Originally posted by Eddie:
What would be the one or two items you would buy that would set your vocal sound apart from the other studios? I'm not complaining about mine but now there are 5 studios within 15 miles of me and none of them have an outstanding vocal sound and I'd like to have it first :)

one could only begin to answer taht after knowing about:
Your experiance & philosophy, your room, the gear you already have,ect.
Gives us a rundown and we (I'm speaking for the group mind) will be glad to help.

here, here :)

The trick to getting better sound is to identify the weakest links in the recording chain and figure out how to best upgrade them. upgradeable weak links could be any or all of the below:

- the singer
- the skill of the engineer, both at recording technique and "production" technique (i.e. how to get the best performance out of a particular singer - a skill which should not be overlooked).
- the acoustics of the recording space
- the microphone
- the microphone preamp
- the compressor
- the cables and connecters
- the recording device (including converters if applicable)
- mixing techniques (including use of effects, EQ, more compression, and other processing; as well as the ability to create "space" for the vocals in the mix).

It would be impossible to single out any one of the above as the definitive "answer" to getting a better vocal track than your competition down the street. but at least you have a list of possibilities to consider.

meanwhile, go ahead and fill in the blanks that recorderman asked for. it's never bad advice to follow RM's suggestions!

RM, I got a late start. About four years, the last two using a Roland studio pack with Logic Platinum. I have always tried to get the most out of everything I've ever had and get the best sound no matter how long it takes me. I didn't mention my rooms because it will be another year before I'm able to build a proper facility out in the woods so for now I'm stuck in the basement and the living room. I am tracking at 24 bit 44.1 and using cheap pre's and cheap mics (B-2,MK-012).
In the beginning I said I'd never spend a thousand or so on a mic or preamp but now it's something I want to do, I'm just not sure what to get.

Well now we know where to start.
Others around here can give you some really good advice on the new/budget scene...I jsut haven't used most of that stuff.
You need a good mic, good pre, good compressor. A good eq in there helps as well.

I have a suggetsion based upon what you have that could be really innovative.
get an SM7 and whatever model Universal Pre that comes with the built in 1176 comp/limiter. This will do a few things for you. Singing right up into an SM7 into a tube pre with a 10K shelving boost, followed by a good whopping of the 1176 will get you an upfont vocal sound that will pretty much decimate the competion. An SM7 will help you eliminate that "bad room" (i.e. untreated pro room), allowing you to even cut tracks in front of the monitors without cans...for people with pitch problems. It's a relativelly cheap mic but in this set-up will get you a bigger sound than comdenser mics costing two or three times as much. You seem to need "attitude" and this will give you that...I'm sure your competition is striving for the boring and safe route. Then when you get some more money (that's how it always is) you can get more mics.

That's my alternative: Now for the other ways to go.....

Thanks RM I'll take a close look at those items.
As I said above I'm not complaining about my vocal sound, it easily sounds much better than my neighbors and one of them has a U87 (something just has to be wrong with it), I now want something that will completely stomp my ass and it looks like I've got to drop some big bucks in order to do that. Thanks for your time.

Its hard to go wrong with the avalon 737 IMO. That was the first big money box I got. And you can use the company credit card to buy it... no wait, that starts a lot of shit!

I would also add VOcal Technique. There are so many people that do not know how to use their voice, damage their performance because can hardly breath properly or misspronounce stuff and so.

The most important thing to me is musical taste. The way you set and combi reverbs, chorus, eq, compress and make the vocals sit in the mix.
:p:

Originally posted by Alécio Costa - Brazil:
I would also add VOcal Technique. There are so many people that do not know how to use their voice, damage their performance because can hardly breath properly or misspronounce stuff and so.

Yeah...but that's stuff you usually don't have control over ...usually they sing as good as they're going to sing and you gotta capture it. And capture it with attitude....

To recorder man

I like your style , record with some 'tude , after all most of us here are not doing lite jazz, rock needs some "balls"
good on you

kieran
http://www.bluehousesound.com
( never mind the text still working on it )

Originally posted by kieran kelly:
To recorder man

I like your style , record with some 'tude , after all most of us here are not doing lite jazz, rock needs some "balls"
good on you

kieran
http://www.bluehousesound.com
( never mind the text still working on it )

Thanks....but from where I come from that 'tude works with everything..jazz, orchestra, you name it...it's about making it big...stand out from the speakers. And it's ALOT harder with all of this new/budget/digital gear.
The grass is always greener though...