Another Vocal Thread

[taylor666]

So I'm very new to recording and started tracking a local band for free last week just to get some practice under my belt (I'll have some clips up fairly soon for you all to critique/laugh at). Anyway, I know this has been addressed here before but the singer is one of those guys who "cups" the mic. He told me he is certain that he won't be able to get the results he wants without cupping it. This brings up a problem since we're using a big condenser with a pop screen. Has anybody here worked with someone who cups the mic and figured out a solution? I'm doing vocals Saturday so I guess we'll do some experimenting.

 

[CJWall]

57 or 58

 

[taylor666]

57 or 58

I don't have any 58s available but I have a ton of 57s laying around. Do you think I would get a better result letting him cup a 57 rather than using an AKG Perception 100?

 

[JeffTD]

Cupping the mic is stupid. All it does is overdrive the capsule, increase feedback live, and boost the mids, IIRC. It's really a stupid, amateur thing to do. It turns the mic from omni to unidirectional, and really sounds like shit.

 

[punkrockacademyfightsong]

if i record vocals with a singer (screemer) who can't sing into a condensor i give him my 906, simply because you can't cup it, it's flat another cool thing about it: it has a presence boost wich makes it sound pretty damn clear for a dynamic mic. deffinately worth the try if you get the chance!

 

[Jackal_Strain]

Yeah, tell him to learn how to sing like a man!

 

[taylor666]

Haha, I tried to explain to him that if he plans on actually ever recording at a new studio he'll most likely get laughed at for asking to cup a mic. I'm doing this as a favor so I should just tell him my way or no way but I want this to come out decent, even though it's my first time really recording a full band.

 

[TheDude]

If you're gonna let him cup a 57, then it's gonna be full of spit after the intro = bad idea. Tell him that he can bring his own mic if he wants to, otherwise he's learning a new technique from now on

 

[metalkingdom]

Terry Date has used a 58 on quite a few records for guys who like to cup the mic. "Around The Fur" comes to mind...

 

[taylor666]

Well he claims he only needs to cup it for his "lows" . I think I have a sm48 in my basement somewhere, what's the general opinion on these compared to a 58 or 57? Also how many tracks of vocals do you think I should do? I was thinking of 2 for a fuller sound plus another track or two for overdubs.

 

[gumplunger]

Give him a 58. Not a 57, not a 48. Run it through the best preamp you have and compress and EQ to taste. Try to get two tight takes for each vocal part. Some amateur vocalist screamer isn't going to sound better through a $200 AKG condenser than a 58 that this guy is comfortable with. Focus on getting the best takes possible - make him back off the cupping if it sounds better - since a 58 into some cheapo preamp isn't going to sound great on its own. Load it up with a de-esser, some subtle tube overdrive, an aggressive sounding compressor, some split harmonizing, and a touch of delay and reverb - probably in that order.

 

[taylor666]

Give him a 58. Not a 57, not a 48. Run it through the best preamp you have and compress and EQ to taste. Try to get two tight takes for each vocal part. Some amateur vocalist screamer isn't going to sound better through a $200 AKG condenser than a 58 that this guy is comfortable with. Focus on getting the best takes possible - make him back off the cupping if it sounds better - since a 58 into some cheapo preamp isn't going to sound great on its own. Load it up with a de-esser, some subtle tube overdrive, an aggressive sounding compressor, some split harmonizing, and a touch of delay and reverb - probably in that order.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[sparkyness]

Terry Date has used a 58 on quite a few records for guys who like to cup the mic. "Around The Fur" comes to mind...

I think he did the same with Anselmo....I remember seeing a pic of "the 58" he gives to those guys. It's got a huge dent in it from being dropped/smashed so many times but by god, it works.