vocal.
 
I will process most lead vocal tracks through the Pro Channel:
 
Compression: PC76 compressor to catch the peaks, and CA-2A later in the chain for general leveling and adding character.  Play around with the R37 screw.
 
PC EQ - it depends on the voice, but always use HPF -  I listen to the vocal and gradually raise HPF until it affects the tone too much, and then pull it back a bit.
 
Add a little saturation, but usually only to the high frequencies, with either the Vocal Strip EQ or the PC Saturation Knob set to "Keep High".  This really helps the vocal cut through.
 
Add reverb or delay.  Sometimes delay can work better than reverb, othertimes not.
 
Oh, and only track a great singer.  Sadly this is not always an option.  Comping can help, and even VVocal, but a great singer saves a lot of work.

Hi Jam.

it might be a good idea if you let us know exactly which version of sonar you are running, and also details of your computer and soundcard/interface.

Many people actually put this information in their signature (like I've done) so you won't have to type it all out again the next time you have a question.

I have cakewalk X1 Producer, and I am wondering if there is a way to clean vocals.
In other words, to make them sound good.
I am no expert in X1, not at all, but I am sure there is a way to make the vocal sound good.

You can get good clean sounding vocals with most mics and pre-amps. so all you need is a $99 mic and a $99 sound card to achieve this. so I don't think equipment is your problem. If it doesn't sound clean and good right after you record them, then you need to evaluate what your doing.
 
Your problem is most likely:

• Your room your recording in
• Your recording techniques
• Your singers performance

Read these tips I wrote about getting the best vocal track
 
CJ