How do you choose a mic for a vocalist?

[KillerV]

By this I don't mean "which vocal mic should I buy". I would like to know how you guys go about picking out mics for different vocalists you record. Of course it's easy to just say "use the one that sounds best", but that's just too vague. Say, for example, you put 3 mics or so up and have a vocalist sing through each one so that you can pick which one you're gonna use during the session, what do you listen for? What do you want and what don't you want? What techniques do you use to get to the point where you feel you're using the right mic on any given vocalist?

 

Thought this might be an interesting discussion.

[UstadKhanAli]

 

Say, for example, you put 3 mics or so up and have a vocalist sing through each one so that you can pick which one you're gonna use during the session, what do you listen for? What do you want and what don't you want?

 

 

You listen to what is most flattering for their voice. But I wanted to point out that this might change, depending on the song, genre, and how the singer is singing at the time. I've used a couple of different mics on the same vocalist depending on the song and how the person is singing.

 

 

What techniques do you use to get to the point where you feel you're using the right mic on any given vocalist?

 

 

I'm not sure what you mean by technique. I can often guess as to which mic I am going to use on a vocalist if I know the vocalist and how s/he is going to sing and what sort of song it is. Otherwise, I just set up 2-3 mics and figure out which one sounds the best, choosing it with the vocalist. And most of the time, the vocalist and I will choose the same mic anyway.

 

I did do a R&B hip-hop sort of thing recently where I set up a couple of mics, thinking that the Heil PR30 would be the one, and ended up choosing a large diaphragm condenser instead...both of us immediately chose the LDC instead. So it's still good to take the time and really listen even if you think you know.

[UstadKhanAli]

Maybe this is what you mean by technique? I'll usually set up 2-3 different sounding mics. One dynamic that sounds sort of like a ribbon, another smooth large diaphragm condenser, and then one more sort of "airy" large diaphragm condenser and go from there. That usually gives me enough choices to know where it's going.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Say, for example, you put 3 mics or so up and have a vocalist sing through each one so that you can pick which one you're gonna use during the session, what do you listen for?

 

I want to hear their voice alone first. I'm listening to the basic timbre of their voice... is it full and thick sounding, but with not so great articulation and pronunciation of the consonants so that it's sometimes hard to understand what they're saying? Are they in a hard rock band? Then that tells me I might want a mic with a decent presence peak to help with the articulation and intelligibility (consonants live largely in that 4 KHz range) and to help them "cut through" the loud / busy / heavy mix. What if it's a thinner sounding and syllabant sounding vocalist with lots of heavy annunciation on the esses? Then I might look for the opposite from my vocal mic selection - IOW, a mic that will be more flattering to their voice and that won't accentuate those issues as much.

 

Of course, different mikes have different responses at different distances from the source. Some mikes are very thick when used at very close distances, with lots of proximity boost in the lows. The frequency range where that proximity boost occurs can either be beneficial - or not. If it enhances their voice; makes it sound thicker or fuller in a pleasant way, then we might move them in close... if not, we might move them back a bit, or decide to use a different microphone...

 

But basically, it just comes down to listening to them sing, listening to the track, and deciding what signal chain gives you the sound you prefer.

[UstadKhanAli]

 

I want to hear their voice alone first.

 

 

Just in case there's anyone who didn't realize this, you MUST do this first.

 

 

I'm listening to the basic timbre of their voice... is it full and thick sounding, but with not so great articulation and pronunciation of the consonants so that it's sometimes hard to understand what they're saying? Are they in a hard rock band?

 

 

Yes, you do all this...voice, kind of delivery, song, genre, etc., and then choose the mics accordingly.

[xdrummer]

As others have suggested, I have the vocalist step into my vocal booth and sing with no mics up - just to get an idea of the articulation, tone, etc. - naturally the genre of the music/track (screaming rock vs. breathy ballad) also will help me decide on a mic/pre. Do I need to tame the low end, or do I nead some high end shimmer, or do I need mid range presense, etc.

 

This often may be all I need to decide on a mic/pre - however, I still have to hear the vocie come through the mic/pre before I can make a final decision. Hopefully at that point i don't have to spend too much time educating the vocalist on proper spacing from the mic, mic technique, etc.

 

In my humble little studio I only have a few "go to vocal mics" and a handful of different pres - so my decisions are limited to start with.

[Spleencage]

One thing I have not read is the usage of tube stuff against FET or transistor.

My mic collection is small but good, but all of my pre's are excellent. (Neve, API, Summit, Brent Avril and Martech- my personal fav.)

The best mic wont sound very good thru a bad pre, but a decent mic can sound great thru a great pre.

Then it becomes a matter of matching components, I wouldn't run a tube mic thru a tube pre then a tube limiter- the sound gets so smooth that it becomes something I'd spread on my toast as opposed to making it poke thru in the mix with any clarity and definition, cause at that point I have to EQ it and that defeats the purpose entirely. I NEVER EQ vocals except comped stacked vocals to give them a little air, or roll off some bottom if it becomes problematic. If I find I have to EQ to make up for something, then I have chosen the wrong mic, placed it wrong or paired it with the wrong components.

[UstadKhanAli]

 

If I find I have to EQ to make up for something, then I have chosen the wrong mic, placed it wrong or paired it with the wrong components.

 

 

That's how I try and go as well.

 

Dang, you have some nice mic preamps. I don't have that much, but I think they're good "bang for the buck" preamps (Neve Portico, Peavey VMP-2, two FMR RNPs).

[chris carter]

When I try out mics on a singer, I'm just listening for what I hear in my head for the record and go with that. I generally have an idea of where I want to start and how I want the mic set up. Then I have then do "rehearsal" while I dial in levels and compression. Then it's a question of, "is that the sound I want?" and if it isn't I ask if I need to adjust the mic (usually) or go with a different mic. But I'm evaluating "in context."

 

It's pretty much that simple.

[fuzzball]

I also just listen first, then I try the mics that I believe will work best for the person. After that I tell them they should give up because auto tune can not even help them.

[Kerouac]

What if it's a thinner sounding and syllabant sounding vocalist with lots of heavy annunciation on the esses?

 

THat's me! What do I need?

[Zeopold]

Neumann U87 if you can afford it

[Phil O'Keefe]

 

Neumann U87 if you can afford it

 

 

Although we're talking an order of magnitude more expensive than the (definitely not inexpensive) U87, I'd almost always rather have a U67 instead. I do really like the '67 on a lot of things; I'm not nearly as fond of the U87.

 

YMMV.

[Phil O'Keefe]

THat's me! What do I need?

 

What type of a budget are we talking about? What mic preamps do you have access to? And what type (genres) of music do you do, and typically, with what sort of arrangements / instrumentation? Have any clips of your voice that we can hear?

 

For starters, I'd recommend looking for flatter microphones, as opposed to ones with heavily accentuated highs or presence peaks.

[Temple of Light]

My three basic principles?

Not withstanding the rest of the signal chain?

1.Noise floor. Use the one with lowest noise floor.

{IE: Signal to Noise Ratio}.

2.Use the one with the widest dynamic range. Also known as Sound Pressure Level or SPL. It's the mic's ability to capture the highest amount of Decibles IE: {SPL's} to tape,{disk}.

3.Use the one with the widest frequency range:

IE: 20 Hz to 20Khz, which basically encompasses the range of human hearing. The mic you want to use has all three of these characteristics, and is probably not cheap.

Several brands and models are available with all 3 of these spec's which will produce the best results. The rest of it is only relevant to your budget, and the rest of your signal chain. Obviously you dont wanna spend 3K$ on a mic that is going to be recorded into a computer soundcard, unless it has 24 bit 192Khz converters, interfacing and proccesssing, etc...Use some common sense tactics in your shopping and you'll find what your'e looking for...

[UstadKhanAli]

THat's me! What do I need?

 

My first inclination would be a U47-style mic.

 

What about everyone else? What would be good for this sort of voice?

[Lee Knight]

Originally Posted by Phil O'Keefe

What if it's a thinner sounding and syllabant sounding vocalist with lots of heavy annunciation on the esses?

 

 

 

My first inclination would be a U47-style mic. What about everyone else? What would be good for this sort of voice?

 

 

I'd go for a flat dynamic then. RE20, Sen 421 on flat. That sort of thing. The 421 can sound great on a voice like that. It seems to add a nice lo mid quality to fatten without boom.

[UstadKhanAli]

Originally Posted by Phil O'Keefe What if it's a thinner sounding and syllabant sounding vocalist with lots of heavy annunciation on the esses? I'd go for a flat dynamic then. RE20, Sen 421 on flat. That sort of thing. The 421 can sound great on a voice like that. It seems to add a nice lo mid quality to fatten without boom.

 

Oh, yeah....that's a good idea. You know, I wasn't even thinking, but I pull out either the AT4060 or a large diaphragm dynamic (421, Heil PR30) when trying to combat this. That said, a U-47 type mic still wouldn't be a poor choice...if someone buys me something like this, I'd be happy to verify this for certain.

[WRGKMC]

Besides hearing the timber of the voice, I also judge the persons singing technique and if they have any clue to using a mic dynamically. If they have no ability to use a mic properly and can only eat a stage mic or have no technique at all, then I may choose on that basis. I may even use a good dynamic over a condencer or use both. If they are a pro singer I can bypass all that crap and go with the voice only. Again I may use two mics if I think one would be great on the high end and another on the low if I think it would be benificial, but in most cases I'd at least have the option of choosing one track over the other after a listen.

[Rekel]

I just give them a Rode NTK and place it in a position so I can capture their voice in how think it's right. And a little eq if I feel it's necessary. That's it