Mic-ing The Vocals

VOCALS

TYPES OF MICROPHONE PATTERNS

Cardioid 

- Most sensitive sound pick up from the front and rejects from the rear
- Great for recording vocals

*Add a gobo or an absorber behind the singer 

Super Cardioid and Hyper Cardioid

- In between a cardioid and a bi directional pattern, the sound is even more focused in the front
- The rear isn't suppressed quite as much

Bi-directional (Figure 8)

- Sensitive to sound coming from the front and back
- Has a high rejection from the sides

Omni directional 

- Record in 360
- Great for a room mic and background vocals
- Great for vocal layering

*Know your environment and exactly what you're recording/polar patterns you are using

TYPES OF MICROPHONES (IN THE STUDIO)

Shure SM 58 (Dynamic)

- Great for rock vocals
- Sensitive in front and reject at the back
- Cheap and reliable
- Cannot distort (can deal with high pressure sound level)
- Resonant frequency 4 - 6 khz (boost), fairly flat response for the mids and over 6/7 kHz the frequency drops off really fast
- Downside - the moving coil is heavy so don't pick up the high end as well

AKG C414

- Has multiple polar patterns
- Has a pad switch system
- Have a pad switch - 10 & -20 db on louder sound source before it starts to distort

Slate 

- Comes with a modelling software for unlimited sonic options

Ribbon 

- Figure 8
- Gives a more ambient sound
- Warm and smooth

Rhode NT 1A

- Bright sounding microphone
- Capture clean and clear audio
- Cannot change polar patterns

EQUIPEMENTS TO CANCEL OUT UNWANTED SOUNDS

Sound Booth 

- To isolate the singer from unwanted noise

*Use panels, gobos and carpet to absorb the sound

*If you don't have a vocal booth go to the corner of the room for ambience but be sure to put up absorbers and look out for bass build ups. 

Pop filter

- To remove unwanted air and plosives (1/2 inch away form the mic) clean it with mouthwash
- Use it as a distance tool for the singer
- Plosives are caused by rushing of air from the singer's mouth like p's and b's it can cause low frequency build up and distortion in the mix 

Shock Mount

- To keep rumbles away from microphones 

RECORDING VOCALS

RECORDING VOCALS (Examples) 

VOCAL MICS

Dynamic Mic

- Handle levels well
- Great for live performances
- For aggressive vocal to tame it
- Ex. Shure sm58, Shure sm7B

Condenser Mic

- Used in most vocal recordings
- Has a wider frequency response and best transient response
- Higher sensitivity and lower noise
- Easier to distort
- A good room mic
- Ex. Neumann U47, Akg 414 large diaphragm, Sony C37A, Neumann U87

*Requires 48v phantom power

Ribbon Mic

- Warm round sound
- Smooth sound
- Bidirectional - equally sensitive sound coming from the front and back (rejects from the sides)

*Does not require phantom power

VOCAL FUNDAMENTAL MIC PLACEMENTS

*Find a good place for the microphone, avoid corners and reflection surfaces and centre of the room. A good place is to put off centre.
*Aim the microphone at the mouth of the singer (8-12 inches), angle the pop filter so it is not parallel to the mic capsule.
*Make sure the singer does not stand to close to the mic, pulling the singer back can help open up the sound, prevent plosives and the mic won't over modulate.
*Make sure there is isn't any sheet of paper behind the mic as it can change the sound of your voice.
*If the singer requires lyrics, place the mic hinger than the music stand and aim the microphone down to the singer's mouth

Proximity Effect 

*The closer you get the more low end you're gonna capture
*If the singer is singing a soft part ask the singer to move closer to the mic and if she/he is wailing move the singer back

Lead Vocals

One microphone (On axis) Condenser/Ribbon / Dynamic 

- Cardioid / Figure 8 pickup pattern

- Placing a microphone towards the singer's mouth
- Add a pop filter

One microphone (Off axis) Condenser/Ribbon

- Colours the tone

- Helps the recording not to be be too sibilant

- Won't need a pop filter

Group vocal/ Duet

One microphone (On axis) Condenser/Ribbon 

- Figure 8 setting
- Two Singers

- Each singer facing each other 

- To balance the vocals adjust the relative distance from the mic

One microphone (On axis) Condenser

- Cardioid setting
- 4 Singers

- To balance the vocals adjust the relative distance from the mic

*Be careful of the outer singers as they can tend to move off the microphone's pickup pattern

One microphone (On axis) Condenser

- Omni setting
- 4 Singers
- Singers stands around the mic as it captures 360 degree around

*Make sure the singers are standing close enough to capture their voice but also to not capture too much of the room ambience. 

*comb filtering and reverb/ambience has to be minimise

One Microphone with Guitar 

- Placing a microphone dynamic or condenser in line with the singer's mouth
- Place another microphone large diaphragm mic at the 12 - 14 fret of the guitar

*If the singer tend to move a lot use a direct input box to get a balance and stable guitar sound.

Great microphones to try

- Neumann U47
- Akg C414
- Neumann U87
- Shure Sm58
- Sony C37A
- Rhode nt 1A
- Blue bottle rocket
- Akg c12
- Lewitt LCT 640
- Telefunken Ela M251 Tube (Used by Celine Dion and Beyonce)

BEFORE RECORDING VOCALS IN A SESSION

• Have a clear aim who gets to call the shots/ deicide wether it is a good take
• Select the right set up, microphones are based on the singer singing style and genre
• Make sure the studio is in a good temperature, mic stand and mics are set up (with reverb and metronome ready to go when the vocalists request for it)
• Use a closed back headphones instead of open backs because they'll tend to bleed into the recordings
• Check the headphones mix (ask them if they carry their own headphones or preferred)
• Have water and hot tea available for the artist 
• Read the room wether the singer likes to have people standing in or not / lightings
• Make sure do they need rehearsal time, is the singer is the right place to sing. If they've freshly written record them right away
• Start with preamp and get the levels set
• Add a little bit of compression 1/2 db for dynamic sounds

*Book to read on producing and studio experiences (Phil Ramone)

DURING THE RECORDING OF VOCALS IN A SESSION

• Having a good communication between the vocalist and producer is important (use a talk back mic)
• If the singer wants to hear themselves more when recording, turn the headphones amp and not the pre gain. 
• Keep in mind that the singers tend to hold back in sound check and in recording they'll sing louder (check pre-gain settings)
• Most important part is to make your artist feel comfortable, take them out of their head to have a great vocal performance 
• Between takes tell the vocalist to not rest their headphones on the mic because it can cause feedback
• Make sure not to use your phone during recording, put it on to airplane mode as the wifi could trigger electrical interference with speakers (hisses)
• Record in 24bit, leave 10db headroom above loudest peaks because it is harder to undo distortion

EXPERIMENT

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ? 

We would want to know how capture the tone of the singer's voice based on their singing style and genre by experimenting with different mics. 

GENERAL PLAN

Before micking the vocals

1. Pick the suitable sounding mic for the singer based on their style of singing and genre
2. Set up different mics for standby if the 
3. Set up a place for the artist to drink
4. Get ready the singer's headphone mix 
5. Set up the lyrics sheet and get a copy for vocal comping purposes 

Which technique

We will be using the One microphone on axis and off axis each trying different mics.

MICROPHONES USAGE AND PLACEMENT

One Microphone (On axis)

1. Placing One microphone on axis facing the singer's mouth (Slate, Ribbon and Akg c414)

One Microphone (Off Axis)

1. Placing One microphone on axis facing the singer's mouth (Ribbon and Akg c414)
 

WHAT WE FOUND OUT 

One Microphone (On axis)

Ribbon

Female

Male

Akg c414

Female

Male

Slate

Female

Male

Ribbon

Female

Male

Akg c414

Female

Male

OVERALL

We found out that the AKG c414 on axis suits brighter tone voice as well as the slate on axis. The ribbon is not suitable for bright vocals. Besides that, AKG c414 suits deeper tone voices as well as it is not too bright if its placed off axis. The deeper female tone suits the ribbon and slate best as the ribbon is smoother and the slate doesn't brighten the vocals too much when placed on axis.