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I was hoping to experiment with using 2 mics for my vocal recordings. I have always used my soundelux u-195 as my main vocal mic, as it is the best mic I own, but I used to use a studio projects c-1 and I kinda liked that sound a bit too. The u-195 is definitley smoother, but the brightness of the c-1 seems to sound pretty nice on my voice as well... What is a good setup for using both of these in tangent. Do I just use the u-195 up close as usual, and then put the c-1 a foot or two away directly behind it? Will there be phase/timing issues at all? Any suggestions would be great. Obviously, I will have to try some things out to see what I like best, but I was wondering what someone else is doing.

thanks
halcyo

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anonymous Sat, 12/31/2005 - 12:45

Try recording the verses with one microphone, and use 2 different mic's on the chorus. I like doing that, for me I get a really big sound on the chorus lines and it sounds nice and full.
Also, you can, but don't have to... record with both mic's at the same time.
For instance, you could record an entire song with 1 microphone. And just use another microphone to add a little something to it. Simply by repeating your same lyric's, with a different mic or even preamp.
This is how many bands get such a HUGH vocal sound. Bands that come to mind...
Staind
Nickleback (big time on "Photograph")
Mudvayne
Tool
the list is long, these are just a few off the top of my head
Good Luck!

RemyRAD Sat, 12/31/2005 - 12:48

Yes, you will have rather severe phasing problems by placing another microphone within 2 feet behind the other, even if you inches is not good sounding. Now some of this can be corrected in software since in general, most software will allow you to move your audio within a sample. So given that you are recording somewhere between 44.1kHz and 192kHz, you would be able to make both microphones appear " in phase" and virtually placed together except for the acoustical difference of the room and distance. Does the room have really good acoustics? Or are we talking about basement or modified bedroom? Otherwise, try keeping both capsules as close as possible and use both. Of course keeping the capsules very close, you will not be plagued by as much phasing problems. You have a huge palette of colors! Like being a little kid in a candy store! Decisions decisions decisions. Obviously you're already on your way to recording quality vocals.

Another suggestion. If either of your microphones are variable pattern (I'm not intimately familiar with either), why not try recording your vocals in MS stereo? This would require you to definitely keep one capsule over top the other capsule. Even if the microphones are not identically matched, MS still works provided your " figure of 8" microphone is perpendicular (i.e. sideways) to your face on cardioid microphone capsule. Most software, after you have recorded those 2 channels, have some kind of preset for decoding MS. If not, take the channel of the perpendicular figure of 8 and copy it to a second track. Take those 2 tracks, pan one left in the other pan right. Then you flip phase on the second channel, or right channel. Face on cardioid, goes to center (i.e. mono). There you go, great sounding solid center, Mono compatibility, stereo vocal!

Now wasn't that simple?

Remy Ann David