I did something dumb while I was recording vocals...HELP!

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:40 pm

Dear helpful people,

I'm working on recording an acoustic ep of a couple of my songs and i have been working on the vocals for the last couple of days and they're really turning out great. However, today i discovered that i forgot to use my tube pre-amp on the vocals. I always use it to add some texture and warmth to my vocals and to help blend them in with the rest of the recording.

So i don't want to re-record any of the vocals and they sound decent without the pre-amp on them but I was wondering if there is any way to run the vocal tracks back out from my computer and through my pre-amp.

My equipment is a Presonus Bluetube dual path tube preamp and an mbox 2 pro unit hooked up to my sony vaio computer. I use protools LE 7.4.

If you can help me please let me know, it would make me a very much happier person.

Thanks!
Clayton

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:05 pm

If they're turning out great, why would you want to do anything to them? Just leave them alone and remember not to forget the pre next time.

Sounds like you were happy with them until you learned the preamp wasn't part of the sound.

Confused

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:11 pm

You could always try reamping the track (mic your monitors):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-amp

Or you probably could take the output of the Mbox and go into the preamp, then take the output of the preamp to the inputs of the Mbox. You would need to set up the routing so that the Mbox inputs don't go to the same outputs thus creating a feedback loop. The signal coming into the inputs should just go I'm not familiar with your specific equipment or software, so I can't say for sure that it will work, but it shouldn't be much of a stretch.

But yeah, if you like the results already, why worry about it? Smile

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:15 pm

There are also plugins too, check out http://cranesong.com/PHOENIX.html

although it more of a tape saturation plug, its worth checking out. I have teh Hedd 192 which more or less the hardware version and it has some tube simulation knobs that sound good to my ear.

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:32 am

lawnmowerdude6, I really wouldn't worry about the tube preamp. Sure, thermionic amplification is the bee's knees. I even have 12 channels worth of 12AX7 preamps with transformers as big as your fist. Which I probably haven't used in 20 years? Still sitting in the closet. But not going anywhere yet. But good transistor preamps with wonderful transformers is where my world is at. Yup, transistor class A input sections & A/B output sections. Still retaining the ability to overdrive for harmonic purposes without disturbing odd order artifacts. Yes, things get fatter sounding that way. I've lost over 50 pounds but thankfully my mixes haven't. Everything is a compromise & trade-off of one sort or another. That doesn't mean you have to compromise on sound but on technique of the application.

I don't always have to do what seems to be the logical thing to do, technically. I like to do things that seem completely absurd, from a technical standpoint. For instance, when was the last time you tried to record a broken Kiwai portable grand piano with broken electronics? Right, I didn't think so? But recently I had to. It would have been so much easier if she wasn't singing while she was playing. But trying to Mike a portable grand piano with the box closed, with SM 57's, you'd think, would yield a lousy recording wouldn't it? No. In fact, I really liked the way the piano sounded that way. What with its limited bandwidth and closed box. But I got a bitchin' stereo sound aiming the microphones at the recessed nuts, within 18 to 24 inches from the singer/performer on a Beta 58. So we both sat around listening, laughing and enjoying some natural combustible products. I'll try that again sometime.

I'm so bad I'm good. But my boyfriend already knew that.
Ms. Remy Ann David

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