Using two mics on a vocal?

[kindablue]

So I've been playing around with my TLM-103 (no bashing please, I like it on my voice) and the SM-7b (also like it on my voice, but it sounds different).

I've noticed that the sm7b brings out a different part of my voice than the TLM. I was considering using both mics at the same time. Has anyone tried this technique? I know that I could just go ahead and try it, but I wanted to see if you guys had any ideas about mic placement with two mics, effects, etc.

I have a UA 610 solo preamp and a crappy Art Tube amp as well. I can't use both mics for the UA preamp, so I'll have to use the Art for one. The question is which.

Any opinions?

[chrysb93065]

The 610 is fairly colored, which is why it's popular, and may smooth out a bit of the 103's harshness. Since the 7b is dynamic, try it through the ART. JMO.

[dannygold]

I like the TLM on MY voice too... don't feel bad! I don't know about recording with both mics... it may cause phase problems. Give it a try I guess.

[kindablue]

Originally Posted by chrysb93065

The 610 is fairly colored, which is why it's popular, and may smooth out a bit of the 103's harshness. Since the 7b is dynamic, try it through the ART. JMO.

You're right, it does smooth out the 103 a little. Hopefully the art has enough gain for the sm7.

[Jack Ruston]

The main thing is that the two diaphragms are exactly the same distance from the singer. The easiest way is to line them up like shotgun barrels. Sometimes you need to work out where the diaphragm is behind the grille if it's not obvious. You can print a little and zzom in hard to make sure that the waveforms are exactly aligned.

It can be a really great technique. I'd recommend printing the two separately rather than summing them in analogue just in case you decide later that you want to rebalance the two or that theres something in one of the mics that you dont like.

J

[kindablue]

Great advice, I intend to separate them.

I'll let you know how it goes. I think the different qualities of these two mics will be awesome together.

Originally Posted by Jack Ruston

The main thing is that the two diaphragms are exactly the same distance from the singer. The easiest way is to line them up like shotgun barrels. Sometimes you need to work out where the diaphragm is behind the grille if it's not obvious. You can print a little and zzom in hard to make sure that the waveforms are exactly aligned.

It can be a really great technique. I'd recommend printing the two separately rather than summing them in analogue just in case you decide later that you want to rebalance the two or that theres something in one of the mics that you dont like.

J

[Louderock]

I worked with Roy Thomas Baker once and he liked to use 2 mics. I think he did this on a lot of Queen stuff. He used 2 silver 414's with the capsules facing 90 degrees away from each other.

[river]

I've been using the dual mic approach on vocals for awhile, especially at the beginiing of vocal tracking, easier after a take to decide if one mic is more suitable that the other for the vocalist, but I occasionally use both tracks and blend them if that's constructive.

[dibravibra]

you can sing in shure directly and put neumann above it with diaphragm turned down. This configuration will add a bit of air and width to direct dynamic source ..

[shmoo2407]

I just used two mics on a female vocalist with great results. It was a 4050 through a Api 512c and a cascade fathead through a RCA tube pre. It sounded great.

I recorded it to two separate tracks and blended in the mix

[midigod]

It's great that others are having success with the two-mic technique, but I've invariably been disappointed. That's because all the precise positioning goes out the window when the vocalist moves their head about half a millimeter, and then you get comb filtering.

But something else I've tried, that has worked on Bowie, and with some success on some of my clients, is to use a second mic farther back, then switch between the mics (using compression or manual editing) when the singer (you) belts. I believe Bowie used up to three mics for this effect.

Anyway, it's worth a shot as an experiment. If you get more harsh when you belt, use the SM7 as the far mic, and depending on the sound of the room, I'd start with the far mic about two to three feet back.

Craig

[Retinal]

I used two mics a coupla times, more for experiment than anything.
Last time was with a large diaphragm (Sanken) and an K&B pencil, chest high. The first one on a Tubetech pre + LA-2A, the second directly in the Neve 8108 + 1176.
To be honest the mix would have been the same even without the second mic, but i used it anyway.
The only few times I really found help has been in M/S recording

[Fishmed]

If you have two mics that are a little bit different sounding, but still some what similar, you can pan the tracks hard left/right and get a cool stereo effect going on the vocal track.