please comment on my sound on acoustic and singing

[mbengs1]

It's just one song but that's as good as I can get. it's also the first time for me to use vocal effects, mainly harmony. It's a one take thingy. meaning the first lyric and melody is the one that I pick. It doesn't get any better than that, really. even if you pick something better, doesn't really make a difference. https://soundcloud.com/user-18667799/song1-acoustic-slow

[davie]

Good effort, man.

 

I wouldn't concern myself too much with vocal effects, I would rather focus on getting proper recording technique down. Your vocal seems to be clipping in some parts. You might be singing too closely to the mic. Try backing off a bit of distance. It's actually more important to get the recording process done well before trying to tinker using mixing methods.

 

As for the lyric writing process, most good songs actually go through many revisions before being released. But if the muse hits you in the right spot, then rewrites might not be necessary. But I feel like minor tweaks in the lyrics can sometimes be done later on to improve its delivery.

 

What are you recording your vocals using? I'm guessing its some kind of dynamic mic? sm58 maybe?

[mbengs1]

I'm using a shure sm57. it's a dynamic mic. how does it sound for vocals? I know it's usually used to record loud instruments but I use it for vocals.

[davie]

It's very similar to the SM58. I've used the SM57 on vocals before. Depending on the vocalist and how they sing, it can yield very good results for vocals. It works especially well for loud rock style vocals. I think the most important thing is knowing how to handle/use a mic properly and selecting a mic that suits that voice.

[mbengs1]

Here's another acoustic song I just recorded yesterday https://soundcloud.com/user-18667799/song-8-by-myself-vocals

 

And here's an instrumental rocker I made using the rhythm editor of my BR-800 https://soundcloud.com/user-18667799/the-agressor

[Phil O'Keefe]

Please tell us a bit more about the signal path - what are you running the SM57 into for the vocals, and how are you tracking the acoustic?

 

I'd recommend getting a good nylon or metal (IOW Stedman) pop filter for the SM57 and setting it up about 2-3" away from the mic, and singing about 3" away from the pop filter. That will eliminate some of the issues you're having with the vocals. Unlike the otherwise very similar SM58, there's no foam for pop filtering built into the SM57.

 

[mbengs1]

Please tell us a bit more about the signal path - what are you running the SM57 into for the vocals, and how are you tracking the acoustic?

 

I'd recommend getting a good nylon or metal (IOW Stedman) pop filter for the SM57 and setting it up about 2-3" away from the mic, and singing about 3" away from the pop filter. That will eliminate some of the issues you're having with the vocals. Unlike the otherwise very similar SM58, there's no foam for pop filtering built into the SM57.

 

I plug direct into the Boss BR-800 with no pedals in between. I'm only using the onboard effects of the recorder. I use mainly the first preset which is the Boss Drive amp model with a boost pedal in front of it. I just edit the parameters to add more delay so it sounds breezy. I use the acoustic effects too for the acoustic sounds. I also use vocal harmony for one chorus. though I don't think it's necessary but the choruses stand out better with the harmony. I run the SM57 into one of the 4 inputs in the back and record in mono. I'll see about the pop filter. will I really need it? cuz I think I sound ok, truly.

 

[davie]

If you go back and listen to the "acoustic slow" song at 2m04s. The 'p' in the word predicate triggered a pop in the recording. That's the perfect example of why you would need a pop filter, to prevent that loud popping noise. Though I think the main concern in your vocal recording is the clipping from singing too closely to the mic. By singing very close to the mic you're increasing the proximity boost effect which makes the recording too muffled. In microphones with a cardioid pickup pattern you will get a large bass boost whenever you sing very close to it, and as a result you lose some clarity. It also makes it more difficult to fit the vocal properly in a mix.

[mbengs1]

If you go back and listen to the "acoustic slow" song at 2m04s. The 'p' in the word predicate triggered a pop in the recording. That's the perfect example of why you would need a pop filter' date=' to prevent that loud popping noise. Though I think the main concern in your vocal recording is the clipping from singing too closely to the mic. By singing very close to the mic you're increasing the proximity boost effect which makes the recording too muffled. In microphones with a cardioid pickup pattern you will get a large bass boost whenever you sing very close to it, and as a result you lose some clarity. It also makes it more difficult to fit the vocal properly in a mix.[/quote']

 

cool, I'll try singing farther from the mic next time. i'll post my next compositions...

 

[Delmont]

There's no song at that link.