New discussion spun off from Presets / Microphone for soft female voice

Moved Reply:

Bigear, is your wife’s vocal going through an effects unit of some sort as it goes through the Bose L1 system 1? The Bose system 1 doesn’t have effects built in. Any vocal going through a sound system benefits from a touch of reverb on it. If she is singing ‘dry’ with no effects, she may not be able to ‘feel’ the sound and this could be hindering her ability to avoid popping with good microphone technique because she wont be able to 'sense' where she should be in relation to the microphone.

Moved Reply:

This is indeed a great forum - thanks to everyone who responded for their suggestions. I am waiting for the weekend to give it another try, and will get back to you with the results. Alex, my wife is not using any effects, though not averse to trying.

Bigear

Moved Reply:

Hi, AlexT!

quote:

Originally posted by AlexT:
... Any vocal going through a sound system benefits from a touch of reverb on it...

I respectfully disagree -- it depends on the room.

In a small room, particularly one that has lots of things that absorb sound (like most homes and some bars/restaurants), a touch of reverb may be helpful.

In a room of some size (e.g.: seats 60+ people) with lots of hard surfaces (i.e.: a room designed for listening!) there is usually more than enough natural reverberation, and none needs to be artificially added for a 'natural' sound (special effects aside).

Moved Reply:

Hi Dan

Yes, you’re absolutely right: I had way over generalised. I was aware that Bigear had mentioned that he was trying the Bose in his basement and thought he was perhaps not hearing a very ‘encouraging’ sound coming from the Bose in a confined space with a completely dry vocal (if his basement is quite small). The discussion too had turned to close micing and I thought that a bit of reverb would help Bigear’s wife to hear a slightly more ‘lush’ sound on her vocal in these circumstances.

Bigear, Dan is right: artificial reverb is not suitable in all circumstances by any manner of means, but I would suggest that if you are in a confined space trying close micing, the sound may not be too favourable without a little bit of reverberant ‘help’ along the way. Would you agree Dan?

All the best

Moved Reply:

quote:

Originally posted by AlexT:
... but I would suggest that if you are in a confined space trying close micing, the sound may not be too favourable without a little bit of reverberant ‘help’ along the way. Would you agree Dan?...

Yes ... however ... I usually try a bit of Delay first, rather than Reverb. The Delay effect is often less prone to inducing feedback or creating the "hollow" sound that Reverb can create; in a sense, I find the Delay more 'forgiving' than Reverb.

Dan,

I agree, I'm discovering delay and it's advantages...

Regarding the T1 only: Do you use digital or analog delay, and what parameters sound best to you? (Feedback, delay time, mix)

re: Delay

I haven't noticed a lot of difference between the digital and analog delay; I'm not sure what the difference is 'supposed' to be...

re: settings: I don't use it often enough to really have any specifics ... both because I DON'T use it often and because I can't remember!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dan Cornett,

quote:

re: Delay

I haven't noticed a lot of difference between the digital and analog delay; I'm not sure what the difference is 'supposed' to be...

re: settings: I don't use it often enough to really have any specifics ... both because I DON'T use it often and because I can't remember!!

Well...what good are you!

I believe analog is supposed to be a bit warmer, generally, but I haven't noticed that with the T1.

Going back to Bigear’s original post for suggestions regarding his wife’s vocal through a Bose L1 in his basement, this might be worth mentioning:

Bigear, if you are in the basement with your wife as she sings, your ears may be confused by hearing your wife’s natural vocal in the room along with the amplified vocal through the Bose in the same room, especially if your basement is smallish.

Try standing outside the room while your wife sings so that you only actually hear what is coming from the Bose, instead of a mix of natural and amplified. When I am mixing through monitors or rehearsing in a smaller space, I often wander outside the door to have a listen.

Alex T,

Youre absolutely right. We have a reasonably large basement, yet I can appreciate the sound quality from the L1 system much better when I stand at the very end - and its amazing! We've tried a combination of things this forum has suggested: spent some time experimenting on presets, different mics and gain settings, close lip micing and a windscreen, but no effects - and things are working out well. The windscreen made the most difference - its a keeper. The EV3 mic which I earlier thought was too "sensitive" works very well with the windscreen. We're beginners and have spent a lot of money on the L1, will think about effects later on. Thanks for all your suggestions!

The thing about reverb is what may be great in you practice space or a regular venue, could really sound bad in a different room.

If you are a set it and forget it kind of guy, like I am, this is a problem.

You should remember, all reverb is really trying to emulate, is bounce back off the walls, to the singer.

Without exception, in all indoor clubs I've found all I had to do to get a, "reverb," sound I liked was turn up the vocal on the L1.

The only time, I would have liked a reverb unit was the few times we played outside, and thus had very little bounce back. Vocal still sounded good, but it did not have the bounceback ring.

Now, we are a rock/metal band, so we are expected to be a little on the loud side. So, I'm allowed to turn up loud enough to hear the bounceback. If you are lighter type of entertainment, you may have to get an effects unit like the t1.

But, be aware that you will have to learn the settings and what they do and mean, so that you can adjust them to the room you are currently in. It will no sound the same in different rooms.

A room will reverate even a little, so keep in mind your effect will be on top of the natural room reverb.

The worst live sound mistake I see is singers or soundmen pouring on the reverb. They think it makes the vocal sound better. All it makes it sound like is unintelligible, echoey, mush. Lots of reverb makes the singer sound like they are in a long tunnel, you are lucky if you can make out anytying they sing.

The more reverb you put on, the more the vocal goes into the background.

A lot of karaoke singers get drenched in reverb. I'm thinking this is probably because it mushes the sound up a bit, being kinder to vocalists who might stray from the pitchful path?