http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh3dnR1z6gBy90h46N
 

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Iv been trying to figure out how to get that clear professional sound for a very long time and finally found a video to help give a better example of what it is I am asking.. in the link above.. around 1:25 he starts singing and you can hear him singing through the studios monitors and it sounds like what i hear when i record.. but then at 1:39 they play it back and it sounds like what all my recordings sound like..(unprofessional) then at 1:41 the sound of his singing completly changes to a very clear professional sound that I am asking how they turned it from sounding like it does at 1:39 to 1:41.. is it a vocal plug in effect? or are they sending it through a filter or a vocal studio program? how did they make is sound the way it does in 1:41

if anyone knows I appreciate the help!

tfabesproductions


http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh3dnR1z6gBy90h46N
 

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Iv been trying to figure out how to get that clear professional sound for a very long time and finally found a video to help give a better example of what it is I am asking.. in the link above.. around 1:25 he starts singing and you can hear him singing through the studios monitors and it sounds like what i hear when i record.. but then at 1:39 they play it back and it sounds like what all my recordings sound like..(unprofessional) then at 1:41 the sound of his singing completly changes to a very clear professional sound that I am asking how they turned it from sounding like it does at 1:39 to 1:41.. is it a vocal plug in effect? or are they sending it through a filter or a vocal studio program? how did they make is sound the way it does in 1:41

if anyone knows I appreciate the help!

That's mixing. It's the difference between a single raw track and a well recorded multitrack pitch corrected vocal mix with harmonies, reverb, numerous other effects. That's a lot of work and not something you get with just a single button push. A lot of people here are looking for a sound like that.

Brando

tfabesproductions


http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh3dnR1z6gBy90h46N

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Iv been trying to figure out how to get that clear professional sound for a very long time and finally found a video to help give a better example of what it is I am asking.. in the link above.. around 1:25 he starts singing and you can hear him singing through the studios monitors and it sounds like what i hear when i record.. but then at 1:39 they play it back and it sounds like what all my recordings sound like..(unprofessional) then at 1:41 the sound of his singing completly changes to a very clear professional sound that I am asking how they turned it from sounding like it does at 1:39 to 1:41.. is it a vocal plug in effect? or are they sending it through a filter or a vocal studio program? how did they make is sound the way it does in 1:41

if anyone knows I appreciate the help!

That's mixing. It's the difference between a single raw track and a well recorded multitrack pitch corrected vocal mix with harmonies, reverb, numerous other effects. That's a lot of work and not something you get with just a single button push. A lot of people here are looking for a sound like that.

i understand all of that but im just concerned on the main vocal part without all the backing harmonies blended with it.. i understand its reverb and numerous other effects but thats what i am wondering.. what efffects are being used on the main vocal that makes it sound so perfectly clear and how are the effects being used..

They switched over to the mixed version of the song is the simple answer.  The earlier "practice" bit was raw and the engineer scrolled through preset vocal effects, even including the cher effect.  Then, as in all movie making, boom, they found the vocal amazingly when the song really started. 

What they did to the vocal - they cleaned it up, using some pretty heavy compression, brought down the reverb (the earlier part was a headphone reverb for the singer to sing into), eq'ed the reverb low end and high-passed the vocal (pretty high, I'd say, closer to 200 hz than 100), etc. etc. 

Tricks of the trade.  You learn the tricks, but the trickey part is learning which trick to use on whom and when.  But in this video they didn't hit a magic button for a finished sound.  They shot the intro, then just switched to a mixed and mastered song for the rest of the video.

@

It's a learning process to get that "magic sound" and it takes time..... plus having the right gear helps. 

Studios have the best mics, generally well above (in price) what most people can afford to buy for their home studios.  There is so many things that go into that polished studio sound...... both in regard to hardware and software and the most important link in that chain.... knowledge and experience. 

The other option to learning it yourself, is to go to the studio and pay someone to get it done for you. 


It's more fun when you can do it yourself. It takes time but jump in and have a go....then post in the songs forum. Listen to others in the songs forum and use it as a learning tool. 

Thanks very much for the help.. its just hard for me cuz i have all this talent and all i hear are sounds in my head that i know could be really good songs and stuff i just need to learn how to get them out of my head and to be able to make them heard which is why im so eager to learn how to get that magic sound haha id do anything to get a chance to learn how to do it

Preparation.

You need to set up a few templates with different soft synths all ready to go so that when you get something you think will work you can at least lay down a basic melody/rhythm/chord structure/song structure without any fuss and - most importantly - do NOT get bogged down trying to start tweaking things too early in terms of synth voicing

You can replace some - or all - of the instruments later on, maybe with real instruments, or simply by refining the synth tones to get closer to what you want.

It's a good idea also to familiarize yourself with some of the bread & butter synths that come with Sonar - Dimension Pro, Rapture, Pentagon, Studio Instruments.

Someone else came here recently talking about "all this talent" they had..... but as I pointed out then... and now, talent in the head is wasted and totally useless unless you can actually get it out and put it into some sort of tangible medium. I can have the next #1 hit in my head, but until I get it out into a form that shows that song in it's best light..... it's worth nothing to no one. A pipe dream at best. 

It will take time for you to learn how to get the "magic" sound onto the digital medium..... how much time it takes it totally up to you. How long it takes depends on how hard you are willing to work, how much you are willing to learn and study, how well you apply the lessons you learn, how many songs you write and record, and the gear and tools you are willing and able to buy to make the job easier. 

There are other things but those, I believe, are the main points.

I have seen folks come here and in 6 months or less be producing radio ready mixes...really sounding pro in every aspect.....and I have seen others who were here before me and are still here, still struggling with some of the basics after all this time. Those are the two extremes and most people fall somewhere int he middle.....showing improvement over time..... it is totally up to you, which group you will be in. 

Don't confuse "talent" with "skill". The two go hand-in-hand, but they're separate things. Talents are in your genes, skills are learned. 

Skills require study and practice, and there are few shortcuts to acquiring them. Get comfortable with the idea that mixing skills won't come to you overnight, that it's a long process. A journey of a thousand steps, ya know.

Guitarhacker


talent in the head is wasted and totally useless unless you can actually get it out and put it into some sort of tangible medium 

+1 for Guitarhacker and tangible mediums.  Or is it media?  I've got a CD collection called "The Essential Bob Marley".  There is a cut where you can hear Mr. Marley banging on an acoustic guitar, in a very bright room, into a less than stellar cassette recorder.  He is singing a rough sketch of "Redemption Song".  The next track on the disc is the fully realized version from the studio.  Turns out Bob never went anywhere without his acoustic six string, a note pad and a portable cassette recorder.  I'd say that kit went a long way in his hands.