What Mic Is Everyone Using For Recording Lead VOcals

An SM58 should be fine for recording vocals.

Have you tried double-tracking the vocals...with 2 seperate recordings?
That will make even MY weak vocals sound halfway decent.

At the risk of straying off topic. What kinds of effects will enhance my vocals.?

I'm just not that good of a singer. Trying to make a silk purse out of a sowes EAR.

You could try a 'Thick Chorus Vocal".

I dunno, I have the same problem with my voice.

I think the key might be alcohol.

I use an SM58, and find that it gives a good, accurate sound. I generally add a very small amount of reverb and/or mess about with the EQ a bit to get a warmer tone.

Thanks for all the replies.
I guess it's just a matter of trying out several techniques.

I'll get to work right away, and let you know if I come up with a magical sound.

THanks
Scott

Ultimately the old addage applies-"Garbage In = Garbage Out".

For recording vocals you really should be using a Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic. You can find an MXL (great reviews from people I know) for $60 or so and then others all the way up to the extreme ridiculous prices lol. I use a Carvin CM87S which was $250 when I got it and is now down to $149. Take a look at Musicians Friend for the price range that suits you and then look for some reviews.

The SM58 is great for recording live vocals and instruments but for recording, I would not use one. There are people that do use them with great results but I would highly suggest a LD Condenser Mic. I am wondering why your AKG is not giving you decent sound? Have any examples? It may just be your mix?



Just my .02 cents.

Yes, decent condenser mic: I'm very impressed with Rode generally. Maybe tad of chorus or, say, clone the track and phase invert one. Before going down the chorus road, I'd probably talk to someone who knows a bit about compression too. If the vox is already recorded and you're happy with it apart from the perceived thinness, then a dabble with the EQ, also perhaps with some harmonic excitation of the lower frequencies?

Ooops, sorry Mathum...I don't nip in very often...
Yes, but a bit "all around the houses" once it's recorded; I was thinking of a software standalone..and I'll fess up that all I can think of is Voxengo. I use my mastering software, Ozone(poor man's way, as I know there is also mic emulation software out there too) as a dXi effect, opening up the single track as a whole new project(it's a RAM-hungry beast if you've other stuff running as well). I can then use the EQ and compressor in addition to the exciter, should I be feeling stubborn. I'd export that, then swap it with the original take in the main project.
Yes, a circuitous pain in the cheeks, and as you'll rightly point out: no substitute for getting the front end right to start with. There are some very knowledgeable heads on the Sonar forum(and I'm sure there are here too) who'd be happy to advise on standalone harmonic exciters, and who have more money and experience than me! Best of, Zig

I use the rohodes nt2a but findita little bassy so not recomending but I also have an SM58 which is really really very bad horribly bad in comparison. I would never ever use an SM58 for recording. iuse for live work though My advice get a good condenser

Also here is a cut and paste of my advice for sonar Le users.It apples mostly to guitar tracks pro users as well as this is what I started with

Here my tip for vocals.All of these effects came with the software with the exception of the spectrum analyser

Record the vocals with FX compressor under the setting light vocal compression
(against conventional wizdom which says record dry) For me this irons out the peaks
next once you are happy with the take
Add a high pass filter 6db in the fx bin
followed by mono reverb operating with 1.61 decay 94%dry 20 wet wih a further high pass
Now clone the entire track ie double track and you get a much fuller richer sparkle to your sound.

You take this further if you have spectrum analyser.Analyse the frequencies the vocals are running at.Cut all instruments frequencies that compete with that vocal frequency band. In other words poke a whole in the recording dynamic range for your vocals to sit in.

also strongly consider the environment you record your vocals in. Room noise will be picked up and ambience of the room is something to be looked at as a priority. Use duvets if you have no wonga to control your environment!!!

1980's vintage SM57, run through the DR880 guitar compressor. I agree that the SM series is a live-duty mic., but it's all I have (from the old days)! Would love to try a new condenser and see what that sounds like. I have tried doubling my vocal tracks, but I'm such a lame vocalist, the tracks sound independent of one another as opposed to being one performance. Are we panning the doubled vocal tracks left-to-right or dead on center?

Just started using a Samsun condensor mic (abour £120) and a Behringer DI/phantom power unit and the results are good.
A lot of it comes down to the room you are in! I once had a problem that I traced back to the fact I had positioned the mic in a corner of the room facing a large metal radiator! Turned the mic around, thin sound gone!

Mike

michael.hagan@yahoo.co.uk

What warmed my vocals best was a Blue Microphone "Snowball" USB microphone. It's used for professional voice-overs. Bought mine at Sweetwater.com I also spent a full day dialing in reverb for my voice. None of the presets worked for me.