How can I emulate human league vocal?

[sfernald]

Ok, I have a challenge for you guys.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

How can I reproduce this singer's performance? Forget about the actual timbe of the guy's voice. I just want to capture the essence of performance. How do you think I could record a voice in a similar way?

I'm trying to figure out what's going on. It sounds sorta like he is singing two feet away from the mike and singing in a barn or something. What kind of reverb and effects do you think is going on?

I want to use outboard only.

I have:

Mackie VZ mixer
Sm7b
Comp54 compressor
Line 6 m13
Tc electronics effects rack


Can I create a performance roughly similar with this equipment?

[ionraygun]

This is probably how it went down on the actual recording.

"I’d get him to do three takes, comp them and it always worked. A Neumann U77 was the mic that I used, and occasionally we’d record him in the toilet"

"Toilets tend to be quite live because of the tiles and the mirrors and the porcelain, and they’re also normally quite small. So you get a sort of live, boxy resonance which, on hand claps and occasionally on vocals, can sound really good"

From this fantastic article.
Human League ‘Don’t You Want Me’ | Classic Tracks

[sfernald]

Holy crap. Thank you so much for that article! What an eye-opener.

I actually have an all-tile bathroom that I think would be perfect for that.

I see he used a MCI console, which is sorta like a Mackie, which I have.

What kind of preamp do you think he would use on a U77 back in that day?

Originally Posted by ionraygun

This is probably how it went down on the actual recording.

"I’d get him to do three takes, comp them and it always worked. A Neumann U77 was the mic that I used, and occasionally we’d record him in the toilet"

"Toilets tend to be quite live because of the tiles and the mirrors and the porcelain, and they’re also normally quite small. So you get a sort of live, boxy resonance which, on hand claps and occasionally on vocals, can sound really good"

From this fantastic article.
Human League ‘Don’t You Want Me’ | Classic Tracks

[msl]

Originally Posted by sfernald

i see he used a mci console, which is sorta like a mackie, which i have.

lol


.

[Looping Loddar]

Argh! My bathroom is to big to reproduce the singer's performance. Now i'm searching for a new flat.

Maybe some reverb could improve the performance. Give the Behringer V-Verb a try (if you find a working one). But remember the bathroom ist the starting point!

[sfernald]

Originally Posted by msl

lol


.

Hey, that's what the producer actually says in the article

He says he loves Mackie, but hates SSL. Go figure.

I gotta pick up a 100 ft mike cable and then I can run it into my la salle de bains, haha.

[msl]

sure if take out the 'ake' it might do


.

[alexp]

alexP

[sfernald]

Originally Posted by msl

sure if take out the 'ake' it might do


.

Hey man, this is garage warfare...Got to make do with what we got..

[sameal]

dude.

we understand. but an MCI console is nothing, i mean NOTHING like a mackie.

the only thing that could be said of them being the same is they are audio boards.

that being said, mackie isn't awful. you'll do fine, just comparing it to a big name, big dollar analog console is quite humorous.

[sfernald]

Originally Posted by sameal

dude.

we understand. but an MCI console is nothing, i mean NOTHING like a mackie.

the only thing that could be said of them being the same is they are audio boards.

that being said, mackie isn't awful. you'll do fine, just comparing it to a big name, big dollar analog console is quite humorous.

Please just understand, it wasn't me that compared them. It was actually the producer for Human League (Martin Rushent) that said Mackie is the new MCI, so don't shoot the messenger.

Quote from article:

"This was in addition to a 32-channel MCI console that Rushent describes as “the greatest console I’ve ever had. I rue the day I got rid of it. Because of its rudimentary computer mixing, I had VCA faders and mutes, the two things I could program, which used to lift 90 percent of the load off me once I’d done a mix and could then get on with working the effects. However, what I really loved about that desk was the EQ. The closest thing to it now is the Mackie, which in essence is a modern, reverse-engineered MCI — that’s why I’ve got a Mackie in my current studio. I can always grab that EQ if I need it. However, I’d love to have the MCI back."

[sameal]

Originally Posted by sfernald

Please just understand, it wasn't me that compared them, it was actually the producer for Human League (Martin Rushent) that said Mackie is the new MCI, so don't shoot the messenger.

Quote from article:

"This was in addition to a 32-channel MCI console that Rushent describes as “the greatest console I’ve ever had. I rue the day I got rid of it. Because of its rudimentary computer mixing, I had VCA faders and mutes, the two things I could program, which used to lift 90 percent of the load off me once I’d done a mix and could then get on with working the effects. However, what I really loved about that desk was the EQ. The closest thing to it now is the Mackie, which in essence is a modern, reverse-engineered MCI — that’s why I’ve got a Mackie in my current studio. I can always grab that EQ if I need it. However, I’d love to have the MCI back."

wow. just wow.

I'd love to see a shoot out honestly. i get this feeling he wouldn't be saying that.

AND WHAT MACKIE!!!!!?????

[sfernald]

Originally Posted by sameal

wow. just wow.

I'd love to see a shoot out honestly. i get this feeling he wouldn't be saying that.

AND WHAT MACKIE!!!!!?????

Yeah, I know, huh? Maybe someone on here's got his email address and could ask him. That would be very interesting

[Wolf2007]

Originally Posted by sfernald

Yeah, I know, huh? Maybe someone on here's got his email address and could ask him. That would be very interesting

Sadly, Martin Rushent passed away last month.

[sfernald]

Originally Posted by Wolf2007

Sadly, Martin Rushent passed away last month.

Oh man, so sad. Another legend gone.

[enossified]

Well now he won't need that MCI back

[sfernald]

Well, I did my first little experiment.

Went down and got a 100ft mike at GC (using that 10% coupon of course) so I could actually record from my bathroom.

Set up the mic stand in the toilet. Well, not actually in the toilet. Didn't know whether to place it in the tile shower or outside of it. Or whether I should face the tile walls or not when singing.

I ended up putting the mic in the tile shower and singing directly toward all the tiles. Luckily I didn't electrocute myself in the process.

I did just three takes of course in memory of martin

The signal chain I used:

sm7b
Mackie 1202-vlz (of course I used as much of that "magical dust" mackie eq that I could, e)
Comp54 compressor (modded) as insert
TC Electronic Impact Twin (recorded at 44.1 and 24bit)
Dumped into Cubase 6 and merged with original song (no processing at all in DAW other than faders).
Exported as 44.1 and 16bit wav file.


I'm not a singer of course. I just wanted to see how it would come out.

Here is a short sample of me singing over Phil:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5866491/seconds%20SAMPLE.wav

This was a lot of fun!

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by sfernald

Please just understand, it wasn't me that compared them. It was actually the producer for Human League (Martin Rushent) that said Mackie is the new MCI, so don't shoot the messenger.

Quote from article:

"This was in addition to a 32-channel MCI console that Rushent describes as “the greatest console I’ve ever had. I rue the day I got rid of it. Because of its rudimentary computer mixing, I had VCA faders and mutes, the two things I could program, which used to lift 90 percent of the load off me once I’d done a mix and could then get on with working the effects. However, what I really loved about that desk was the EQ. The closest thing to it now is the Mackie, which in essence is a modern, reverse-engineered MCI — that’s why I’ve got a Mackie in my current studio. I can always grab that EQ if I need it. However, I’d love to have the MCI back."

I think people are misunderstanding the comparison-

MCI and Soundcraft consoles at the time were the budget boards (compared to most other boards of that era, which were Neve, API, SSL, etc.) Remeber, the "pro-sumer" concept of recording gear and home studios wasn't close to what it is today.

So, simple misunderstanding, I believe.

Hope that helps to clarify.

-andrews

[sfernald]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

I think people are misunderstanding the comparison-

MCI and Soundcraft consoles at the time were the budget boards (compared to most other boards of that era, which were Neve, API, SSL, etc.) Remeber, the "pro-sumer" concept of recording gear and home studios wasn't close to what it is today.

So, simple misunderstanding, I believe.

Hope that helps to clarify.

-andrews

I don't know. He is about as clear as you can get:

"...the Mackie, which is in essence a modern, reverse-engineered MCI..."

I don't think that leaves much room for dispute on what he was thinking. We'll never know for sure now though.

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by sfernald

I don't know. He is about as clear as you can get:

"...the Mackie, which is in essence a modern, reverse-engineered MCI..."

I don't think that leaves much room for dispute on what he was thinking. We'll never know for sure now though.

Oh, well if he said that, then... uh yeah... load o' crap (unless he means "reversed engineered" to resemble a mixer in basic form only )

[sameal]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

Oh, well if he said that, then... uh yeah... load o' crap (unless he means "reversed engineered" to resemble a mixer in basic form only )

that's what i was saying. that mci is alot more board then that mackie. but he doesn't state what mackie really. not that i think it makes a difference. i don't know if mackie has anything that could stand up to an mci, but i have been proven wrong before, and sometimes things like that happen. it's not totally out of the question, but highly unlikely. highly.

[steelyfan]

Sounds great, reminds me of Brian Eno's vocals from the "Another Green World" and "Here come the warm Jets" era. Keep it going!

Yes, music is supposed to be fun! So, seems you are on the right track!

steelyfan

[sfernald]

Originally Posted by steelyfan

Sounds great, reminds me of Brian Eno's vocals from the "Another Green World" and "Here come the warm Jets" era. Keep it going!

Yes, music is supposed to be fun! So, seems you are on the right track!

steelyfan

Wow, thx man. I'm trying to write my own song and see if I can kinda capture the same vibe. Lyrics are hard though. I can write all day long, but lyrics are so hard.

[steelyfan]

If you don't already know of them, check out Brian Eno's "Oblique Strategies" , these ideas may give you direction on what you don't "have" to do, even when lyrics are involved.

cheers

steelyfan

[sameal]

i find i write my best material during the most stressful and depressing parts of my life.

carry a little tape recorder or a handheld digital recorder and just start singing into it.

before you know it, you'll be writing your best material. it takes time like anything else does.

[Peter Hanes]

Originally Posted by sfernald

Please just understand, it wasn't me that compared them. It was actually the producer for Human League (Martin Rushent) that said Mackie is the new MCI, so don't shoot the messenger.

Quote from article:

"This was in addition to a 32-channel MCI console that Rushent describes as “the greatest console I’ve ever had. I rue the day I got rid of it. Because of its rudimentary computer mixing, I had VCA faders and mutes, the two things I could program, which used to lift 90 percent of the load off me once I’d done a mix and could then get on with working the effects. However, what I really loved about that desk was the EQ. The closest thing to it now is the Mackie, which in essence is a modern, reverse-engineered MCI — that’s why I’ve got a Mackie in my current studio. I can always grab that EQ if I need it. However, I’d love to have the MCI back."

The way I parse this statement is:

Rushent:
However, what I really loved about that desk was the EQ. The closest thing to it now is the Mackie, which in essence is a modern, reverse-engineered MCI — that’s why I’ve got a Mackie in my current studio. I can always grab that EQ if I need it.

So he's only talking about the EQ, not the whole desk.