1st time modern R&B vox - could be BIG - need advice

[manthe]

I've recorded a lot of different styles of music over the year. One thing I've not *really* worked with is modern 'diva-style', R&B vocals (female).

I have a cold-call gig Monday for a young, female R&B vocalist. She has the ear of a major label right now and needs to do quick demo. She has 3 or 4 clips, pre-recorded (on a CD, ready to go).

Basically, she wants to come in, have me queue up the clips, sing over them, then I do a super-fast mix...wham-bam-thank-you-maam!

I am just charging straight hourly rates. Should be exceedingly simple. My question is - is there any 'tips', or important things I should know about tracking modern R&B female vocalists? I *really* want to do a good job on this. She likes my studio and me and her manager seems cool too. It could lead to a lot more work and 'connections' if she does get picked up

She is obviously on a tight budget. i believe I can give her a high quality product for the level we're at. I'm planning on using my Neumann TLM 49 into my LA-610 with the opto comp engaged (maybe 2 to 6 db GR).

I don't listen to that style too much. But, it seems like there is usually a lot of layering and out of phase stuff. Short delays...very subtle reverb. Am I on the right track?

A little nervous and slightly out of my element here!

[rdfusari]

in my experience , very little delays and rverbs...almost inaudible...r/b hip hop vocals are for the most part pretty dry...bring out the air in the vocal...15k up..dont go crazy ..just make it shine...layer the backgrounds ...maybe 4 on each harmony note...leave the lead vocal single...expect maybe do doubles on certain lines to accent..

[tonymission]

you should be a little nervous! why?

because there's nothing "urban" TE's hate more than doing RNB ... there are SO SO SO many tracks. 10 on the harmonies, 6-7 on the stacks... the backgrounds got 4... my god... it's a ****ing headache.

You really dont have to use a lot of FX and compression is pretty limited as well unless she's just horrible but the amount of stacks you need is ridiculous. I never got it, still don't get it and any time I get a call for an RNB gig, only take it when I know it's politically beneficial to me.

Otherwise they make me wanna stick pencils in my eyes. That said, I have ended up sleeping with one (i know, a big no no) but for the most part, the diva attitude is "who are you, do you know who i am" ... I had to drop the credits on one girl to get her to act like a reasonable human being. I hate it!

[Sigma]

don't track with a compressor unless you are going to tape

get an "in your face" sound on the mic

compress raw track by riding i's output to the input of compressor and that aux channel output to mix bus or record bus to save and reride

put a mild chorus efx on bkgs's

depending on song throw a 15 ms on one side 17 on the other delay and just make it noticable for that cheesy "imaging" thing they do

depending agin on th esong reverb is not a no no...a nice fat plate sound works ..maybe with some 100-144 ms pre delay

personally if ya think she might get a deal i'd take the money and give her more time free if she needs it to do it right

as you know most all biz is word of mouth..i feel the way we advertise is right in the studio...good will, esp with someone on the verge of getting a deal, goes a long way

[tonymission]

Originally Posted by Sigma

personally if ya think she might get a deal i take the money and give her more time free if she needs it to do it right



as you know most all biz is word of mouth..i feel the way we advertise is right in the studio...good will, esp with someone on the verge of getting a deal, goes a long way

100% great advice. dont think small... i just did this, and the girl DID get the deal. not EXACTLY rnb but im coming up $$$ because of it. if YOU feel it, if you can hear it, then help her get it...

how's the saying go ... "you can get anything you want out of life as long as you help other people get what they want"

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by tonymission

how's the saying go ... "you can get anything you want out of life as long as you help other people get what they want"

----------- ----------------- -------------------

the thing that sucks the most about what you are doing [yeah i know i know it's a demo] is that an instrumental 2 track can be a bitch to lay a vocal over..usually things interleave in the holes and that ain't gonna be the case

[Trell Blaze]

...close up mic'ing is usually a must. At least for the lead vocals, let her get right in the mic's grill...pun intended. You can play around with distances on the backing vox.

[manthe]

This is all great stuff. Thanks!

The label she has potential with is HUGE. This could be a very good thing for me. I am giving here a very deep discount already and I am willing to go the extra mile (the extra 20 miles!) if I like what I hear tomorrow. I mean, I'm just a nice guy anyhow and I help people regardless of whether I can benefit. Maybe that has built me a little karma?

Anyhow, thanks for the tip on the compression Sig! So, you think I should really go with 0 GR?

Also, the 15ms and 17ms deltas, is that on the chorus FX? I was considering doing that 'naturally' by tripling the take, putting the original up the gut and the other 2 off to the sides 40 to 60%, then nudging 2 forward and 1 back. I was thinking about that Snoop Dog song...that is what I thought might be going on there.

I've started threads about this before, but I sometimes feel intimidated and 'unworthy'. I am trying to shed that. But, you know, I have a small room/studio with mostly mid-range gear...some higher-end, some lower-end. Basically, it is a good little studio and I can get a great sound...it just isn't a 'traditional' studio with a ton of high-dollar stuff, etc, etc. i just always feel like people are going to think I'm a big phoney and point at my racks and laugh

Anyhow...wish me luck...this could be one of those career boosters!

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by manthe

This is all great stuff. Thanks!

The label she has potential with is HUGE. This could be a very good thing for me. I am giving here a very deep discount already and I am willing to go the extra mile (the extra 20 miles!) if I like what I hear tomorrow. I mean, I'm just a nice guy anyhow and I help people regardless of whether I can benefit. Maybe that has built me a little karma?

Anyhow, thanks for the tip on the compression Sig! So, you think I should really go with 0 GR?

Also, the 15ms and 17ms deltas, is that on the chorus FX? I was considering doing that 'naturally' by tripling the take, putting the original up the gut and the other 2 off to the sides 40 to 60%, then nudging 2 forward and 1 back. I was thinking about that Snoop Dog song...that is what I thought might be going on there.

I've started threads about this before, but I sometimes feel intimidated and 'unworthy'. I am trying to shed that. But, you know, I have a small room/studio with mostly mid-range gear...some higher-end, some lower-end. Basically, it is a good little studio and I can get a great sound...it just isn't a 'traditional' studio with a ton of high-dollar stuff, etc, etc. i just always feel like people are going to think I'm a big phoney and point at my racks and laugh

Anyhow...wish me luck...this could be one of those career boosters!

the 15/17full left/right is on the lead but just a touch and "fixed delay" it just widens..do it till ya barely hear it..because you don't want to hollow out the vocal

i'd track with no reduction..

1. let the vocalist determine the dynamic and not get wonked by trying to fight your compression

2. wait till the track is cut then compress doing the ride in ou thing..see my tips section for more detail

more importanly never sweat it and have fun..a client who just cut vox emailed me how much he hated tracking vox in the studio but what a great time he had when we did..just be pumped and enjoy it..i can nevere stress too much that the vibe in the room is a giant factor in the outcome, both real and percieved, in the final product

definetly ask her to bring in some ref CD's of the vocal sounds she likes [in the genere and style of the song she is doing]

good luck!