Vocals Clean (Katatonia)

[Klosure]

Im getting much bigger mixs now but!!

My vocals always just feel out of the mix.

Many times almost thin. I try short delays which just sound odd to me.

I try dry but its not part of the mix.

I try doubling, but sometimes that also sounds a bit odd, I would like it to be just a clean good take that atmospherically sits in the mix and feels part of it. Doubling I never know what to do with the other takes EQ wise, removing the bottom end just makes it more toppy and loos the warmth.

I have tried to be careful with Eq, the choice of mic I have used adds a bit of FET distortion and thus it cuts nicely but that cut often can mean the lower part of the vocals disappear if you eq it round the 3k and 15k areas (boost) - so I resist but still feels thin.

I am wondering if serial compression is needed, ie 1176>LA3 style stuff. I have used a Deessor gently on the vocals which I find helps.


Katatonia on TGCD and NITND is just amazing that warm but cutting sound specially on NITND (its good on TGCD but the solidtube isn't quite as warm).

Have you listened to the albums and wondered the same or do you just thing -PAH easy, if you do, how is it done?


On the Katatonia stuff I always here something going on down below thats just - nice and warm. But when I mess with any eq below 1k its just box and muffly. Any idea where that warmth may be from?

 

[-Noodles-]

Probably a really nice mic / compressor on the way in..

 

[Morgan C]

The Katatonia singer sings quite softly I've heard, this may influence the sound.

 

[crillemannen]

I find that getting great vocals are quite simple once you have an awesome high end mic (great singer of course), then just smash it with a 1176, perhaps a few db's of eq. Add doubler on a send, delay and reverb and you're done

 

[Dexter_prog]

The Katatonia singer sings quite softly I've heard, this may influence the sound.

I don't think he sings softly. His vocals sound quite strong, specially when he sings with a high pitch (for example on the chorus of Deliberation).

 

[HDWR]

if it's any help I did see a pic of the singer with an AKGC414 set up in front of him for the recording of NITND.

 

[DanLights]

I don't think he sings softly. His vocals sound quite strong, specially when he sings with a high pitch (for example on the chorus of Deliberation).

actually I think those higher vocals sound even softer than the other parts hahaha just what I think of course, but I do think he sings very softly, of course he has an excellent Engineer making sure his vocals are always at a good level in the PA

 

[HDWR]

There's an in booth video with audio from the camera somewhere from the sessions for NITND. He does sing quietly. I think it was on their facebook page? I can't find it. Someone linked it here.

 

[G1]

if you can find that video i'd be really interested to see it as the katatonia vocals are stunning on the newest album.

 

[HDWR]

I'm at work and can't do a bunch of searching but I'd swear it was on their facebook page in a recording diary or something like that.

 

[Lodge]

I have had similar problems. I would say if you don't have a lot of high end gear available, keep doubling the vocals, even sometimes doing triple takes. I get one in the center and then pull the volume of the other takes down a lot lower and eq them differently. Pulling the volume down on the doubled takes gets rid of that cheesy doubled sound, but it really does add a lot for depth and spacing once you find out what works on the vocals underneath the main line. I hope this makes sense, because I'm pretty drunk lol. Most of the time, I get the center/loudest vocal fairly dry, and add the effects for ambience to the backing vocals that I have turned down lower. Hope this helps you out.