Can't get vocal/piano tone right! Help please...

I'm currently working on a piano/vocal song - and for some reason, I can't seem to get the vocals and piano to work well together.

This is what I've come up with - take a listen:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/12/23/546602/pianovocalsample.mp3

I know the vocal take is a little off - this was just to show you guys what kind of sound I'm getting.

The vocals just sound really thin and papery compared to the thick piano sound I'm getting. Any suggestions on how I can get the vocals a little thicker to match the piano?

Thanks a lot,
Jason

 

All right, Elton Joel:

(that's a joke/compliment, by the way. I can tell your influences. I like it)

There are many variables here:

You could change the mic and preamp.


Try this: double the vocal. You can actually try to match the part, or do this short cut: make a copy of the vocal, and EQ it differently. I would boost the frequencies that are in the lower "meat" of your natural voice. This, mixed in with your original, center, may be what you are looking for. Most commercial vocals we hear are not one take, but composites (comps) of several takes. Furthermore, it is usually doubled, tripled, etc.
That thick voice is an aural illusion. Everyone is not Barry White or Joe Cocker.

I also learned from Recording.org that some compression on the vocal will work wonders.

Please try these, and post back when you have. I am interested in how this turns out. You have a very honest, sincere vibe to what you are doing.

Hope it turns out well.

 

I think I got it! =]

Waves RVox seemed to help things A LOT.

Check this out -

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/12/23/546602/pianovocalsample-01.mp3

Much improved.

Any more suggestions?

(BTW - This isn't the complete song, just a small part of it. And this also is a demo recording - the real one will have a better vocal performance)
-Jason

 

Very good, Elton Joel.

It is has more sonic balance.

My personal taste would be to pan it differently, though. I would take a stereo of the piano, with the L track low-passed and the R track high-pass filtered. And your vocal in the middle.

 

Haha - it's funny you mention Elton John and Billy Joel - when I was working on this song, these were the two artists that I listened to continuously. This song is pretty much modeled after their stuff.

I think I'm getting closer to what I want - the piano is MIDI (The Grand 2), so I split the track and panned it with low pass/high pass filters. And vocal straight down the middle.

Sounds good, but seems like there might be some phasing issues? I don't know, something sounds weird.

Let me know what you think:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/12/23/546602/pianovocalsample-03.mp3

(BTW - there's some more of the song in there that I recorded. It's still not the complete song, but it's got an extra verse/chorus now)

Thanks a lot,
Jason

 

Wow - found another key problem. I was way to close to the mic!

This one sounds much better:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/12/23/546602/pianovocalsample-04.mp3

-Jason

 

Hehehe. Just showing off my ear. I am trying to become a better producer, and that's just an ad.

I am not sure about the phasing. I know what phasing is, but I don't have the knowledge to determine what's going on in this specific situation. I hope one of the gurus here is lurking this thread and can chime in.

 

Hmm...well I checked out your music on MySpace - and I must say that your production/mixing skills are excellent. I really like the guitar sound you're getting on Soul Ascension - it's almost sitar-like.

James Brown Medely was my favorite - nice mix of some classic sounds.

Personally - not that you asked, but your mixes sound a little unreal - I'm guessing you're using all MIDI/mostly MIDI. Maybe spend some more time "humanizing" things a little - more velocity/volume changes between individual notes.

It'd be great if one of the gurus could chime in and help us out a little here - I think we're getting pretty close, though.

Maybe a little more suble high/low pass on the piano might help even things out a bit.

Thanks a lot,
Jason

 

I would kill for that voice!!! I wish i could sing

great song by the way !!!