Unwanted reverb on vocal track

While recording a vocal track I noted a very strong reverb effect on the vocal; however, I had not inserted a plugin on the track or on the output for monitoring. I also noted on playback, the track level was very low, even though it sounded just fine (even loud) while monitoring the recording.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

How are you recording the vocal? What audio interface? Does the audio interface software have effects such as reverb? How is the vocal routed in your Logic mixer?

Are you monitoring through headphones or speakers? And how much latency do you have?

 

If using speakers with a noticeable amount of latency, it’s posible that the mic is picking up the latent sound from the speakers and then reproducing that through the speakers with latency and then picking that up and sending it through speakers, and so on. This will create a reverb effect. In fact this is more or less how the first ‘reverb’ effect (used a lot in old time radio shows) was achieved.

 

What happens if you turn up the monitor volume? Do you get a warbling reverb sounding feedback?

Thank you for the quick reply, and sorry, I should have provide more detail.

 

I'm recording using a large diaphragm condenser (one of the AT models, but can't recall exactly which) running through a new Yamaha MGXU-10 mixer with the USB out as the DAW = > new MacBook Pro. I monitor via the Yamaha mixer using headphones.

 

In Logic The track is routed directly to the stereo output channel, with no effects inserted.

 

I have the buffer I/O set pretty low on the Audio Preferences - 512.

 

The project itself is relatively simple, consisting of 4 audio tracks and one midi.

 

Thanks again

Open back headphones? If you turn the volume very low on the headphones and move further form the mic, does it affect the amount of the reverb effect?

 

Is it a lush sounding reverb or a bit metallic and echoey? One possibility (even if not through speakers or headphones) is the sound is routing back to the input creating a feedback loop. Introduce even a little bit of latency and that can result in a reverb like effect. Generally though, any direct routing back to an input would create an out of control feedback loop but with a deteriorating signal it could do the reverb thing. Check for bleed somewhere. Perhaps a fault with the mixer interface maybe something going on with a send.

 

Not familiar with that Yamaha mixer but some only send the mixers main out via usb (not sub channels) and if so it may be sending the usb audio it’s it’s receiving from logic back through the output into logic.

 

Do you have software monitoring enabled?

Edited December 5, 2020 by robinloops

The project itself is relatively simple, consisting of 4 audio tracks and one midi.

Open a new empty project, create 1 audio track, choose the right input for your mic, and see if you get any reverb. If you do, then you need to troubleshoot it in that 1-audio-track project. If you don't, then you need to figure out what's different between that simple project and your 5 track project that exhibits the issue.

I had software monitoring on. Once I turned that off, I was able to get a “dry” signal.

 

Thank you both from this newbie. I really appreciate your time.

You're welcome! Now if you actually want to hear any effects you insert on your vocal channel strip in Logic during recording, you want to turn off the "dry" monitoring routing from your audio interface, so that you shouldn't hear any vocal monitoring at all while software monitoring is off. Then turn on software monitoring in Logic.