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Hey Guys,

I am doing rap music and I recently bought some equipment, and i need some help to show me ways i can get my vocals to sound more pro like. (kinda long but here it goes PLZ HELP ME )

1. I setup my studio inside my unfinished basement.. its a big empty place but it did not see a side effect from it
2. A buddy of mine told me i only need a computer microphone and sound card since i have the instrumentals on mp3
3. I have an Apex460 Wide Diaphragm Consdenser microphone.. and a Tascam US-122 USB sound card
****The sound card keeps skippin when i play anything or record and it shows skips on ma vocals too.. what do i do? :(:(:(******
4.I am using Cool Edit Pro 2 to record ma vocals..

I would be very happy if you can give me some tips with these points

Thanks

Comments

therecordingart Sat, 01/01/2005 - 12:56

I'm not a "pro" but I feel I can answer this question without any disagreements from the pros in this community.

1. Get a vocal booth or you can piece together something that will work, but will look a little ghetto. You'll need either some Auralex or hang dense blankets or material around the vocalist. Try to imagine a vocal both in your head and make a make-shift booth from blankets, mic stands, or whatever else you have laying around. (It will help from making the vocals sound like a guy standing in a room in front of a mic, unless that is what you are going for).

2. Great vocals go in this chain (In my opinion): Great vocalist -> great mic -> great preamp -> etc...in the words of Kurt Foster "garbage in = garbage out." Having a great vocalist is the first step, but if you don't have the gear to compliment the vocals it will sound like a great vocalist recorded on subpar gear.

If you know how to use the gear you have to it's full potential and record a good vocalist in a more acoustically controlled enviroment I have no doubts that you can get some decent tracks. Don't expect them to sound like a vocalist in a custom vocal booth singing into a U87 connected to an Avalon.