Got any tips on recording?

Next weekend a dude wich raps comes to my place and we re going to do some vocal recordings. I have done this before but it was so unprofessional en the endresult was just laughable
This guy is not that good but he has a good flow and a soulful deeper voice. He has a sh*tload of own made lyrics.

My recording equipment: Shure SM58 with pop killer, Digi001, PTLE 6.1, Ecler HAK 320 with mic input. I know the pres on the 001 are pretty much rubbish.. I can run the mic into the Ecler, ecler into MPC, mpc adat into 001 adat. SO qualty remains this way
I dont have a vocal b ooth. My mpc room is quite high with 4 walls. 2x2 parallels. (Not good, probably no other options.. Maybe blankets?) I have an attick too, maybe this is the better place for recordings? donno..

I know how to make the vocs sound better in Pro Tools with plugins and time shifting (to get that Abba sound) and all. But my sources always lack power and professionalism.

All tips are welcome here I am a newbie @ this. I have searched the internet many times but I want some insides from fella hiphop producers. I know some people inhere are into the game and have plenty of knowledge to share


Cheers

search the forums- nuff topics about vocal recording in the archives...

greg

One Thing fore Sure TRY to Record EVERYTHING..................................


U Never Can Tell Cause it easier 2 Edit IN A Portion than to Have Him Come Back over and Also Save Everything and keep it Properly LABELED!!!!!!!



TRUST THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

run the mic straight to the 001.....

the lack of power on the voc is due to your long signal chain

cop a cheap micpre if you got the $$$$

the tubemp by ART is not bad some think its noisy but its got some warm harmonic distorion going on, way better than anything else for $50

and if you can i say cop a 57 or an oktava 319...both cost about $50 and are usable (that 58 has too many eq issues, a good mic for shows, but not in the studio).......but beware of the 319 its got some eq issues at 250 and 500 (the housing is very resonant) that being said the 319 is the best mic you'll ever find in this range, plus use it to mic a bass cab and ...........well just do it you'll never beleive the sound is coming via a $50 russian mic

run the mic straight to the 001.....

the lack of power on the voc is due to your long signal chain

cop a cheap micpre if you got the $$$$

the tubemp by ART is not bad some think its noisy but its got some warm harmonic distorion going on, way better than anything else for $50

and if you can i say cop a 57 or an oktava 319...both cost about $50 and are usable (that 58 has too many eq issues, a good mic for shows, but not in the studio).......but beware of the 319 its got some eq issues at 250 and 500 (the housing is very resonant) that being said the 319 is the best mic you'll ever find in this range, plus use it to mic a bass cab and ...........well just do it you'll never beleive the sound is coming via a $50 russian mic







wow i must be in a good mood, i never give it up like this.....i feel like a chick on prom night

yeah bro jaems right that 58 is the live jump off and the 57 is more for studio use. I record on the 57 and i love it.

as far as the room i record in a square room, no booth no blankets. I try and postition the mic in the corner of the room, so sound isnt bouncin off the wall right back to the mic (but the 57 is pretty good at capturing primarily whats in front of it.)

Keep your artist comfortable and all that, and keep the noise down while recording. No fans or nothing like that. Silence. (thats how i do it at least)





damn that is a long signal chain man! make it as simple as possible.

Good tip on the Oktava. Switching from a dynamic to a large diaphragm condenser mic will make WAY more difference than changing preamps. If you've got the cash; get a condenser mic, AND a preamp... And make a vocal booth by hanging up some blankets, or at least deaden the room a little; you want to have as little reflections as possible and add reverb later. A blanket behind the vocalist and maybe one behind the mic will do if you're short on blankets.

By the way the Shure SM57 and 58 are technically the same mic, except for the built-in pop shield on the 58; screw it off and you have a 57. The pop shield takes off some of the high-end, hence the difference in sound.

so screwing off the metalic popkiller on th 58 will be better for recording vocs? I have a seperate popkiller (nylon I think)
Lofi, wich condensor are you recommending?

Thx for all the suggestions

dstruction wrote:as far as the room i record in a square room

This is not helping you, D. You NEVER wanna record in a square room, the sounds will stack like a MOFO (and if its a cube, thats the ABSOLUTE WORST!) You should try just hanging a blanket in the middle of the room (cutting it in half) and see how much better your preliminary recordings sound, I bet you'll be amped.

lo-fi wrote:
By the way the Shure SM57 and 58 are technically the same mic, except for the built-in pop shield on the 58; screw it off and you have a 57. The pop shield takes off some of the high-end, hence the difference in sound.

ummmm....... no its not the same mic....sorry try again

jaem wrote:

lo-fi wrote:
By the way the Shure SM57 and 58 are technically the same mic, except for the built-in pop shield on the 58; screw it off and you have a 57. The pop shield takes off some of the high-end, hence the difference in sound.

ummmm....... no its not the same mic....sorry try again

It may not look the same, but technically, _electronically_, it is. Go ahead, screw the top off a 58, tape it next to a 57, record something and see if you can tell the difference in a blind test.

drumtrack wrote:so screwing off the metalic popkiller on th 58 will be better for recording vocs?

Not neccesarily, but a seperate 'nylon over a hoop' popkiller will have much less dulling effect on a signal than the built-in 'live' version used in an sm58 (which stands up to much more abuse, useful in live situations. Basically, the bulb on a 58 kills the highs a little.

drumtrack wrote:Lofi, wich condensor are you recommending?

I've only used a few myself, so I'm no expert. I've heard only good things about the oktava, I use a Rode myself, the NT1A is a good bet. Friends of mine use an AKG (C3000?), which sounds very nice. Studio Electronics make some decent mics on a budget. The best thing would be to test a few mics with your vocalist. But that may not be practical, and condenser mics are SO cheap these days, so I'd say, just run out and get one. The difference between a dynamic and a condenser is amazing. With the Oktava or Rode, you can't go wrong.

thx I heared lots of good thing bout the NT1A too, I think Im going for that one. Im gonna try my Shure first tho

I jumped in to reocrd a session at some1s home rocking a (budget) Rode NT1a and DBX pre, getting real good sound for a bedroom recording not too long ago.

Try to be real and cool with your artist. Making him nervous will make any further recording impossible. Secondly try and prepare everything before he's there: Test the mic, do a test recording of yourself, if you got time try different blanket/mic positions in the room, if it doesnt sound right yet.
Try to find a platform you both can expand from. For example, don't expect Aftermath quality, make sure you both set realistic goals and try to improve by carefully examining how you work and what results you get.

Cuz if you don't it will most likely look like this:
mc *standing infront of the mic* Yo, can i spit this 16 now or what???
you Yea man, lessgo! *arms the recording*
mc *headphones are too quiet/mc hears himself but doesnt want to(and you dont know howto turn it off)/mc doesnt hear the beat/the recording is full of static/the recording is distorted*
you *panic/clicking everything trying to make stuff sound right*
.
.
.
now after you both got everything setup the mc has already lost his power or atleast the fire.

Now this is worst case scenario right there. But there is nothing worse than starting a session all optimistic and leaving smashed or pissed.

Further tips I'd give is :

watch & listen to your mc,
check if he starts off real loud and suddenly goes quieter (the same ol thing...),
check his mic distance (this depends alot on your mic, some mics sound real nice if you get close, others...),
make sure you instruct him to keep one distance,
help him getting his lyrics visible by perhaps fixing it with tape,

Last one: never try to be a smart ass. If you explain the mic-distance to him, show him how it works by playing before and after if you have time, make him feel like he improved his recording skills when he leaves the place.

Thats the best hints I can give. I've had some mad grimy and **** up bedroom sessions. Luckily, for me, this is all amongst homies. When working with someone you hardly know it gets even more intense. So be prepared...oh yea and don't be scuurrrred it sounds much more complex than it really is, soon you'll record 3 16s and a chorus in no time (attention: depends on mc's skills )

Everything else is a thing of experience.
WELCOME TO THE WONDERFULL WORLD OF HOMERECORDING

pz.Toon

lo-fi wrote:

jaem wrote:

lo-fi wrote:
By the way the Shure SM57 and 58 are technically the same mic, except for the built-in pop shield on the 58; screw it off and you have a 57. The pop shield takes off some of the high-end, hence the difference in sound.

ummmm....... no its not the same mic....sorry try again

It may not look the same, but technically, _electronically_, it is. Go ahead, screw the top off a 58, tape it next to a 57, record something and see if you can tell the difference in a blind test.

you're wrong want proof????



http://www.shure.com/microphones/models/sm57.asp

and

http://www.shure.com/microphones/models/sm58.asp

notice the freq response charts they are different, the 58 has more rolloff in the low end becuz its designed as a vocal mic and the 57 is designed as an instrument mic