Hi,
I need some help and input of you guys to help me improve my system. I do not have a lot of money but hopefully with make it possible to do some good recordings. All tips are welcome.
I'm into electronic music and I do not have experience recording vocals. What I need is to record a friend and put it on top of some beats he already has. It's a simple setup I only need to record one person over some beats (hip hop/ rap).
All I'm going to do is different takes and I just need to EQ the voice and add some effects. I know that this is not an easy task to do and requires experience but hopefully with your tips I will improve the sound recorded.
Let me first introduce you to my setup:
*Studio monitors- adam studio monitors a7x
*Studio headphones- HD 280 PRO
*Laptop -macbook pro
*audio interface M-Audio ProFire 610
*Microphone- Rode k-2 ( i do not know which tube is in it already)
*I will be using logic pro for recording
I have some questions:
1- Do you have any favourite tube that goes with the rode k2?
2- Do I really need a mic preamp or should I get decent results with the one in the audio interface?
3- What kind of plugins do you use to EQ, Compress, other effects etc..? I want to be able to play with the voice around.
4- What tips do you have to make the recording? Any good articles?
Any good techniques used in hip hop/rap?
I hope you can help me on this one
thanks in advance
Hip Hop/ Rap Voice recording
-
theodore_whitmore theodore_whitmore https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=297562
- KVRist
- 155 posts since 29 Jan, 2013
A couple of tips:
Studio condenser mics are generally voiced to flatter singers. Rappers obviously spit out a lot more syllables and that can sound harsh and aggressive. If you have access to a dynamic mic it is worth trying it-even a bog standard Shure 58 will often work better than something big and expensive. Otherwise, you could try Sleepy-Time DSP Transient for some frequency conscious softening of any harsh consonants.
Rap vocals will usually benefit from a good dose of parallel compression. I'd usually set up an 1176 type like Stillwells Rocket for some fairly distorted presence, Variety of Sound Thrillseeker to emphasise the warmth of the vocal and a clean compressor like PC2 with a medium-slow attack to bring out the clarity and definition. Then blend to taste.
FX wise I'd almost always go short reverb/ambience, tempo synced delay or a doubler effect like Martin Eastwoods Duet. Any noticeable reverb will probably mush up the track and push the vocal too far back in the mix.
Lastly, the preamps in your interface should be more than good enough to get a nice recording. Just make sure to use a pop-shield, record to 24 bit and leave a good 12 dB of headroom just to be sure you don't clip if the talent really goes for it. Have fun!
Studio condenser mics are generally voiced to flatter singers. Rappers obviously spit out a lot more syllables and that can sound harsh and aggressive. If you have access to a dynamic mic it is worth trying it-even a bog standard Shure 58 will often work better than something big and expensive. Otherwise, you could try Sleepy-Time DSP Transient for some frequency conscious softening of any harsh consonants.
Rap vocals will usually benefit from a good dose of parallel compression. I'd usually set up an 1176 type like Stillwells Rocket for some fairly distorted presence, Variety of Sound Thrillseeker to emphasise the warmth of the vocal and a clean compressor like PC2 with a medium-slow attack to bring out the clarity and definition. Then blend to taste.
FX wise I'd almost always go short reverb/ambience, tempo synced delay or a doubler effect like Martin Eastwoods Duet. Any noticeable reverb will probably mush up the track and push the vocal too far back in the mix.
Lastly, the preamps in your interface should be more than good enough to get a nice recording. Just make sure to use a pop-shield, record to 24 bit and leave a good 12 dB of headroom just to be sure you don't clip if the talent really goes for it. Have fun!
-
theodore_whitmore theodore_whitmore https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=297562
- KVRist
- 155 posts since 29 Jan, 2013
One more tip. Make sure to set up some damping material behind the vocalist to stop any reflected sound being picked up. A couple of heavy quilts should do it. And never stand a vocalist in a corner to record them.
-
- Banned
- 12367 posts since 30 Apr, 2002 from i might peeramid
i'd recommend getting experience recording before you start thinking about which tube complements your mic, or soliciting responses (the answer to 1- is "the one i sell to you").
the biggest issue you'll face is cancelling the room. if you can do that and keep your vocalist comfortable so they can perform, then worry about a pop filter (old vocalists plosive off-axis) and getting a level.
the biggest issue you'll face is cancelling the room. if you can do that and keep your vocalist comfortable so they can perform, then worry about a pop filter (old vocalists plosive off-axis) and getting a level.
you come and go, you come and go. amitabha neither a follower nor a leader be tagore "where roads are made i lose my way" where there is certainty, consideration is absent.
-
- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 2 posts since 23 May, 2013
thank you for your answers. I'm out of budget so treating the room acoustically will only come in July.
Do you have any guide to improve the room without spending money?
The quilt solution, would I benefit from covering the whole room area including floor and ceiling with it? Would a mattress be better for the walls?
Do you have any guide to improve the room without spending money?
The quilt solution, would I benefit from covering the whole room area including floor and ceiling with it? Would a mattress be better for the walls?
-
- KVRAF
- 3401 posts since 6 Nov, 2006
experiment with your own voice.
set up the mic.. press record in your DAW..
record yourself saying things.. sing a few things.. rap a few things. even nonsense...
sit and listen.. if it doesn't sound good.. move the mic to a different spot..
hopefully the person you are recording has decent mic technique and will just get up on the mic and stay there.
anyway.. you should spend some time finding the right place in your room to set the mic up. you can make a small dent in the reflectiveness of a space with a bunch of thick blankets.. might not be super noticeable but it might help.
you just want to keep the singer from sounding like he/she is in a cardboard box or really resonant space.
and a free tip.. record the 1st take... even if the person says .. "let me just go through once and do a take to warm up"
say "fine" and then record it. often that's the best take...
set up the mic.. press record in your DAW..
record yourself saying things.. sing a few things.. rap a few things. even nonsense...
sit and listen.. if it doesn't sound good.. move the mic to a different spot..
hopefully the person you are recording has decent mic technique and will just get up on the mic and stay there.
anyway.. you should spend some time finding the right place in your room to set the mic up. you can make a small dent in the reflectiveness of a space with a bunch of thick blankets.. might not be super noticeable but it might help.
you just want to keep the singer from sounding like he/she is in a cardboard box or really resonant space.
and a free tip.. record the 1st take... even if the person says .. "let me just go through once and do a take to warm up"
say "fine" and then record it. often that's the best take...
-
- Banned
- 12367 posts since 30 Apr, 2002 from i might peeramid
that first take thing is good advice 
i treated my studio by dumpster diving behind carpet installers to score strips of underpadding. strategically located partial coverage on reflective surfaces did a lot to reduce the reflections from a clap A/B'ing with the next room.
i totally don't think auralex is doing a whole lot more than underpadding at that thickness, ymmv.
if you stood on the other side of the mic holding two pillows during the vocal take, that'd prolly do it pretty good too. just interrupt those resonant, reflective channels.
i treated my studio by dumpster diving behind carpet installers to score strips of underpadding. strategically located partial coverage on reflective surfaces did a lot to reduce the reflections from a clap A/B'ing with the next room.
i totally don't think auralex is doing a whole lot more than underpadding at that thickness, ymmv.
if you stood on the other side of the mic holding two pillows during the vocal take, that'd prolly do it pretty good too. just interrupt those resonant, reflective channels.
you come and go, you come and go. amitabha neither a follower nor a leader be tagore "where roads are made i lose my way" where there is certainty, consideration is absent.
-
- KVRAF
- 16797 posts since 8 Mar, 2005 from Utrecht, Holland
Sure! Carpets, curtains, rugs... whatever dampens the reflections is better than the concrete wall that acoustically reflects like a mirror.
An old trick is to suspend a duvet or sleeping bag for a temp vocal booth.
An old trick is to suspend a duvet or sleeping bag for a temp vocal booth.
We are the KVR collective. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. 
My MusicCalc is served over https!!
My MusicCalc is served over https!!