Process this vocal clip...

[JohnnyPraze]

I need some help...

I'm having a hard time getting a good sound.

If any of you have the time, take a listen to this clip and point out its problem areas. Also, I would love to hear someone process this clip using their chain and explain what was done and why...

It's a vocal take in raw form, recorded with a AT4060 into a UA M610.

I thank you all in advance for your time.

[JohnnyPraze]

Any help...?

[J-Ross]

There's a really sick audio engineer on this forum named e-cue, he should be able to help you with that. To do what I think you want to do is just a bit of Parallel Compression and some EQ work. Don't take my word for it dawg, I ain't no sound engineer.

[Zacchino]

The attack of your compressor is way too short, and overall it sounds too boxy (was it on purpose ?). I think the mic was a bot too close to the rapper.

- I Eq'ed dynamically the Highs with Waves C4
- I Eq'ed the mids with 2 instances of Waves Renaissance Eq 4
- I cut most of the attacks with Waves TransX Wide
- Couldn't do anything with the weird artefacts in the extreme highs (Mp3 related I guess). But I could've handled it with a deNoiser (didn't have the time).

All in all, I tryied to make it sound "wider" without touching the lows (that seems to be well managed by the AT4060 for this voice).
My version might have less presence than yours, depending on your instrumental. To boost the presence, try the middle (magic) button of the URS BLT Eq...

HTH

[JohnnyPraze]

Thanks Zacchino...

And to be more clear about this, I'm not just looking for free handouts.

This is actually me taking a stab at rapping.
I'm more comfortable behind the boards, but occasionaly someone wants me to do some voice over work, or add a verse to a song and I can never seem to work with my own voice.

The only compression on the track is by a DBX 163X on the way in, and it is set to take off an occasional peak. Its barely there.

[JohnnyPraze]

Should I ditch the DBX for something else on the way in?

[FossilTooth]

Ouch!

I can see why you're unhappy. Maybe that Mic/pre combo just doesn't sound good on you.

Watch your gain staging. It sounds like you're recording much hotter than your outboard analog was built to handle.

It sounds like you're eating the mic, AND it sounds telephoney at the same time. A hard combination to get!

Your room is also part of the equation.

Bring down your levels, and don't get into the bad habit of normalizing that seems to be so prevalent among amateur hip-hop engineers.

Try another mic, try different distances from the mic, try setting the 610 differently. It's easy to get a good sound out of it, but it's unfortunately also fairly easy to make it sound grainy and distorted. That's why so many people here hate it.
(I'm one of the lovers)

[FossilTooth]

Originally Posted by Zacchino

My version might have less presence than yours, depending on your instrumental. To boost the presence, try the middle (magic) button of the URS BLT Eq...

HTH

Ummm......

That middle knob on the BLT is LEVEL. (Bass Level Treble)

It sounds like magic because you're turning up the volume!

It's pretty much straight-up clean level if I remember the sound of it........

[rossi]

Originally Posted by JohnnyPraze

I need some help...

I'm having a hard time getting a good sound.

If any of you have the time, take a listen to this clip and point out its problem areas. Also, I would love to hear someone process this clip using their chain and explain what was done and why...

It's a vocal take in raw form, recorded with a AT4060 into a UA M610.

I thank you all in advance for your time.

see if this is any better

RVOX
waves DEesser
waves linEQ
CRS room

Ross

[MT Groove]

Here's a 2 minute job. I can fix it up some more but I'm in the middle of a few projects taking a break. :)

[JohnnyPraze]

Originally Posted by FossilTooth

Your room is also part of the equation.

The recording space is the biggest problem. I went with some bad advice to build a small 4x4 booth lined with Auralex that I have been unable to get a good sound from. I suppose this is my main problem.

I'm about to tear apart the booth and go with an open recording area/semi booth made with with OC703 and acoustical cotton. (We live and we learn)

I probably should have waited to do that before posting a clip. Now we're fighting two beasts.

I'm going to ditch the booth, ditch the DBX, and I know I need a better convertor, but thats a different subject...

Any other input is well welcomed.

[Zacchino]

Originally Posted by FossilTooth

Ouch!

I can see why you're unhappy. Maybe that Mic/pre combo just doesn't sound good on you.

Watch your gain staging. It sounds like you're recording much hotter than your outboard analog was built to handle.

It sounds like you're eating the mic, AND it sounds telephoney at the same time. A hard combination to get!

Your room is also part of the equation.

Bring down your levels, and don't get into the bad habit of normalizing that seems to be so prevalent among amateur hip-hop engineers.

Try another mic, try different distances from the mic, try setting the 610 differently. It's easy to get a good sound out of it, but it's unfortunately also fairly easy to make it sound grainy and distorted. That's why so many people here hate it.
(I'm one of the lovers)

BLT... Bass Level Treble... It's written on it... How could've I missed this... Okay never mind, next time I'll rtfm (or just read what's under the knobs).

Damn I really need to stop processing vocals, and just make shure it's synced.

[daillman]

Originally Posted by JohnnyPraze

Should I ditch the DBX for something else on the way in?

yes i used the dbx 266xl and trace at masterlab in orlando could tell what brand of compression i was using,he said it had that dbx sound,and told me tom get something more highend that would treat my sound with more care and when pushed hard it did give that kind of in the can sound,so now i just use it on drums and for the great limiter section,not to nock dbx its good at what its good at,hell who knows in the future it might be here on highend as one of those have to have throw back peices.