Vocal processing tips from the Blue Oyster Cult FOH engineer

[ahjteam]

I think this was a nice find; here is the summary text from Steve La Cerra, the front-of-house engineer for Blue Öyster Cult.

What do disparate styles of music such as R&B, country, rap, rock and opera have in common? The money channel is always the vocal. To be a successful engineer, you've got to make the lead vocal sound great. Having mixed more than 1,000 shows for Blue Öyster Cult during the past 12 years, plus working with vocally oriented artists including Firehouse, The Lizards, Patty Smyth, Danny Rodriguez and ClosEnough, I've learned a few tricks for putting your money where your mouth is, even when there isn't enough money in the P.A. system! Let's examine techniques for ensuring that the vocal channel is, in fact, where the money is.

http://mixonline.com/livesound/applications/audio_vocals_road/

 

[devouredremains]

Any tips on getting more cowbell?

 

[sparkyness]

Steve La Cerra is a big step down from Bruce Dickinson

 

[if6was9]

There's some good stuff there- too bad I don't have the mic arsenal and live rig to integrate most of it!

 

[ahjteam]

too bad I don't have the mic arsenal and live rig to integrate most of it!

STOP already! Wrong attitude!

You just need a microphone, preamp (external or from the mixer), delay, reverb and compressor to do what he said. What reads on the side doesnt matter as long as they sound good. Because of the digital units and competition caused mainly by Behringer, the price of these things have come down drastically while the quality pretty much have prevailed. You can get these for a lot less than you think. For example Lexicon MX200 and TC Electronic M350 both have tap delay and good sounding reverbs and they cost mere 150-200.

I bet most people have the SM58 that he mentions that BÖC singer use.
I have a TC M350 reverb, that has a preset that is similiar to the TC M5000's "480 Hall" preset he refers (its called "TC Classic Hall")
I also have the TC D-two delay (M350 has a delay too, but its not that good because it doesnt have the numbers visible)
I also have a dbx 166XL compressor (when you put the auto mode "on" on it, it has the same attack/release values as 160 series compressors, which he refers to)

Those cost about 1200 in total

 

[Sloan]

My favourite live sound vocal tip is "CUT THAT FUCKING BASS."

It works most of the time.

 

[if6was9]

STOP already! Wrong attitude!

You just need a microphone, preamp (external or from the mixer), delay, reverb and compressor to do what he said. What reads on the side doesnt matter as long as they sound good. Because of the digital units and competition caused mainly by Behringer, the price of these things have come down drastically while the quality pretty much have prevailed. You can get these for a lot less than you think. For example Lexicon MX200 and TC Electronic M350 both have tap delay and good sounding reverbs and they cost mere 150-200.

I bet most people have the SM58 that he mentions that BÖC singer use.
I have a TC M350 reverb, that has a preset that is similiar to the TC M5000's "480 Hall" preset he refers (its called "TC Classic Hall")
I also have the TC D-two delay (M350 has a delay too, but its not that good because it doesnt have the numbers visible)
I also have a dbx 166XL compressor (when you put the auto mode "on" on it, it has the same attack/release values as 160 series compressors, which he refers to)

Those cost about 1200 in total

Well obviously money will fix the problem of not having a large mic arsenal and a live rig capable of what he talks about!
I did say there was good stuff and I did learn from it, Also I was talking about my situation. I'm sure there's plenty of guys here with the gear to practise this stuff. I neither have 1200 to spend on a vocal chain, or a P.a that would make it possible to use properly with. I meant it when I said my rig- it doesn't cut the mustard at practise with my band and doesn't stand a chance live- you can't turn down live drums!. Subtleties like delays and verbs would get lost on a vocal already buried.
On the few occasions that I have done live sound the rig there were pathetic also- I'd to rig up monitors with stuff I brought along pieced with random gear lying around the venues. their systems were underpowered with broken channels and they'd no effects of any kind, everything was dry. Thats why I stopped. I'm only going to get back into it when I have some of the neccesary gear to do a god job. I'm building my mic arsenal and I just got my hands on my first 4 channel outboard compressor so i'm on the way.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

I bet most people have the SM58 that he mentions that BÖC singer use.

PFFFF TAD DONELY ANYONE?