Pro tools vocal recording

bigbadcon

Hi folks,

I'm hoping someone could explain a couple of simple questions I have about recording vocals.

I have an MBox 2 mini and Protools 8.0.1 am looking to record vocals to go over a backing track.

Ive never recorded anything before and am finding it hard finding answers online to my questions. Maybe they are too simple

My questions are as follows:

1. When setting the levels for the mic does it matter that while listening to the vocals back it seems too low in comparison to the backing track? When I turn them up to a similar level to the backing track they are slightly distorted. I'm guessing I just record them at a level that isn't distorted and increase the volume later?


2. Im assuming reverb is something that I would want to put on the vocals to make them sound better. Is this something I do after I have recorded a vocal or should it be set up on the track before hand?


3. Lets say I do a take and I like all of it except the end part. If I want to start from a particular point near the end do I need to start recording on another track or use the same one? (I have tried it on the same track but because of this I cant listen to a couple of seconds of the song to know where I am because it is actually recording over the original take which obviously isnt what I want. Or maybe Im just doing it wrong)

4. I don't have a condenser microphone and am using a standard one with a pair or tights wrapped around a hanger :rolleyes: Should the microphone be directly behind the tights or a bit further back. Im guessing about 3 inches between the mouth and the tights and then 3 inches the other side?


Thanks for your help in advance.

DamagedTrax

1. When setting the levels for the mic does it matter that while listening to the vocals back it seems too low in comparison to the backing track? When I turn them up to a similar level to the backing track they are slightly distorted. I'm guessing I just record them at a level that isn't distorted and increase the volume later?

its advisable to get a healthy signal into protools when you are recording. peak levels shouldnt really go over -6db and averages (RMS) should be between -18 and -12

2. Im assuming reverb is something that I would want to put on the vocals to make them sound better. Is this something I do after I have recorded a vocal or should it be set up on the track before hand?

well its always nice to send some reverb to a vocalist when they're recording. the human voice doesnt sound right 100% dry. when we speak or shout or sing we always hear ourselves back with ambience and thats what sounds natural to us. with no ambience its like talking to someone while you have ear plugs in.. everything sounds very much in your head rather than projected.

at the same time you dont want to record the vocal down with reverb as you wouldnt be able to change it so the best set-up is to have your reverb on an aux track thats also routed to the headphones and send the required amount of vocal to it using an auxiliary buss. you can find your buss routing under your in/out. both are 2 little grey rectangular boxes above your pan knobs.

3. Lets say I do a take and I like all of it except the end part. If I want to start from a particular point near the end do I need to start recording on another track or use the same one? (I have tried it on the same track but because of this I cant listen to a couple of seconds of the song to know where I am because it is actually recording over the original take which obviously isnt what I want. Or maybe Im just doing it wrong)

you need to firstly right click record on your transport bar and set protools to punch record. you then hit play until you're at the point you want to record. also you need to turn off input (alt K) but leave record enable turned on.

one thing to remember is that from the moment you press play protools is recording so if you hear a good take but you havent hit record, you still have the good take. just use the trim tool to drag the waveform back to where you want.

4. I don't have a condenser microphone and am using a standard one with a pair or tights wrapped around a hanger :rolleyes: Should the microphone be directly behind the tights or a bit further back. Im guessing about 3 inches between the mouth and the tights and then 3 inches the other side?

there's no hard and fast rule so wherever you stop getting plosives (exploding P and B sounds as the air from the mouth hits the mic) is the right place. a good trick for really bad plosives is to set up a pen or pencil vertically a few inches between the pop sheild and vocalist. the air will hit the pencil and disperse around the sides of the mic.

bigbadcon

Thanks for the help DamagedTrax.

I looked up a youtube video for punch record and it looks like exactly what I need. Sometimes you just dont know the term to search for

Appreciate all the help.

Will keep you posted on my progress.

bigbadcon

I spent a few hours recording the vocals last night with the vocalist and it went quite well.

Here is the finished product... Not bad for a first attempt at recording

Please bear in mind that this was done in kind of a rush so I wasnt hoping for something 100% perfect.

Rebecca Creighton - Pink Nobody Knows

We did it in a couple of takes but I did use the punch record a couple of times which came in handy

As I was mixing (attempting) I realised that I still had the levels too high and was getting a slightly distorted sound at some of the louder/higher notes.

I also noticed that the chorus of the backing track was really loud and was drowning out the vocals.

So what I did to counter act these was to higher and lower the volume of the backing and vocal tracks at different point during the song.

If anyone could give me some constructive critisism I would appreciate it.

Some of the things I am aware that went wrong are...

1. Some of the notes are distorted due to me using the wrong mic level im assuming.

2. There are a few plosives in different parts which should really have been re-recorded but we were short on time.

3. There are one or two slightly bum notes which again we would have rerecorded if we had the time.


Thanks a mill

DamagedTrax

As I was mixing (attempting) I realised that I still had the levels too high and was getting a slightly distorted sound at some of the louder/higher notes.

if you pull back on your master fader this wont be a problem. the headroom in the protools mixer is huge until you get to your master. but best practice is to keep everything out of the red across the mixer.

obviously this doesnt help if you clip when you're recording. in that case there are a few de-clipper plugins available (izotope RX is extremly good for this and saved my bacon on a few occasions).

I also noticed that the chorus of the backing track was really loud and was drowning out the vocals.

So what I did to counter act these was to higher and lower the volume of the backing and vocal tracks at different point during the song.

its actually better to automate just the vocal up as automating the backing track will affect your overall power and energy.

best practice is to firstly automate the vocal to a point where its reasonably level and then insert a compressor post automation to finish it off.

in protools LE you'll need to add an aux track. use the original track for fader automation route the vocal track into the aux and place the compressor on the aux. in protools hd you can use trim automation.

the more level the vocal is going into the compressor, the less the comp needs to work and the better it will sound. if you then need to push the vocal you can use your aux fader, which wont affect the compressor as its post comp.

as for your mix. the vocal sounds a little too behind the mix, even though its louder. good use of compression and eq will sort this out.

a heavily compressed vocal will sound more up front as the detail is brought out and a brighter vocal will also sound more upfront. this applies in reverse too...

obviously theres not a lot that can be done to a backing track as its only a stereo file but a touch of compression and eq will bring it out a touch more. there's also processors such as transient designers which can accentuate the transients if the backing track is a little mushy. but remember, with all stereo mixes you need a very slight hand to improve them, if you go at it like a bull you'll end up a lot worse off than you originally were!

JG009

I'm no expert at all but them vocals sound pretty good for a "normal" mic. What damaged said about the over all volume is true, you can always turn things up afterwards, work at a lower level but turn your earphones up. And also on the vocals any compression and EQ etc?

I know it is all about opinion but a condenser mic will make a big difference IMO of course : )

bigbadcon

JG009 wrote: »

I'm no expert at all but them vocals sound pretty good for a "normal" mic. What damaged said about the over all volume is true, you can always turn things up afterwards, work at a lower level but turn your earphones up. And also on the vocals any compression and EQ etc?

I know it is all about opinion but a condenser mic will make a big difference IMO of course : )

Im definitely gonna get a condenser microphone over the next couple of days as Im still getting issues with the plosives.

Thanks again for the tips lads.

I did another recording last night and its not perfect but I think i'm gradually making progress.

I'm amazed at what you can produce in your living room with barely any equipment.

Then again a good vocalist is half the battle

Any opinions would be appreciated...

Rebecca Creighton - Adele Make You Feel My Love

DamagedTrax

bigbadcon wrote: »

Im definitely gonna get a condenser microphone over the next couple of days as Im still getting issues with the plosives.

i think you're looking at the wrong solution. rememebr a condenser is a lot more senstive than a dynamic. changing may caude you more problems than you currently have. if you do change, invest in a good steel mesh pop shield.

bigbadcon

Yeah I suppose the only problem I really have is with the plosives so maybe I should just get a pop shield and try that for a while before getting a condenser microphone as my budget isn't huge.

What makes a good pop shield?

Would this be ok?

http://www.xmusic.ie/K-M-POPKILLER-p-32791.html

JG009

I was assuming going with a condenser if you had the right room of course. Maybe thats just me though : )