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Hi, first off I want to state that I am a "Super Newbie". I just know this is a stupid question, but here goes. I know when you mic vocals, it is best done in a booth, with the right deminsions, and so forth. But I go trough my house from time to time just singing away, and when I get to my dining room my voice pumps up, with great smooth low end, and a jingle kind of high-end . This room has great acoustics! It is almost all wood, cause my house is "very old" like 60 years old. So my question is? could I just use a good condenser mic with a omni directional pick-up pattern, and mic my voice in this room? And take advantage of the natural reverb? Is it always good to have a dead room to mic vocals?

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Eric Best Sat, 01/04/2003 - 08:24

First, you can do whatever you want, it is your music. I've recorded guitars and vocals in just about every room of my house. The only reason that I haven't done it with drums is because they wont fit with the furniture.

What recording in a dead room does for you is gives you flexibility at mix time. That does not mean it is better.

What I do often is to take 2 mic's, one close and one further away to pick up more of the room sound so I can mix it later into exactly what I want.

There are many great albums that have been tracked in different rooms in houses, not in studios then mixed in the studio. Experiment, have fun!!!!!

Eric

KurtFoster Sat, 01/04/2003 - 09:42

Put up a mic in the room and record! If it sound like sh*t erase it!. Old houses are great to record in sometimes. Many band do this, like The Chili Peppers. They rent an old house in the hills and set up a studio and cut an album. They've done this twice. Older houses tend to have higher ceilings, it really helps quite a bit and . If something sounds good to you, try it! It's not like the "Recording Police" are going to haul you away for an infraction. You can always erase the evidence! :D
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anonymous Sat, 01/04/2003 - 10:35

Hey thanks guys!

The recording police! Yea I am so glad you guys didnt say,(hold on you cant do that) cause it sounds pretty good and I couldn't see why not? I did'nt know that about the Chili Peppers either? I love the Chili Peppers, and Rick Rubin has done some of the best recording I have ever heard! John Frusciante was the reason I even picked up a guitar in the first place. Well enough of that, thanks guys for the input, I will go set up my mic in the dining room now.

Later

Pez Sun, 01/05/2003 - 16:57

Try everything. It's more fun to write your own book then to read someone elses. I've noticed recently that my Honda Accord has great acoustics. I've been thinking about running a long mic cable out to the car parked in front of the studio just to check it out. In the time it takes to post a question I can get an answer myself. Wouldn't work in a high traffic area though - or would it hmmm.... Summer in the city?

KurtFoster Mon, 01/06/2003 - 09:47

Yeah, I tried that before and it does sound good. But for my money, nothings better than that "Ballinsocket" shifter...The sound's in the metal ...... !
I can see it now …. A couple of old semi trailers and a few dead cars out in the field. I have a 5K generator …. Hmmm. Hey Elias, how about a silence case for my Kawasaki generator??