Good mic for a Lenny Kravitz type voice

[ardy77]

Looking for a good mic for a voice like Lenny Kravitz...that almost nasally quality with a high attack and kinda "scratchy" for lack of a better word...not the falsetto or soft stuff he does, but the wailing chest voice sound...you know what I'm talking about?

Need a good mic....we have been having good results with a GT66...very clear and present (almost TOO up front sometimes)...we also recently demo'd a Rode NTK and didnt like it! It sounded like you were 20 feet from the mic even when your an inch from it...especially compared to the GT66 capturing every detail. I would like basiclaly a "higher end" GT66...

My preamp is an A-Designs Pacifica.

I must tell you, the Pearlman has recently caught my attention...any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Tholen]

Well we all know you're NOT gonna get his sound nailed completely but...you should probably start with either a U47 or a U67, a very "forward" sounding preamp (Helios), a rebuilt vintage compressor (he very well be using a Fairchild I dunno), and smacked onto tape, his first 3 albums REALLY sound like tape...that's a good thing by the way!
I too love the way his first 3 records were produced/engineered. The lead vocals always sounded so "In Yer Face" and just oozing tone.

[James Lugo]

Neumann Fet47 is great. Depending on the singers technique, he can blow out the front end of a tube mic. Some people use SM7, that mic has never really worked for me personally but many get great results.

[borau]

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

Neumann Fet47 is great.

But very different than a 47 tube

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

Depending on the singers technique, he can blow out the front end of a tube mic.

News for me.
Are you talking distortion here? If so, have you tried with a Pad between the mic and the preamp input?

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

Some people use SM7, that mic has never really worked for me personally but many get great results.

Ditto.

I believe Terry Manning, who is a mod in one of the PSW forums have worked a lot with Lenny Kravitz.
Might be wrong.

[ardy77]

Thanks for the replies. Where can I find a Fet47?

Also, I love the Pacifica so far...how would it compare to a Helios?

For the voice characteristics we are talking about, how would a Pearlman compare to a Fet47 or U47???

Thanks so much for the information

P.S. - where are the PSW forums?

[Trp]

Originally Posted by ardy77

Looking for a good mic for a voice like Lenny Kravitz.

Doesn´t he use a Brauner VM-1 for his voice?

Lenny is one of Dirk Brauner´s references on his website.

So the Pearlman would kind of be on the other side of the sound spectrum I guess.

[ardy77]

any mics in the 1-3K range that might have similar characteristics to a VM1-KHE ???

I dont have $9,000 laying around!

thanks again

[Trp]

Well, it doesn´t have to be the Vm-1 KHE ...

The regular VM-1 is a lot less expensive. And there is also the choice of the VM-1 lite which doesn´t have the continously changeable polar patterns (only cardiod and omni, maybe figure 8 as well), but which is upgradeable to a regular VM-1.

In Europe the VM-1 lite is 20-25% cheaper than the regular version. So if you don´t need all the polar patterns, it´s a good deal.

[borau]

Originally Posted by ardy77

P.S. - where are the PSW forums?

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/

[aussie_techie]

Originally Posted by Mike Tholen

and smacked onto tape, his first 3 albums REALLY sound like tape...that's a good thing by the way!

first 4 albums i believe, didnt move to Pro Tools untill '5'
on '5' a U48 (or sometimes C12) were used. API pres were used alot, vocal pres changed depending on the song and besides API included a Lucas valve pre, an EAR, and on acasion neve or EMI pre. alot of Lucas dynamics and EQ. all mixed back through a neve console
not sure what is used on the newer recordings

[aevan]

SM 57 into a Neve 1073 or something along those lines (with the mid scoop) into an 1176, 4 to 1 ratio, mid attack and release, knock about 4-6 db off it.
Just another approach.

[tomdarude]

actually the last thing coming to my mind, thinking about early lenny kravitz sounds, would be a Brauner Mic (regardless what any website says, or what he´s using now)
I´d say it´s a budget question....and there are a lot of things involved.

I guess a U47/U67/ e.g. C12 !! would be a really good starting point (actually 95% it´s a perfect starting point ) ...and then fun starts...(V76´s, fairchild-clones , ...maybe a full blown inward connections sidecar comes to mind)

on a budget, I´d experiment with dynamics (sm7,sm57,......) maybe with the chandler-emi stuff...and chained compressors (btw. you should def. try the Chandler TG1....in series ch.1 comp -> ch.2 limit )


BUT, my guess....the backing makes the vocals sit in the mix/ sound like they do!
really much TAPE-sound, really tastefull delays/rooms...even scratch vocals would sound cool that way


so my 0.002cts.....it´s not only about the vocal sound

[BradD]

Lenny owns more gear than many major studios. I know Tracy Korby has serviced mics for him for years. Lenny's mic collection is out of this world. 251s, 47s, 67s, C12s, Brauners, he has it all. I'd be surprised if he used the same combo for every song. If you had all that stuff would you?

[Fletcher]

When I was around [about 1/2 way through 'Mama Said'... through 'Are You Gonna Go My Way' to about 1/2 way into 'Circus' which is where I believe Terry Manning took over]... it seemed to be 67's and 47's with one of my 251's on occasion. If you look at the picture on the back of the booklet for "Are You Gonna Go My Way"... those are all my microphones around Leonard... they were in the process of picking what mics for what songs when that photo was snapped.

The pre's were vintage Langevins [with a 25db pad on the front as there were no volume controls] the limiter a freshly restored Fairchild 660 and if any EQ was used [which was rare] it was from a freshly restored Pultec EQP-1A... being recorded to [and here's the important part!!!] either a [all freshly rebuilt!!] Studer J-37 1" 4-track or a 3M M-23 1" 8-track or a 3M M-56 2" 16 track... in other words, a bunch of stuff to which pretty much nobody here has access.

There were some other chains... but that one seemed the most prevalent the times I was around when it was near vocals.

The fact of the matter is that the only way to get a "Lenny" vocal sound is to get "Lenny" in the room... as for the 'textures'... you have to get all the other 'textures' from the drums being recorded in a big assed, concrete block, boxy but sorta verby room mostly on a riser with some of BMG's old 1/2 round barrels flown from the ceiling over where the kit was thought to be going [except it got moved into a boxier sounding corner]... oh, and having an A-Range desk wouldn't suck... and bunch more Fairchilds, Pultecs, ribbon mics... vintage amps, vintage guitars and fair amount of talent probably wouldn't suck either.

Best of luck with it.

[insomnio]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

The pre's were vintage Langevins [with a 25db pad on the front as there were no volume controls] the limiter a freshly restored Fairchild 660 and if any EQ was used [which was rare] it was from a freshly restored Pultec EQP-1A... being recorded to [and here's the important part!!!] either a [all freshly rebuilt!!] Studer J-37 1" 4-track or a 3M M-23 1" 8-track or a 3M M-56 2" 16 track... in other words, a bunch of stuff to which pretty much nobody here has access.

There were some other chains... but that one seemed the most prevalent the times I was around when it was near vocals.

The fact of the matter is that the only way to get a "Lenny" vocal sound is to get "Lenny" in the room... as for the 'textures'... you have to get all the other 'textures' from the drums being recorded in a big assed, concrete block, boxy but sorta verby room mostly on a riser with some of BMG's old 1/2 round barrels flown from the ceiling over where the kit was thought to be going [except it got moved into a boxier sounding corner]... oh, and having an A-Range desk wouldn't suck... and bunch more Fairchilds, Pultecs, ribbon mics... vintage amps, vintage guitars and fair amount of talent probably wouldn't suck either.

Ok, that's it for me... I'm gonna buy a hot dog cart.

[mcballs]

Lenny Rocks thumbsup

[No4PCs]

I think all Lenny K stuff and gear is vintage 70s. His cloths too 70s.
The guy have money to get access to this vintage thing...
You said your Rode mic was "distant" in your voice.
Once i read some guys blending 2 mics in rec vocal. Ribbon mic+condenser.
I think with a tube compressor you can find and set your tonality, but dont expect equal Lenny K...
You could be better, on your way !

[Micgiver]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

Studer J-37 1" 4-track or a 3M M-23 1" 8-track or a 3M M-56 2" 16 track... in other words, a bunch of stuff to which pretty much nobody here has access.
Best of luck with it.

Wanna bet

[rayne]

Originally Posted by insomnio

Ok, that's it for me... I'm gonna buy a hot dog cart.

i haven't laughed this hard in a long time. don't let fletcher discourage you. everyone has to start somewhere. but making extra money selling hot dogs is something to think about. i think you can get a used cart and some dogs for about 1k.

[C/G]

You know you guys might be on to somthing here. Setting up a hotdog cart outside a busy bar when it is drunken feeding time, could be a gold mine. Pimping street cocks to wasted hungry people could land someone enough cash, after the initial investment of the cart, permit, supplies, to be able to afford a Pultec or other mentioned piece of Holy Grail gear. Not bad for a summers worth of work. Hmmmmmm.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by ardy77

Thanks for the replies. Where can I find a Fet47?

Vintage King Audio would be your best bet. Last time I checked, they had several 47FETs for sale. You won't be dissapointed with their service and quality standard.

I'm longing for an original U67 though well someday maybe....

[crowning]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

[...impressive make-people-drool gear list removed...]

Don't you think Lenny would sound like Lenny with whatever gear you'd used?
I mean, good matching gear underlines the characteristics of a voice,
but IMO voice is voice is Lenny.

Tom

[Brad Lunde]

Originally Posted by Trp

Doesn´t he use a Brauner VM-1 for his voice?

Lenny is one of Dirk Brauner´s references on his website.

(SNIP).

we sold Lenny a VM1KHE......that's where the reference comes from. I don't really know what Lenny uses on a regular basis, he owns a lot of mics.
Brad

[mcguin]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

Vintage King Audio would be your best bet. Last time I checked, they had several 47FETs for sale. You won't be dissapointed with their service and quality standard.

I'm longing for an original U67 though well someday maybe....

there is a KORBY fet47 on ebay right now:
http://instruments.search.ebay.com/k...Z29946QQsotrZ2

[not_so_new]

Originally Posted by mcguin

there is a KORBY fet47 on ebay right now:
http://instruments.search.ebay.com/k...Z29946QQsotrZ2

Nice mic but not the same thing as a 47.

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by crowning

Don't you think Lenny would sound like Lenny with whatever gear you'd used?
I mean, good matching gear underlines the characteristics of a voice,
but IMO voice is voice is Lenny.

Tom

Hence the inclusion of:

Originally Posted by Fletcher

The fact of the matter is that the only way to get a "Lenny" vocal sound is to get "Lenny" in the room.

in my earlier post.

[Mike Tholen]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

Hence the inclusion of: in my earlier post.

good thing you cleared that up! thumbsup