Bringing out Vocals in a 2 Track mix

[BarefootStudios]

Hello all. I have a project to master.It is a live 2 track of a (don't laugh)Christmas Show.(Recored with 2 Scheops into a dat,near the stage.The problem being--mics were too close to the band,and the pa was flown 20 feet above the stage.Vocals are not up front,as they should be.These a very good adult singers.Any tips for bringing the vocals more up front? Thanks--This is a great forum--I read it everyday! Peace,Barefoot

 

[Silas]

Hello Barefoot,
Perhaps you've tried this already but if the vocals originate from the center of the image you might get a little more control by converting to Mid-Side and raising the center (Mid) a bit. Many devices have an M-S option (Waves S1 Imager plugin can convert to-from M-S). This is a bit of a long shot because it sounds like this is an ambient recording and the imaging will not be nearly as defined as a studio-mixed project but try it...

Be careful - a little might help - a little more might ruin it. Aside from distortions of the balance and perspective you must be very careful of introducing phase issues.

Good Luck,
Silas

 

[BarefootStudios]

Thank you Silas,I'll give it a try! (All I have tried is to locate the vocal freqs and boost,while trying to lower the other instruments)Peace,Barefoot

 

[AudioGaff]

This is where the correct use of multiband compression and limiting along with maybe some expansion could be of great help.

 

[lionyouth]

daw daw daw daw man I love daw and my scope meter......man i love my computer.....use a program or plugin that shows you a frequency graph and use your mouse and move it alll around like your playing a video game and listen to where the vocals originate from spike it take out what you want with a restoreer plugin....make sure you use as less as possible....I use cubase and soundforge and waves editor and stienberg mixing boardplugins....after you do all that make two tracks of each track find the track with mostly instruments and one with mostly vocals....tweak and isolate the vocals on one of your vocal tracks and tweek and isolate the music on one of your instrument tracks and then lay them down on the originals and put them togather finding the right amount of volume and mix.........thats what i would do......or.......try to recreate the production music with a synth and other instruments I play and cover it all up with a little coloration......ooops did I say that...you damb right

 

[falkon2]

Ok. Cool.

 

[Michael Fossenkemper]

Uh...

 

[BarefootStudios]

And the winner is------------Silas! Thanks for the advice on using MS to bring out the vox! I used the feature in the Waves S-1 Imager.It brought out the vax,and added a little space to the overall mix! (and of course,a few tweaks on the Paragraphic EQ,and some L1 action........) Thanks, Barefoot

 

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

:d:

 

[Kurt Foster]

Good catch Silas! :tu:

 

[falkon2]

Wow... chalk up another one for M-S.

Wouldn't have thought it would be quite as effective since L/R was coming from two physically seperate mics as opposed to tracks panned a fixed amount in the mix.