Recording vocals can prove to be the most difficult part of home recording. Even with good equipment, getting that "right" sound with your singing can be tough. With cheaper equipment, the task borders on impossible, at least at first glance.
However, with the right setup, even mediocre equipment can be worked with to give you a passable and even pleasing vocal sound. This post aims to help you do just that.
EQUIPMENT
You don't have to use expensive condenser mics to get a good sound. Of course, it helps, and it means less work for you, but it's not required. Keep in mind that any vocals you record will ultimately be mixed in with your music; that background hiss might incline you to want to spend hours trying to clean it up, but in reality in may turn out to be nearly inaudible in your final mix.
On the other hand, if your microphones are so cheap that they don't capture frequencies across the vocal range, no amount of EQ correction will ever bring those frequencies into play. Even though good sound can be achieved with affordable equipment, there is a balance between cheap and cheerful and an unusable mic.
The Samson Q1U is a good example of a mic that can be made to produce good results; it's essentially a cheap USB microphone, but it's got good frequency response. Recordings can be cleaned up with some EQ tweaks, after which it provides a nice, clean sound with presence.
Obviously, a professional setup will feature a higher-end microphone (most likely a condenser) and a good preamp, but the purpose of this post is not how to set up high-end equipment for a high-end sound; these tips are meant for the average home recorder with low-end to mid-range equipment. Keep in mind that some professional sound engineers prefer Shure dynamic mics when recording rock. They may not be expensive or high-end, but they produce a good sound, and that's what it's all about.
software
Assuming you plan to record digitally, you'll need some kind of software. This can range anywhere from high-end software suites like ProTools or Logic Pro, mid-range applications like GarageBand or Cubase, or even the lowly-but-powerful Audacity will work in a pinch. It's important to keep in mind that software designed for music creation, such as GarageBand or Logic, will be easier to make work well than a basic audio editor such as audacity.
Editing your recordings to improve them will require some audio filters or effects capability. Such capability is present in all the high-end suites and most of the mid-range applications, but implementation varies from program to program. This post will give some suggestions on how these filters can be used, but to find out how to implement them in your particular piece of software, consult the help file or do a quick online search.
concepts
First, we'll examine a few basic recording and filter concepts.
- Mic Position: where you place the mic can be just as important as the kind of mic you use. Placing a mic further from the mouth or further across a room will weaken the sound and make it sound distant. A mic placed to close to the singer may overdrive, leading to a distorted recording. Maintaining the proper position using a microphone stand is an important piece of getting a good recording.
- Levels: In addition to proper positioning, a mic's level must be set in accordance with the average volume of the vocalist's voice. A proper set will ensure that an excited singer doesn't overdrive the mic, or worse, that loud sounds are clipped, and it will also ensure that soft sounds are still heard.
- Compression: A common audio filter used in vocal recording (or any kind of recording, for that matter) is compression. You can think of a compressor as a sort of level adjuster; soft sounds are made louder and loud sounds are made softer with a compressor, so that the overall volume range is... well, compressed.
- Bitrates: Many audio programs give the user the option of a bitrate at which to record. 24-bit is generally considered professional quality, and it should be used if you want a good result. Stay away from anything lower than that. If your mic or AD converter doesn't support 24-bit, you might want to consider getting one that does.
- Mono/Stereo: This concept is perhaps the most basic, but still important. Many mics, especially integrated USB setups with built in analog-to-digital converters, will support stereo recording. However, a mic such as the Samson Q1U is a mono device; the stereo mode simply halves the level on each channel and centers the sound. For this reason, to save space and complexity, you should generally record a single microphone in mono mode. This remains true to the hardware, and makes mixing easier, even in a stereo track.
- Room: Just as important as the mic being used is the room it's used in. Each room has unique acoustics, and these can drastically alter the sound you record. For home recording, it's not feasible to have a studio setup with perfect acoustics. However, there are some tricks you can try during setup to improve your sound without breaking the bank.
setup
Firstly, choose a spot where you think you will be comfortable recording vocals. If you prefer sitting, find a spot where you can do so. Designating a single spot will make it easier to know how big to build the few low-cost accessories that can improve your recordings.
Keep in mind that most microphones work best when the vocalist is 6 inches - 1 foot away.
Once you've found a suitable location, it's time to see how the room's acoustics sound. 9 times out of 10, you'll think it's a bit too open sounding after you record a test track. Unless you've got foam covering your walls, that's probably the case, and you want to be able to control as much of your sound as possible.
The solution is to deaden the sound through the use of cheap foam and posterboard. The image at right shows a basic setup that can be used to deaden the echo in a room. The backdrop at right (opposite the mic, behind the vocalist) is the most important. It can be built out of thin foam and stiff card- or posterboard available at any hobby or craft shop. Placing an identical board behind the mic can also change the sound considerably, and depending on the type of sound you're going for, may be desirable. It's not required, however, to have both in place, so experiment until you find a result you're comfortable with.
Often times, hard consonants will produce a 'pop' sound in the mic caused by their relatively high volume. This can be decreased through the use of a so-called "spit shield," also shown in the diagram. While these pop filters can actually be quite expensive, they can be easily produced at home. Again, at the craft shop, grab an embroidery hoop. Hop over to the clothing or grocery store and get a pack of ladies' nylons. Cut the nylon to size and stretch it into the hoop: it's an instant pop filter. Mount it in front of the microphone to improve your sound.
Mic position can be toyed with once you get to the levels stage, but at some point you'll want to pic a spot where the sound is decent so that you can focus entirely on software settings. If you set the mic, and then the software, and then the mic, and then the software, etc, you'll never be done.
Also, make sure your environment is quiet! Turn off any electronics other than the ones you'll be using, especially if they contain fans or emit a hum. Close any windows you have. Any sounds, even those you've learned to tune out in your daily life, will be picked up in your recording. Ensuring that all devices are off minimizes the chance of hiss.
levels
Next, it's time to set a good level for your mic in your audio software. Find your input control, and make sure you're in mono mode. It's best if you can reach the control from your singing position.
Using headphones (preferably one's that cancel out most outside noise), whisper into the mic from 6 inches to a foot away. Set the level so that your voice is barely audible. Next, sing at the loudest volume you plan to sing at for your recording. Watch the input indicator. You want to adjust your level so that the red indication at the top of the bar comes up only when you are at your absolute loudest volume. You'll most likely have to turn it down from your whisper level.
Part of setting levels is finding a happy medium between the whisper level and the loud level. If you know you're going to be more loud than anything else, err on the side of caution and give yourself a lower level. If you're planning to be quiet, do the inverse and set it high. With your music in mind, set your level accordingly.
Levels are the last thing that needs to be set before making your recording in a digital environment. Everything else can be set (and most likely should be set) after the recording's been made.
filtering your sound
There are two primary filters you will most likely want to use on your recordings; the first is a compressor, and the second is EQ.
Depending on your microphone, you might find that your recordings have a muddy, bassy sound or a tinny, thin sound. If the former, find your EQ filter in your audio program and turn up the highs. If the latter, turn up the lows.
eq and hiss
EQ is about gaining or cutting a specific set of frequencies in your sound. If a range of frequencies are lacking, such as bass or treble, you can gain or cut as needed to make a more pleasing sound. Oftentimes, with vocals, mid range frequencies can be gained to improve vocal "presence." If recording softer vocals, bass frequencies may need to be gained.
So, what if you've recorded your sound but you notice that the background is full of hiss? Even if you thought your room was quiet, hiss can be a problem. Dynamic mics especially will pick up some hiss even if a room is silent.
If you use EQ to try and minimize hiss, you'll often cut important frequencies in your recordings, damaging your sound. However, cutting the very top band of your EQ (the highest frequencies it will cut) will in general decrease hiss while leaving most of your vocals intact. The more bands you cut from the top, however, the muddier your sound.
With hiss, keep in mind that most of it will be inaudible after your vocals are mixed in with music. Spending hours trying to get rid of hiss is most likely a waste of time. Use your EQ some to decrease it, double check to make sure things are off in the room and windows are closed, accept that your mic will not do any better than it's doing, and move on.
compression
A compressor is a common tool for vocals, but you may never use it.
In short, it makes your softs louder and your louds softer; it's essentially a pillow on all sides of your recording. The use of a compressor can improve sound, especially on backing vocals, by making sure no one part is at a drastically different level than any other part. Generally, software compressors at default settings are suitable for vocals. Simply turn the percentage up, and you compress the range.
However, keep in mind that any hiss in your recording counts as a soft sound. Heavily compressed vocals with his are not pleasing. You hear the singer, and then the hiss, at the same volume as the singing, in between his or her words. For this reason, the use of a compressor may be unadvisable if you're experiencing hiss.
noise reduction
It's hard to do well.
Most audio suites have some kind of noise reduction filters in them, even if it's a simple noise gate. Gated sound, however, is not clean sound.
I would recommend that all people reading this post shy away from noise gates or noise reduction algorithms. They're difficult to make work well, and largely unneeded if you've had success with the tips above. That noise reducer filter might be tempting, but leave it off.
final thoughts
The most important thing to do in all of this is to have fun. A good, simple vocal setup like the one described above will let you concentrate on your music, without having to play engineer every 5 minutes. It'll yield you a good sound for minimal cost, and that's always a good thing.
Happy recording!
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