The risks of monitoring with effects while tracking?

[Erkan]

The tracking stage is soon about to begin for my album... and although this has nothing to do with this thread, I'm headbanging to Cloudkicker right now Man that guy's music kicks so much ass it's unbelievable.

Anyway.. so what I'm wondering is what the risks are with monitoring with effects on while tracking? I was thinking mainly for vocalists really, but anything goes. I'm afraid that it will sound too dull without any effects so my singer might get "bored" and not have that special feeling, but I'm also afraid the effects might make him relax too much because it "sounds good enough". The effects I'm referring to are mostly compressor/eq/saturation/reverb/delay.

I know for example when I play drums it doesn't matter too much if I monitor with effects because I still hit pretty much as hard as usual but I don't know what it's like for vocalists.

Share any thoughts or ideas with me in here please! Thanks a ton guys.

P.S I'm gonna pull myself together now and track this freakin' album and get something done! Trying to motivate myself some more before hitting the drums.

 

[GarethSE]

how about no vocalists
>:{

 

[Erkan]

how about no vocalists
>:{

Gareth, I love you man but there will be vocals on this! We've got some important shit lyrics to spew out you know

... but I'll make a special "Gareth"-edition if you behave and I'll strip the vocals off of the mix! No promises though... it's a maybe

 

[Morgan C]

Reverb can cloud someone's perception of pitch (like singing in the shower), so I'd stay away from that. If you use a compressor then they won't be paying attention to their dynamics. Personally I track vocals 100% dry (my FP10 has a wet/dry switch and the dry has no latency so it doesn't mess with them like that).

Btw, CANNOT WAIT.

 

[Erkan]

Yeah I'm thinking the same way as you do Morgan, but I hope tracking dry won't make it sound too dull. I know I used to get really depressed by listening to the results of my drumming right after tracking when it's all dry and then later on when I started mixing it I was shocked at how big the difference was between dry and just slightly processed.

Anyway, the vocalist is good though so I think he'll manage well without dry. Maybe I should consult him about this as well and not just settle for a decision on my own. Still, bring in your thoughts people, I wanna know more about what you think!

 

[slashvanyoung]

Just make two different headphone mixes: One that enables the singer to give his best performance and a dry one for yourself to ensure a "flawless" performance.

 

[Morgan C]

Yeah I'm thinking the same way as you do Morgan, but I hope tracking dry won't make it sound too dull. I know I used to get really depressed by listening to the results of my drumming right after tracking when it's all dry and then later on when I started mixing it I was shocked at how big the difference was between dry and just slightly processed.

For me this isn't a problem, I put all the effects on the track, but use the wet/dry knob for monitoring the vocals. Then when I play back the vocals have all their effects on them easily.

Dunno if what you're using has a wet/dry knob (Not wet/dry.. one side is whats going into the mics and the other side is what's coming out of the DAW. If you turn on monitoring then that comes out of the DAW side, like for doing guitars), if not, just make another track with FX on it and drag the audio after each take?

 

[storming heaven]

Maybe I should consult him about this as well and not just settle for a decision on my own.

+1

Just because he wants reverb doesn't mean that he'll sing with sharper pitch. Eq, reverb and delay might help him while tracking. In the end his needs matter most in the tracking stage. If you are uncertain about his performence with effects you can always record him again with no effects and show him the differences, if there are any.

 

[if6was9]

I usually track with a bit of reverb and a comp on the vocals, I find it helps the singer get more into it if they're hearing something closer to a finished product, its very easy for a singer to dislike a take because it sounds strange because its dry. Haven't had any issues with singers yet, they seem to liek tracking with effects a hell of alot more than without

 

[Erkan]

Just make two different headphone mixes: One that enables the singer to give his best performance and a dry one for yourself to ensure a "flawless" performance.

Hmm yeah that would be a good idea but I'm not entirely sure how to do that with my Profire 2626 and Reaper combo. The Profire has 2 Headphone outs which is the main mix from the DAW. I guess I'd have to use a couple of the outputs in the back and route the vocals somehow to those outputs which would then go into my headphones.. and it'd have to be the dry vocals so I guess I could make another track just for the dry vocals or something which is routed to those outputs. I'm confusing myself OoOoOoOo, but I guess it's doable!

I usually track with a bit of reverb and a comp on the vocals, I find it helps the singer get more into it if they're hearing something closer to a finished product, its very easy for a singer to dislike a take because it sounds strange because its dry. Haven't had any issues with singers yet, they seem to liek tracking with effects a hell of alot more than without

Yeah that's my fear right there. Maybe it'll be discouraging to hear the dry vocals or maybe not. It's easily understandable though when everyone keeps hearing well polished vocals in the radio and mp3 players day in and day out so when they hear the raw dry track they might go "eew, wtf is that?".

And to boot he's probably going to be screaming, not singing. Unless he is, then scratch that.

Well this guy is gonna be doing a bit of both and other stuff as well... he's crazy It's gonna be fun!