Recording a Great Vocal without Editing

Recording Tips and Tricks

Submitted by Brian Smith

Web Site URL: www.lpmedia.com/site3/Recording.html
Country: United States
Business Phone: 410-466-2250
Name of Recording Studio: LpMedia, Inc
Studio Location: 3603 Fairview Ave Baltimore, MD 21216

(Recording Tips and Tricks)

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Recording Tip or Tutorial (250 - 600 words):

Recording a Great Vocal without Editing.

If your room is not well isolated or has a window air conditioner, you can still get great vocals without extensive editing by removing noise real-time using a dynamic noise filter. While gates only clean up pauses, dynamic noise filters can actually remove noise in the presence of signal. Dynamic filter units simply filter out the higher frequencies when the signal level is low, and though they have no audible effects when the treated signal is strong, they do tend to affect the tail end of long reverbs. For this reason, it helps to route the reverb via one subgroup and the channels to be de-noised via another, so that the reverb escapes treatment. Better still, place the filter between your mic pre-amp and the console. Also, be careful not to over filter and introduce audible side-effects such as a muffled vocals. Most sounds have the bulk of their energy in one section of the audio spectrum, but there will also be small amounts of high and low frequency energy outside this band. Vocals are no different. By using high and low EQ cut to 'trim' away these extremes, it may be possible to remove additional mechanical noise. Lead vocals, or vocals that are very exposed in the mix, should be treated most cautiously. The human ear is vary sensitive to the human voice so it only takes a little cut or boost to reveal spectral processing which is bad unless that is your intention. So while you could add back some highs in the mix, it is better to record the best signal possible from the start. Remember, junk in,... crap out!!!

Recording studio tips submitted by Brian Smith of LpMedia, Inc.

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