andrewhorne Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Hi Can someone let me know what I can do to normalise a vocalist who keeps moving in and out fronm the Mike whilist singing. I have Logic 9 and just starting to get to grips with it. I could use Automation to adjust volumes , but there must be something that does this across a song. I have done multi takes and asked her to sing steady to mike, but the best take is one where she is away from mike for a few sceconds and then steps up close again. Apollgies for the dumb question, but could not see the answer off the top of my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoSatis Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Hi Well, the best solution would probably be a combo of using automation and compressing the vocal to help smooth it out. It can be a pain when the song is long but it's pretty much the best way to go that I know of. HTH HAve a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzfilth Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 You are entitled to give her a proper treatment with the patchcord-o-nine-tails next time. That'll teach her. Automation is the way to go. Don't use plugins on that channel, ride the fader to get a constant level, bus that channel to another channel and put plugins there. That way level-dependent things like compressors don't change due to her moving away. Christian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shivermetimbers Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Soundtrack Pro 3 has a feature. That or duct tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muses Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I've had this issue with quite a few singers. The problem lies not just in amplitude, which riding volume and/or compression may be able to fix up. The problem lies in the change of timbre (like the proximity effect, if they get too close). For that, I have as yet to find a solution, so I always just ask the singer to retake the part. They are usually quite accommodating and understanding about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I've had this issue with quite a few singers. The problem lies not just in amplitude, which riding volume and/or compression may be able to fix up. The problem lies in the change of timbre (like the proximity effect, if they get too close). For that, I have as yet to find a solution, so I always just ask the singer to retake the part. They are usually quite accommodating and understanding about it. That's the only solution: proper mic technique. That's the singer's responsibility. I mean just like if a guitar player hits one note very hard and the next very soft, no amounts of automation or compressions are going to fix that. Same with vocals and mic distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidpye Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Get them to stand still!! Jesus this bugs me, it's like a guitarist who keeps dropping their guitar. OR Try recording them further off the mic in the first place, then work that sound to fit the track. That way the changes in sound will be less noticable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muses Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Get them to stand still!! Jesus this bugs me, it's like a guitarist who keeps dropping their guitar. OR Try recording them further off the mic in the first place, then work that sound to fit the track. That way the changes in sound will be less noticable. I agree with getting them to stand still, but the amount of noise floor introduced by having them stand further away from the mic creates more headaches, especially if you're going for a gentle, acoustic sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camillo jr Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 As fuzzfilth suggests, automation might get you most of the way there. But there are other techniques.... You said that you had mulitple takes. Is it possible that she's closer to the mic on some of the same sections? When I'm comping a singer who's performance is really uneven, I'll chop all the takes at particular word groups and listen to each region to find if there's something that can fill in. If you have too much variance in tone, sometimes a little EQ automation can save the day, by adding/subtracting some bottom or top on certain words to make it match the surrounding area. Or tie her to a post! But keep the arms free so she can still emote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidpye Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 OR SIMPLY: Record the singer in the centre of a ring of 32 identical mics, that way one of them should be close enough to her face at all times. Then all you have to do is search through them to find the best sounding syllables and edit those together. Just get her to stand still, a singers ability to use a mic is a skill they should learn and work with. Singing lesson time I think?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fader8 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Having done a good bit of live recording, often with wandering vocalists, (horn players too!) one solution is to tape them up with a lavalier and track that as well. Then at least you have something to work with when you need to recover a few words here and there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Sandvik Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 The singer should learn how to use a mic, that's a basic technique, simple to learn. Or then get him/her a wearable mic and forget about your fancy condenser mic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shivermetimbers Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 I like the idea of tying her to a post, but have her watch this. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickwolf Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 This is the channel list for a session from a The Jesus Lizard album. Track 25 has an interesting technique...although it looks like that was for guitar. http://davidwmsims.wordpress.com/2008/12/18/channel-list-for-goat/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidpye Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I've recorded singers with C-Ducer contact mics taped to their necks before, it's a cool effect, but it's not going to help here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste72 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I like the idea of tying her to a post, but have her watch this. > Man, she's an angel!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Mal Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Well, she's got to learn to stand still and use the microphone if she wants to do this. It isn't something she can just be sloppy about and someone will fix it in post. But if she doesn't care at all, maybe she's doing you a favor somehow, then I'd get a quality lavalier like has been suggested. I'd still put up a mic for her to sing into- or not as the case may be- and try and get a blend of both, but also to give her a focal point. Or: what you can do, is set up a good, sturdy, dynamic microphone like a Shure 57. And then when she sings away from it, remove the microphone from the stand, and beat her without pity with the Shure 57 in front of the band, in front of everybody. During this beating, express the importance of singing directly into the microphone that you are concurrently assaulting her with, and I bet she'll think about it more next time. Just a couple of options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shivermetimbers Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 http://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/images/danglecarrot.jpg Well, instead of a carrot or male appendage, dangle the mic from her head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Sandvik Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Or: what you can do, is set up a good, sturdy, dynamic microphone like a Shure 57. And then when she sings away from it, remove the microphone from the stand, and beat her without pity with the Shure 57 in front of the band, in front of everybody. During this beating, express the importance of singing directly into the microphone that you are concurrently assaulting her with, and I bet she'll think about it more next time. If she's a diva she won't tolerate this. Then again, this is just the starting point of even more troubles later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muses Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 If she's a diva she won't tolerate this. Then again, this is just the starting point of even more troubles later. I'm glad I don't work with divas ... singers beware!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzfilth Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 If she's a diva she won't tolerate this. She only can afford to be a diva with proper mic technipue. Christian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redlogic Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 She only can afford to be a diva with proper mic technipue. Christian +1! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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