How do you record a singer with poor microphone technique?
You're trying to get a decent recording, but your singer is doing really strange things with the microphone. What do you do?
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I don't know where singers learn microphone technique. Most singers in popular music don't have any training, so they can only have picked it up from seeing other people do it, or in response to what they hear coming through the speakers at their live gigs.
The 'classic' microphone technique is to back away from the mic when singing loud, coming in closer when singing quietly.
This does work in live performance, particularly in smaller venues where the sound is often less well-controlled than at top pro gigs.
The alternative is for loud sections to be either ear-splitting or distorted, or for quiet sections to be inaudible to the audience.
Of course a compressor can be used, but this creates other problems in live performance that we won't go into here.
In the studio however, things are a little different.
Firstly, there is no problem in setting exactly the right preamp gain to capture the loudest sections of the vocal without distortion. There is never any reason to back away from the mic due to excessive level. (And if the mic can't take it, use one that can.)
Now if the quiet sections of the vocal are too quiet, they can be brought up in level using fader automation. You will probably be using a compressor that will do some of this work anyway.
So there is no reason why the singer has to be anything other than a constant distance from the mic.
And in fact, if the singer does bob backwards and forwards, it creates a problem. When you use a microphone close up, the sound quality it produces changes significantly even with slight changes in distance. This is particularly so with directional mics, which exhibit the proximity effect where bass rises when the sound source is close to the mic.
Randomly variable level, bass and sound quality is most definitely an engineer's nightmare. It could take a day to put right, and even then not perfectly.
So in general, it is better in the studio for the singer to stay at a constant distance from the mic.
There is however an exception...
Sometimes it is desirable to let the singer react to what they hear in the headphones. Some experienced singers have the ability to 'work' the mic to get a more expressive performance.
In this case, you should make sure the singer has exactly the headphone sound they want, with EQ, compression and reverb as required. Then let them use their microphone technique as they wish.
If anyone has any particularly good or bad experiences of microphone technique, we would love to hear. Discussion below...
Publication date Monday February 01, 2010
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Discussion on this article's topic...
Simon Wood, Uk
That girls Mic technique looks fantastic and I wouldn't be wasting any time discussing it with her, I would get straight to the dinner plans! she's hot (i don't get let out of the studio much)
One technique I like to use is to get the singer to record his/her quiet parts first and miss out the loud parts (normally sectioned together in the chorus anyway) then adjust positioning for the loud parts and record those. This helps to stop them moving about.
One technique I like to use is to get the singer to record his/her quiet parts first and miss out the loud parts (normally sectioned together in the chorus anyway) then adjust positioning for the loud parts and record those. This helps to stop them moving about.
Thursday June 10, 2010
Mario, The Hague, Netherlands
Hi, a trick that "does it" sometimes when a singer has poort microphone technique: I give the singer a handheld microphone -say a Shure SM58-, and place a Neumann TLM-103 on a distance of about 40 to 50 cm. I tell him he can sing in the Shure any way he wants as long as he sings in the direction of the TLM. That way I can also give him the one or the other signal -or a mix- on his headphone. And after recording I (we) choose which of the (mix of) recordings we use. Works fine! A problem arises whe the singer moves around and away from the TLM a lot. Then a very small singing-booth might do :-)
Friday February 12, 2010
Caleb Mwanjoka, Mbeya, Tanzania
Actually, mic techiniques is big problem to many singers.
Friday February 12, 2010
Mario, The Hague, Netherlands
@Stefan: Hi Stefan, thanks for your reply and ideas (I understand the term "stamp" now). You are right: with a lot of effort/hours some changes might be made, but this concerns recordings of 11 songs, with 2 mikes picking up the voice and the guitar on both mikes at the same time (I used large-membranes) from a singer/songwriter that paid a fixed price. So if he wants to pay for the additional costs/hours I might give it a try at the worst points in the wavecycles.
I will inform him about his breathing problem, for his own benefit in the future. Thanks again! Greetings from Mario
I will inform him about his breathing problem, for his own benefit in the future. Thanks again! Greetings from Mario
Tuesday February 09, 2010
Stefan, Cologne, Germany
...and, sorry for not getting it done in one comment, you can treat every affected track on its own or just edit after mixing, results should be quite similar.
Tuesday February 09, 2010
Stefan, Cologne, Germany
...and that strange word should have been 'wavecycles'
Tuesday February 09, 2010
Stefan, Cologne, Germany
I 'borrowed' the term from the stamp tool in Photoshop. In case you are not familiar with it - the principle is to cover small unwanted areas in your file by copying similar (and clean!) parts from the same file and pasting them 'on top' of the noise. Let's say your musician plays the same chord twice in a row, snorting while playing the first, you could sample the second chord and paste it over the first. If it's a very short noise, you might find something useable in the very same decay period of guitar notes played (you could even create a loop from only a few clean wavecayles). Just be careful to fit the sample in the surrounding area tightly - you can take care of abrupt volume changes using automation and/or short crossfades.
Tuesday February 09, 2010
Mario, The Hague, The Netherlands
@ Stefan, Cologne, Germany:
Hi Stefan,
Could you be more precise about 'stamping out'? I don't get what you mean (might be my poor knowledge of English or studio-terminology). The way I understand you, I would have to stamp out the part in both the guitar and the voice tracks, due to the snorts being in both tracks? (read my first post).
Hi Stefan,
Could you be more precise about 'stamping out'? I don't get what you mean (might be my poor knowledge of English or studio-terminology). The way I understand you, I would have to stamp out the part in both the guitar and the voice tracks, due to the snorts being in both tracks? (read my first post).
Monday February 01, 2010
Stefan, Cologne, Germany
Concerning Mario's snorter:
Another way is to 'stamp out' the undesired bits by copying a clean sample of the length of the snort right over it. Some volume automation will be necessary to stay close to the original decay. Quite a hassle, but sometimes worth the effort.
Another way is to 'stamp out' the undesired bits by copying a clean sample of the length of the snort right over it. Some volume automation will be necessary to stay close to the original decay. Quite a hassle, but sometimes worth the effort.
Monday February 01, 2010
Mazzika, Cairo , Egypt
Thanks for emailing me with this good knowlage
Sunday January 31, 2010
Esaú Bravo, Morelia, Michoacán, México
P. D. (from Esaú Bravo)
By the way, everybody can built a "pop anti pop filter" employing an used pantyhose, tightly stretched around a solid circle; as an example, I used the circle that my grandmother utilize for embroider or spin; but that is not the only possible manner, you can use, even the bottom of a solid bottle or a big metalic can (10 cm diameter or more).
The only recomendation is that you must use the double "layer" of the pantyhose, wich must be tightly stretched, as I previously said.
By the way, everybody can built a "pop anti pop filter" employing an used pantyhose, tightly stretched around a solid circle; as an example, I used the circle that my grandmother utilize for embroider or spin; but that is not the only possible manner, you can use, even the bottom of a solid bottle or a big metalic can (10 cm diameter or more).
The only recomendation is that you must use the double "layer" of the pantyhose, wich must be tightly stretched, as I previously said.
Saturday January 30, 2010
Esaú Bravo, Morelia, Michoacán, México
I believe that the problem of the random distance, can be easily solved, if you use the "pop anti pop screen", as a constant reference for the singer; he or she, literally must put his or her lips in near contact with the screen; without exageration and in such manner, that the "light" contact, does not affect the right pronuntiation.
Saturday January 30, 2010
Mario Walzberg, The Hague, The Netherlands
Hi all,
Thanks for all your replies and advise! I used a popfilter during recording, I can't spend the money for Melodyne DNA at the moment (didn't know it is for sale yet?), I am giving it one last try by searching for the "exact" snort-freq. And I will indeed, tell the singer about his breathing problem. I spend enough time on this one guy for now. Thanks again to all of you!
Nice to get all your serious advice. Greetings, Mario
Thanks for all your replies and advise! I used a popfilter during recording, I can't spend the money for Melodyne DNA at the moment (didn't know it is for sale yet?), I am giving it one last try by searching for the "exact" snort-freq. And I will indeed, tell the singer about his breathing problem. I spend enough time on this one guy for now. Thanks again to all of you!
Nice to get all your serious advice. Greetings, Mario
Tuesday January 26, 2010
Robert, Columbia, USA
first of all someone needs to talk to the singer about better breathing tech. once that has been taken care of then we go back and try it again. try a pop filter also and see how much that helps. that will filter some out and will help keep them from getting to close to the mic. they really need to learn breath control. bring a vocal coach. he may be insulted but that is what he needs. if he does it in the studio then he is also doing it live and i would not pay to set through one of his concerts and listen to that.
Tuesday January 26, 2010
Djhopkins
@Mario Walzberg, Find melodyne DNA, it can separate every single note in the song. Hope the snort is not the same note as any other noth at that sample.
Tuesday January 26, 2010
Anonymous
To give a little help, i had a friend of mine do this to a singer that would sometimes clap, and some parts could no be edited out. He made a new track, found a clap he could cut out, put it in the new track and phase inversed it. Them went about placeing it all over the new track wherever there was a clap he could not cut out, it doesnt clear it up complete, but in a mix its barely audible. Hope this helps
Monday January 25, 2010
Mario Walzberg, The Hague, The Netherlands
Hi Drew,
Haha :-)
Thanks for your medical advice :-)
But now seriously: Ofcourse I advised him to record guitar and voice on seperate tracks, but he just couldn't. And unfortunately this singer/songwriter has no opportunity to re-record. So that's why I'm looking for a (technical) way to do the edits on the tracks I have now.
Anyone (else)? Or is it just impossible to do this?
Greetings,
Mario Walzberg, StudiOjo
Haha :-)
Thanks for your medical advice :-)
But now seriously: Ofcourse I advised him to record guitar and voice on seperate tracks, but he just couldn't. And unfortunately this singer/songwriter has no opportunity to re-record. So that's why I'm looking for a (technical) way to do the edits on the tracks I have now.
Anyone (else)? Or is it just impossible to do this?
Greetings,
Mario Walzberg, StudiOjo
Monday January 25, 2010
Drew, Kc, M
I recommend a good decongestant... LOL
I would retrack the vox separately, then you can edit out the snorting from the new track, thus burying the snorts on guitar tracks, at least somewhat..
better yet record guitar and vox separately
I would retrack the vox separately, then you can edit out the snorting from the new track, thus burying the snorts on guitar tracks, at least somewhat..
better yet record guitar and vox separately
Monday January 25, 2010
Mario Walzberg, The Hague, The Netherlands, Holland
Imagine this: You recorded a singer (with a Neumann TLM103) that simultaniously playes an acoustic western guitar (recorded with 2x Neumann KM84). One mic caught a lot of signal of the other and vice versa. Now with that you can 'deal' to a certain instance.
But here's the problem: The singer, while breating in, every time makes a sort of snorting sound (actually it's a bit like a sound a little piggy makes), always of short durance, but always very audible. By reducing the volume a little in both guitar and voice tracks on those short parts in the recording, you always influence the guitar's natural sustain, so ending up with a very unnatural result.
Now here's The Question: How do I minimize the snorting sounds, while (almost) not influencing the natural guitar sustain. I already tried toying around with for instance compression and EQ, but the snorts seem to be TOO present to "isolate" and edit, without negatively influencing the guitar's sustain and the overall-sound.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Mario Walzberg, StudiOjo
(Excuse my poor Ingleesh, it's not my native language :-)
But here's the problem: The singer, while breating in, every time makes a sort of snorting sound (actually it's a bit like a sound a little piggy makes), always of short durance, but always very audible. By reducing the volume a little in both guitar and voice tracks on those short parts in the recording, you always influence the guitar's natural sustain, so ending up with a very unnatural result.
Now here's The Question: How do I minimize the snorting sounds, while (almost) not influencing the natural guitar sustain. I already tried toying around with for instance compression and EQ, but the snorts seem to be TOO present to "isolate" and edit, without negatively influencing the guitar's sustain and the overall-sound.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Mario Walzberg, StudiOjo
(Excuse my poor Ingleesh, it's not my native language :-)
Monday January 25, 2010
Drew, Kc, Mo
I do a lot of live sound and laugh ( and cry) over the "techniques " vocalists use these days my favorite is the: wrap the cord around the hand 4 or 5 times, real tight, pull it tight into the jack,( I think this is to "force the sound out the cable????") then cup the entire ball of a 58 with both hands and scream between the thumbs... causing extreme feedback, then complain about the monitors... and the mic is left disgustingly wet and covered with food particles....
TOTAL professionalism
TOTAL professionalism
Monday January 25, 2010
Bill Bromfield, Stephens City, Va, USA
I like to use two or three mics, one close to the face, the other(s) further away.
Monday January 25, 2010
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