Best Mic For Screaming Male Lead Rock Vocals?

[84K]

HI,

I was wondering what everyone is using for screaming male rock lead vocals. What are your suggestions? Most tube mics can't handle the SPL. Which do you go to? Does anyone know what they use on the Linkin Park multi-voice screamed out hooks? Thanks-Kris

[DivineMusic]

rock lead, i don't track rock artist much.. but when i have
Rode k2 or akg 414 either one will handle the spl no problem

[NathanEldred]

Originally posted by 84K
Most tube mics can't handle the SPL.

Did someone tell you this, or is this your experience? If this is your experience what kind of tube mics are you using? I have no problem with tube condensers handling screamers. I just recorded a hardcore punk group called 'Team Effort' for their 7". Two singers, one lead, one backup...very aggressive early hardcore kind of stuff. Used a Soundelux U99 and all 15 guys in the room agreed it sounded great. Clear and clean (we had to add obvious grit later with a Distressor).

[AdAudioInc]

Shure SM-7

[picksail]

A 414 would work well as would an SM7 without the windscreen.

I've even used the Soundelux E47 for similar situations.

[drundall]

58.

[84K]

Jamz (a fellow Gear Slut) introduced me to the SM-7 and that works great..... it can take it.... just looking for all my options.

As far as someone asked earlier... I have many tube mics, old neumanns, telefunkens, AKG, etc. This singer is just extremely loud when he screams. Some mics, like the U67, can handle it much better than, say, an E Lam 251, but they all still distort at some point. Proximity aside, you can only back the vocalist up so much before you have to over-compress to get that "in your face" sound. That is my objection with the tube mics in this application. I like the SM-7(THANKS JAMZ), because I don't have to worry about it distorting. Any other mic suggestions? Thanks!!

[faeflora]

Tube mics do just fine. They do need the grit though, as Nathan mentioned.

How do you get your grit on your screaming vocals? Clean just sounds wierd.

[chessparov]

There was a microphone by Beyer called the
Beyer Soundstar MKII or Model 400 (M400)
which has VERY similar sound to a SM7.
(much smoother than a 57 or 58)

Less than half the price typically used, and it can be easily used as a hand held. Also takes less mic pre gain than the SM7 needs.

Personally haven't bothered with getting a SM7 as a result.

BTW Harvey Gerst's studio has 3(!) of them, including one that used to be mine.
They love 'em on metal screamers.

Chris

[84K]

Originally posted by chessparov
There was a microphone by Beyer called the
Beyer Soundstar MKII or Model 400 (M400)
which has VERY similar sound to a SM7.
(much smoother than a 57 or 58)

Less than half the price typically used, and it can be easily used as a hand held. Also takes less mic pre gain than the SM7 needs.

Personally haven't bothered with getting a SM7 as a result.

BTW Harvey Gerst's studio has 3(!) of them, including one that used to be mine.
They love 'em on metal screamers.

Chris

Thanks a lot Chris! I will look into getting one of those.

[84K]

Originally posted by faeflora
Tube mics do just fine. They do need the grit though, as Nathan mentioned.

How do you get your grit on your screaming vocals? Clean just sounds wierd.

I have not gotten to the mixing stage yet, but I am going to lean on keeping it more natural. Most likely, if any...
Distressors.... TS-808, or something like that.

[ziegenh5]

SM7 or SM57. I know exactly what you are talking about with screaming into a condenser and distortion. Also, check the rest of your signal chain. The high output of the tube condenser combined with the loudness of the singer may be clipping the mic pre or compressor if applicable. I just went through this and settled on the SM7 for loud vox apps. I have no problem substituting a 57 though and doing a bit of eq. The beyer is a good mic, similar to a SM7 in that it is more open than a 57, but I still prefer the tone of the Shures over the Beyer. I guess that's what I'm used to. Whatever works.
Sean

[alphajerk]

i like using headphones.... as a mic. screaming rock vox arent my favorite thing in the world, especially this numetal crap out right now thats a blend of death metal and crap.

[planet red]

A mic that works well for me is the rode NTK.. I hate it on anything else but it sounds good with a lot of screamers... very crunchy but hi fi sounding.

I record TONS of screaming and end up mixing a lot of stuff done at other places, and always prefer my tracks done with an ntk to stuff done with much better/ expensive mics..

[84K]

Originally posted by planet red
A mic that works well for me is the rode NTK.. I hate it on anything else but it sounds good with a lot of screamers... very crunchy but hi fi sounding.

I record TONS of screaming and end up mixing a lot of stuff done at other places, and always prefer my tracks done with an ntk to stuff done with much better/ expensive mics..

Cool. I will look into that one as well. Thanks!!

[brendondp]

I concur with the SM7 posts.

Also, the Electro Voice RE-20 (or PL-20 as I think they're now called) would work just fine too.

Cheers,

bdp

[Drumsound]

421

[Tetness]

A good friend of mine is a top session vocalist in LA. He almost got the gig to play with Van Halen after David Lee Roth left. Anyway, he has a monster voice and can scream like no other. He told me that many of times, he would simply use an SM57. Sometimes clinets would put the SM57 in in the control room and have him sing with the speakers blasting for that live rock-n-roll feel. Not a technique I would use, but none the less... So I would agree with the previous posts: SM7 or SM57.

[James 'LA' Lugo]

I scream but with good technique and I use a Soundelux E49>Chandler LTD-1>Distressor. I'm not a big fan of dynamic mics for tracking records. Now, I produce singers with bad technique and they blow out the mic. It all depends on the singer, I demoed about 50 mics before making my choice: Korby Convertable, Gefell, Neumann M150/149/47/67/87/47FETi, all the Rode stuff, AKG C12 VR, all the Soundelux's, Bruaner Valvet Voice etc.. The Soundelux E49 was the one for my voice, very mid present and quick for a tube mic. Just my expirience.

[chessparov]

Should have mentioned the EV RE16 (or RE15) in my previous post.

Not quite as clean on the top as the RE20, and that can be a GOOD thing for those of us with some sibilance! (ahem)

Anyway, most all the Chess vocals between the mid 60's and early 70's were done on a RE15 or EV 666 ("RE20-like").

Come to think of it, the EV 635a would be smart to include in your vocal kit too. Very underated.
It'd be the first try on bluesy vocals personally,
although YMMV with a different singer.

The cool thing about all these EV's is that microphone placement is somewhat less critical
vs. garden variety cardiod dynamics.

Chris

[the dice]

beta sm57

or the langevin mic. (more pro and you have use the pad)

works really good on that.

bright with balls.

[chetatkinsdiet]

Shure SM7. Without a shadow of a doubt, this will be your mic.
later,
m

[418]

I know you've got one already, but SM7... Just finished tracking with one tonight, and I can't complain...

[packagebear]

i 2nd the ntk vote.
used it on every lead vocal on our last ep..
lots o' screamin

if you'd like to hear so go to:
http://www.conspiracyoffour.com/audionew.html

[LittleDogAudio]

Sennheiser 421.
Just don't drop it.

Chris

[Lord Fear]

I know that on CKY's new album we used SM7's for all the screaming parts and a U-67 or 87 for the sung vocals, but made him stand fairly far away from the mic. However a 57 or 58 sounds awsome, it gets a nice old school punk kind of sound.

[GYang]

SM 57 thumbs up
Rode NTK, K2 and Classic II, all excellent rock mics.

GYang

[barforama]

SM7, yes

[wwittman]

1st choice: good U-47
(IS there a better rock vocal sound than Lennon on Twist and Shout? gee, i guess that tube really can't handle the "spl"... yawn)

2nd choice: Gefell UM-900. because I cannot always count on a GOOD U-47 being around.

3rd choice: Gefell UM-70 or Neumann U-87

always works.

could make do with 47fet.

Wouldn't subject anything worth recording to either a 414 or an SM-57

[warhead]

Quick question...once you record the screaming vocalist and compress the hell out of it and add distortion in the mix etc. will any of this matter?

You need a mic with good SPL capability and possibly a handheld. Man I'd reach for a 58 first or Chris' M400 suggestion and try it out.

If you plan on gaining all of your grit etc. out of the original recording and not processing it with the usual amounts of distortion, comp and limiting then the mic choice will mean more. An SM57 with a windscreen / pop filter might just rock your world also and you probably have one already!

Rock on.......

War