Distorting lead vocals

[BackHand]

I'm trying to get that great distortion effect on lead vocals as for example: "The Strokes" has. I've been trying with diffirent plugins but that never does it.
What do I need? What do I do ?

Condenser mic or dynamic SM57 style? Tube preamp distortion or a mic directly into a guitaramp? Or lined to a guitar amp? Or both? Tube mic? Plugins?

What do the engineers do in the studio with "The Strokes" to get that great sound ?

[Rogervandeberg]

Originally Posted by BackHand

I'm trying to get that great distortion effect on lead vocals as for example: "The Strokes" has. I've been trying with diffirent plugins but that never does it.
What do I need? What do I do ?

Condenser mic or dynamic SM57 style? Tube preamp distortion or a mic directly into a guitaramp? Or lined to a guitar amp? Or both? Tube mic? Plugins?

What do the engineers do in the studio with "The Strokes" to get that great sound ?

I don't know how the strokes do it, but i do it this way, and it works for me and sounds quite nice! I just sing into a condenser into the DAW, then reamp the signal trough a high gain amp (loose some bass tones and high's)with some effects to taste (small reverb, short ping-pong delay with feedback on once, sometimes even a flanger or phaser pedal). The nice thing about this is that you can still tweak your sound with only one take, just keep reamping it.

Then layer it with a neatly compressed "normal" vocal line and adjust the volume of the two to tase. int his way, the vocals are loud en distorted but you still hear what you are saying.

[BackHand]

Originally Posted by Rogervandeberg

I don't know how the strokes do it, but i do it this way, and it works for me and sounds quite nice! I just sing into a condenser into the DAW, then reamp the signal trough a high gain amp (loose some bass tones and high's)with some effects to taste (small reverb, short ping-pong delay with feedback on once, sometimes even a flanger or phaser pedal). The nice thing about this is that you can still tweak your sound with only one take, just keep reamping it.

Then layer it with a neatly compressed "normal" vocal line and adjust the volume of the two to tase. int his way, the vocals are loud en distorted but you still hear what you are saying.

I'll try lining out my recorded vocals then. Maybe I eaven could re-amp trough my Pod XT Pro..hmm..

Any other suggestions ?

[wwittman]

I think I read that The Strokes sound was a slightly overdriven Avalon preamp...

But I've had good luck with Antares Tube.
IT adds JUST that edge of distortion without narrowing the bandwidth.

there's a free demo on their website.

[r0ck1r0ck2]

i'll use one of my many shit mics for this purpose...
there's this crazy old crystal mic that was my sainted grandfathers...
maybe a set of headphones that i don't care about....

that shits fun!

[Rogervandeberg]

Originally Posted by BackHand

I'll try lining out my recorded vocals then. Maybe I eaven could re-amp trough my Pod XT Pro..hmm..

Any other suggestions ?

Sometimes i also do it through a line 6 amp, works wonder!.

Find a Van Halen patch at tonetransfer.com which suits you , roll off the bass and try that one! Mix with the original track!

Have fun!