Elements > Tha Studio
"Rise And Fall Of The Islamic Ummah"- Please Listen and Review My Song
'Illicit':
--- Quote from: Pacific Standard on March 04, 2009, 01:11:30 AM ---It's funny you have a quote about not doing things sloppily....
I wouldn't complain about people complimenting the beat because it's about the only thing you have going for the track.
Seriously man, that sucked, I'm sorry.
All lyrical content and structure and flow aside, it was just poorly executed and crafted.
I'd like to know what you use gear-wise in your productions because you need some help.
Either way, whether you use Pro Tools and a U-87 mic or cool edit pro and your built in mic, here are some tips to fatten up your vocals so you don't sound like a timid punk:
Record SEVERAL takes of each verse. Be sure to stand no more than 10 inches away from the mic, and have a pop filter in between you and it. (a sock over the mic will work if you have nothing else).
When you find 3 verses that match each others flow and cadence, sync them up over the beat. Pan one take all the way to the right, other to the left, and on in the center. The two panned tracks should sit at about -9db, while the center sits at about-4.
If your editing program supports busing, create 2 auxilary tracks for all 3, have all three tracks compressed on the first aux track, and the second aux track should be for reverb or delay, (which it sounds like you took a a stab at anyway, use auxilary tracks which can be independently turned up or down in volume, that way you don't sound like you are recording in a dumpster).
If your software doesn't support buses, then create a wav track of all those vocals combined, turn the track down, and layer it the other three. Add a compressor to that track, so it will bring up the low volume and limit the volume. (Wikipedia compression for actual definition)
There are so many things you could do to the track to make it sound better, I love when musicians try new things, I hate when the sound quality is lame. You can do better easily.
--- End quote ---
not bad, but i disagree with some of that... a compressor is an insert effect, not a send effect, unless you're trying to route it to an aux channel and send a certain amount back, however thats mostly done on drums, not vocals unless you're trying to achieve a certain effect... this is a rap song, so really half of that is unnecessary.
being that almost every piece of software is different, as well as your soundcard or AD/DA converters, you cant just say put the main vocal at -4db and the doubles at -9... it dont work that way. might work as a starting point, but always use your ears in the end. and you shouldnt really pan your doubles all the way to the right and left either, if you want it to emphasize your main vocal take, then pan it slightly and turn it down some, add an eq and either boost or cut certain frequencies to give it some weight. panning it all the way could work, but it ends up making it sound more panoramic.. which in some cases widens the vocals more than it should.
then again, try it out and go with what you like best and what sounds best to you.. im knockin what pacific said. just droppin my two cents in.
either way, message wise its what ive known you for being capable of. matter of taste obviously for some people, but nonetheless, like i said it was different.
Pacific Standard:
--- Quote from: 'Illicit' on March 05, 2009, 08:00:31 PM ---
--- Quote from: Pacific Standard on March 04, 2009, 01:11:30 AM ---It's funny you have a quote about not doing things sloppily....
I wouldn't complain about people complimenting the beat because it's about the only thing you have going for the track.
Seriously man, that sucked, I'm sorry.
All lyrical content and structure and flow aside, it was just poorly executed and crafted.
I'd like to know what you use gear-wise in your productions because you need some help.
Either way, whether you use Pro Tools and a U-87 mic or cool edit pro and your built in mic, here are some tips to fatten up your vocals so you don't sound like a timid punk:
Record SEVERAL takes of each verse. Be sure to stand no more than 10 inches away from the mic, and have a pop filter in between you and it. (a sock over the mic will work if you have nothing else).
When you find 3 verses that match each others flow and cadence, sync them up over the beat. Pan one take all the way to the right, other to the left, and on in the center. The two panned tracks should sit at about -9db, while the center sits at about-4.
If your editing program supports busing, create 2 auxilary tracks for all 3, have all three tracks compressed on the first aux track, and the second aux track should be for reverb or delay, (which it sounds like you took a a stab at anyway, use auxilary tracks which can be independently turned up or down in volume, that way you don't sound like you are recording in a dumpster).
If your software doesn't support buses, then create a wav track of all those vocals combined, turn the track down, and layer it the other three. Add a compressor to that track, so it will bring up the low volume and limit the volume. (Wikipedia compression for actual definition)
There are so many things you could do to the track to make it sound better, I love when musicians try new things, I hate when the sound quality is lame. You can do better easily.
--- End quote ---
not bad, but i disagree with some of that... a compressor is an insert effect, not a send effect, unless you're trying to route it to an aux channel and send a certain amount back, however thats mostly done on drums, not vocals unless you're trying to achieve a certain effect... this is a rap song, so really half of that is unnecessary.
being that almost every piece of software is different, as well as your soundcard or AD/DA converters, you cant just say put the main vocal at -4db and the doubles at -9... it dont work that way. might work as a starting point, but always use your ears in the end. and you shouldnt really pan your doubles all the way to the right and left either, if you want it to emphasize your main vocal take, then pan it slightly and turn it down some, add an eq and either boost or cut certain frequencies to give it some weight. panning it all the way could work, but it ends up making it sound more panoramic.. which in some cases widens the vocals more than it should.
then again, try it out and go with what you like best and what sounds best to you.. im knockin what pacific said. just droppin my two cents in.
either way, message wise its what ive known you for being capable of. matter of taste obviously for some people, but nonetheless, like i said it was different.
--- End quote ---
You can always use a compressor as a send effect in Pro Tools, its all a matter of preference but I don't do too many insert effects, I'd rather taper between the aux and the original.
And of course the db levels for doubles and main aren't set in stone, but I'm tryin to establish some framework for him setting up a mix. It always comes down to the ears.
As you said though every soundcard setup is different, thats def true. Fuck, I wish we had a producers thread sticky in here, because I wuld love to talk about eq arrangements and share methods all day. I post over at the digi users forum but it would be nice to do something like that over here with hip hop people.
.:TimeLock:.:
^good Idea we did have something like that but it's now been cramed into this all in one childboard
Job starring as King Of Zamunda:
eye think eye can actually agree with pacific standard for once.......... but you said how long ago you made this though??? so maybe a lot changed since.....but that track...... pretty sloppy
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