Guitar/Vocal Separation using Figure 8's

blueshowdoyoudo · 29th October 2006

I've read about achieving separation between acoustic guitar and vocal tracks when recording both together by using the nulls of figure 8 mics. I was curious whether this is likely to give me enough separation to replace the vocal track with a composite of overdubs and not be haunted by vocal bleed on the original guitar track.

I'm a singer-songwriter doing demo recordings, and I'm torn between the musicality of tracking my guitar and vocals together and the need to polish my vocal performances with multiple takes.

I've been using a Shure KSM27 as my vocal mic and an AT4033 for the guitar, but those mics are a loan and will be going away in a couple months. I'm considering an investment into a matched pair of Shinybox 46MXL's as my main mics for the forseeable future. I'd be using them for the guitar/vocal thing, electric guitar amps, fiddles and other acoustic string instruments, drum oh's, piano, maybe blumlein pair of an ensemble etc. I don't have the funds to buy a ton of different microphones, so if anyone has comments on the versatility and sound of the Shinybox mics, I'd be very interested.

(I'm using FMR RNP and RNC, Kurzweil Rumour A/D, Presonus Firepod, Cubase SL3 on a Powerbook)

Thanks,
Dan

Bob Olhsson · 29th October 2006

Sometimes but I wouldn't count on being able to do it.

logichead · 29th October 2006

Do multiple passes of guitar and vocal and comp between them. This can be somewhat challenging if the takes are not done to a click.

If you must replace a line with an overdub, you'll have a better chance if the phrasing of the overdub and the line you are replacing is the same so that the vocal in the guitar track won't conflict too much with the overdub.

You could also do a pass of guitar only and use this to cover the moments you need to overdub. This will work fine unless this is a strictly solo performance - if it is a solo, the ambience change may or may not cause problems. If the performance is part of an ensemble you should be able to make it work.

Best....H

29th October 2006	#1
blueshowdoyoudo Gear Head Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 31 Thread Starter	Guitar/Vocal Separation using Figure 8's I've read about achieving separation between acoustic guitar and vocal tracks when recording both together by using the nulls of figure 8 mics. I was curious whether this is likely to give me enough separation to replace the vocal track with a composite of overdubs and not be haunted by vocal bleed on the original guitar track. I'm a singer-songwriter doing demo recordings, and I'm torn between the musicality of tracking my guitar and vocals together and the need to polish my vocal performances with multiple takes. I've been using a Shure KSM27 as my vocal mic and an AT4033 for the guitar, but those mics are a loan and will be going away in a couple months. I'm considering an investment into a matched pair of Shinybox 46MXL's as my main mics for the forseeable future. I'd be using them for the guitar/vocal thing, electric guitar amps, fiddles and other acoustic string instruments, drum oh's, piano, maybe blumlein pair of an ensemble etc. I don't have the funds to buy a ton of different microphones, so if anyone has comments on the versatility and sound of the Shinybox mics, I'd be very interested. (I'm using FMR RNP and RNC, Kurzweil Rumour A/D, Presonus Firepod, Cubase SL3 on a Powerbook) Thanks, Dan

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29th October 2006	#2
Bob Olhsson Motown legend Joined: Jun 2002 Location: Songwriter Gulch, Nashville TN Posts: 10,879	Sometimes but I wouldn't count on being able to do it.

29th October 2006	#3
logichead Gear addict Joined: Aug 2003 Location: Culver City Posts: 405	Do multiple passes of guitar and vocal and comp between them. This can be somewhat challenging if the takes are not done to a click. If you must replace a line with an overdub, you'll have a better chance if the phrasing of the overdub and the line you are replacing is the same so that the vocal in the guitar track won't conflict too much with the overdub. You could also do a pass of guitar only and use this to cover the moments you need to overdub. This will work fine unless this is a strictly solo performance - if it is a solo, the ambience change may or may not cause problems. If the performance is part of an ensemble you should be able to make it work. Best....H