vaultwit
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What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
Does anyone know, either from experience or from technical knowledge, which is better between the two for recording vocals? 1) Recording inside a standard bedroom walk-in closet full of clothes. Of course, though, clothes won't be surrounding the singer 360°
2) Recording in front of a vocal isolation panel, like the following picture, but in a large bedroom (where otherwise there would be lots of reflections) 
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FastBikerBoy
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 12:50:09
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I personally use my hallway plus a hanging quilt in front of the mic and another behind the singer to great effect.
How I wish I had more space......
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 13:01:24
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Usually, the primary problem with rooms are that they are often too small for the task at hand.
If you want to use a gobo to minimize reflections in a mid size room like a bedroom then you should try it and see if you think it is helpful.
If the idea appeals to you get a piece of 4lbs/ft³ or 8lbs/ft³ rock wool and make your self a real nice gobo.
If you want to go into a smaller room, like a closet, you might want to ask yourself why you want to do that before you even bother worrying about what you are going to use to make it sound less smaller.
If you have a bigger room like a living room full of couches, carpet and stuff, you may want to try singing out there.
best regards,
mike
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LANEY
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 13:14:05
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I like the panel over the closet if you ask me. :)
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yorolpal
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 13:20:01
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I actually use both. I have a SEReflexion filter which I place in front an facing a double door closet full of coats and such. So it's clothes, me, mic, filter and then the room which is my production studio. Works great.
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Starise
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 13:38:29
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I do something similar OldPal only I also make up a cover on another stand behind the mike in place of the reflection filter....manly cuz...well, I don't have a reflection filter. Seems to work well in my application.
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Rimshot
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 13:51:42
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I use my living/ding room and use a noise gate afterward for the pug noises in the background!
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Bristol_Jonesey
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 15:52:34
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yorolpal
I actually use both. I have a SEReflexion filter which I place in front an facing a double door closet full of coats and such. So it's clothes, me, mic, filter and then the room which is my production studio. Works great.
Yep - same here except you can swap the coats for a double duvet hung in one corner of the room.
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Jind
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 16:12:37
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Rimshot
I use my living/ding room and use a noise gate afterward for the pug noises in the background!
Rimshot.
I've had to edit out random Pekingese (I have two of the little buggers) noises in the past - small world. 
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cclarry
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 17:22:36
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You can also us the VX-64 Vocal Strip to emulate a vocal booth...
Simply select the "Vocal Booth" preset and Voila!!!
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vaultwit
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 17:25:32
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cclarry
You can also us the VX-64 Vocal Strip to emulate a vocal booth...
Simply select the "Vocal Booth" preset and Voila!!!
Ok but what I mean by "vocal booth" is driest recorded signal... that preset is far from sounding dry  haha
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cclarry
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 17:32:24
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Well, on that note...
Unless you isolate the ceiling, floor, and at least 4 sides of the singer...
You're not going to get a "dry" recording...period...
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vaultwit
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 17:34:11
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cclarry
Well, on that note...
Unless you isolate the ceiling, floor, and at least 4 sides of the singer...
You're not going to get a "dry" recording...period...
Yes unfortuntaely you are correct... but I am aiming for the driest signal... as dry as I can get in my bedroom/closet 
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Lanceindastudio
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 18:07:57
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Bigger room and blankets hanging/drooping from ceiling is going to be better, or treat the room with bass traps and/or acoustic foam.
Small spaces are not a good idea for vocals.
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stratrat1
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 18:31:14
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I record my vocals in my main room.... I place the mike where IF I get reflection at all its pretty much equal from all sides....I treat with whats necessary IF necessary.... usually wide open works....
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Bub 
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 18:41:21
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cclarry
You can also us the VX-64 Vocal Strip to emulate a vocal booth...
Simply select the "Vocal Booth" preset and Voila!!!
I use the PX-64 Percussion Strip. It will suck the room out of any recording. I use it a lot.
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peregrine
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 20:10:55
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Bub - what preset? Who's that avatar?
I use an 8-10 cu ft box lined with 2" auralex. It works great for voice over. It knocks down, its light weight and portable.
I've used it with singers, but it can be a little work to get it positioned so the performer is comfortable and able to use
good mic technique. If you want it really dry you can set a gobo to the rear of the performer.
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SteveGriffiths
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 20:23:00
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+1 on the SEReflexion filter - I was amazed at the difference. Behind t is a little doorway aloves (at 45 degrees) which can acoustic foam - works for me. Cheers Grif yorolpal
I actually use both. I have a SEReflexion filter which I place in front an facing a double door closet full of coats and such. So it's clothes, me, mic, filter and then the room which is my production studio. Works great.
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bitflipper
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 21:43:04
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The closet gets my vote, assuming closet and Reflexion are the only choices.
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Bub
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/09 23:41:31
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peregrine
Bub - what preset? I don't use a preset, I always start from scratch. I use the 'Shaper' function. Make sure you input volume is loud enough when using this plugin. If it isn't, adjust the 'input' slider on the far left, then lower the 'output' slider on the far right.  Who's that avatar? My online avy is Conway Twitty. My offline avy, the guy holding the Martin guitar, is Charlie Pride. One of the most underrated country singers of all time in my opinion. Even though I have a rap song in my sig (it was a joke), I'm a huge country fan. :)
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dantarbill
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 11:56:59
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bitflipper
The closet gets my vote, assuming closet and Reflexion are the only choices.
I'm with you. If you don't happen to have a room that you don't mind hearing on your recording...the closet (fully populated with clothes...and no exposed hard surfaces) will at least give you a vocal and very little else. Besides...I've actually had some talent say they actually liked the "return to the womb" feeling they got from performing in there. There's the feeling that no one is watching, so they are less self conscious. (...it's also easier to keep the cats and pug dogs out...)
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M_Glenn_M
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 13:13:21
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A very cool thread.
I am amazed and delighted with the results of a heavy sleeping bag hanging from eye hooks on the ceiling to form a "C" shape booth.
I used inexpensive plastic clamps that have hooks and are designed for attaching tarpaulins to tie-downs so it does not damage the sleeping bag.
That way I can install and take it down in 60 seconds keeping the sleeping bag useable and the room only temporarily altered. (It doubles as a home design studio)
I did wonder about the rear,top and floor and will now deal with that too. I'm going to have to retake all my old vocals with this setup.
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EtherealEntity
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 13:33:28
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I tried clothes once. It helped, haven't got anything to compare it to though! The clothes were rather wet at the end of the day, lol!
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soens
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 13:49:02
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A pine box coffin w/hinged door lined with foam standing upright'll give you the "deadest"-driest sound. Get the extra large model so you have a little movin' 'round room with the door closed. Just make sure there's no lock on the latch in case someone don't like your singin' so much. 
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M@ B
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 15:10:53
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I'm sure you've tried both, which sounds better? Try the reflection filter in the closet also.
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millzy
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 18:38:48
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I am amazed and delighted with the results of a heavy sleeping bag hanging from eye hooks on the ceiling to form a "C" shape booth. I used inexpensive plastic clamps that have hooks and are designed for attaching tarpaulins to tie-downs so it does not damage the sleeping bag. That way I can install and take it down in 60 seconds keeping the sleeping bag useable and the room only temporarily altered. (It doubles as a home design studio)
I like this idea, would work well for me in my limited studio space!
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vaultwit
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 18:48:27
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M@ B
I'm sure you've tried both, which sounds better? Try the reflection filter in the closet also.
Actually I do not have a reflection filter. I was considering getting one, but wanted to ask folks here on their experience with it before shelling out $100+ for one. I usually record in my closet, which is a walk in closet with clothes hanging normally (as I described above) and it works decently well. If you really pay attention to the recorded dry single and concentration, you can probably notice the minimal reflections from the walls that don't have clothes hanging on them, but for the most part it's pretty good.
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Jonbouy
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 19:27:45
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If you want to go into a smaller room, like a closet, you might want to ask yourself why you want to do that before you even bother worrying about what you are going to use to make it sound less smaller. I think one reason is because it isn't possible get access to an available alternative space or to treat the space you are in, therefore, in order to clean up the sound from the horrible reflections afforded by being surrounded by a plaster rectangle, a closet may be the only way you can get a signal free enough from the unwanted stuff to give you a chance of simulating a better sounding compromise. Alternatively perhaps you could arrange to hire your favourite sounding local cathedral.
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 19:30:20
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The Maillard Reaction
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Re:What's a better vocal booth... closet full of clothes, or vocal panel?
2012/04/10 19:34:57
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"I think one reason is because it isn't possible get access to an available alternative space or to treat the space you are in, therefore, in order to clean up the sound from the horrible reflections afforded by being surrounded by a plaster rectangle, a closet may be the only way you can get a signal free enough from the unwanted stuff to give you a chance of simulating a better sounding compromise."
I think I missed your post by moments.
I wasn't trying to be a wise guy but rather hoping to excite someone to offer the very explanation you just provided.
Personally, I do everything possible to stay out of "vocal booths"... they sound like vocal booths unless you obsess on making them dead... which is rarely effective.
I think that by the time a person learns how to place a mic and actually sing well in a vocal booth that they have probably learned enough about recording vocals to sound even better out in a moderately sized room.
Which is why I urge people to question "why" they are using a vocal booth mentality.
all the best,
mike
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