[Arthur Rhodes]

I wrote a song that is intended to be sung by one person, but
alternately giving voice to opposing sides of their personality
-- let's just say the optimist and the pessimist. So each section
is sung either by the optimist or the pessimist, but it's actually
the same person. I want to distinguish the sections by vocal style
as well as how the vocal track is processed. Now, I'm a complete
novice at recording and editing audio, so I'm looking for advice
on how to achieve the effect I'm looking for.

The optimist should sound resonant, present, confident, etc. The
pessimist should sound thinner, somewhat distant, a little off
color, etc. I know very little about processing sound, so any advice,
however basic, would be appreciated.

For the optimist, I'm thinking of using some kind of reverb, and EQ
to enhance the mid frequency range. My software has more than half a
dozen different kinds of reverb, not even counting parameter settings,
so I'm not even clear on that.

For the pessimist, I'm thinking of using flange, with little or no
reverb.

I have a PreSonus TubePre preamp. It has adjustable gain and drive
controls. This preamp adds a distinct "warm" coloration to the sound.

I have two mics. One is a Shure SM57. The other is an Audio Technica
Pro 4L. I might be picking up an Octava MK-319. Any suggestions on
how the use of the mic and preamp might fit in?

[Laurence Payne]

On Wed, 30 May 2007 01:16:23 -0600, Arthur Rhodes
wrote:

I wrote a song that is intended to be sung by one person, but
alternately giving voice to opposing sides of their personality
-- let's just say the optimist and the pessimist. So each section
is sung either by the optimist or the pessimist, but it's actually
the same person. I want to distinguish the sections by vocal style
as well as how the vocal track is processed. Now, I'm a complete
novice at recording and editing audio, so I'm looking for advice
on how to achieve the effect I'm looking for.

I think this is about performance, not about processing.

[Meindert Sprang]

"Arthur Rhodes" wrote in message
. ..
I wrote a song that is intended to be sung by one person, but
alternately giving voice to opposing sides of their personality
-- let's just say the optimist and the pessimist. So each section
is sung either by the optimist or the pessimist, but it's actually
the same person. I want to distinguish the sections by vocal style
as well as how the vocal track is processed. Now, I'm a complete
novice at recording and editing audio, so I'm looking for advice
on how to achieve the effect I'm looking for.

The optimist should sound resonant, present, confident, etc. The
pessimist should sound thinner, somewhat distant, a little off
color, etc. I know very little about processing sound, so any advice,
however basic, would be appreciated.

I would start with asking the singer to change his voice and attitude when
singing both parts. Sort of a Dave Gilmour style for the optimist, a solid
and warm voice and sort of a Roger Waters style for the pessimist; a thin
scratchy voice, singing a bit out of key....

Meindert

[Nova Music Productions]

"Arthur Rhodes" wrote in message
. ..
I wrote a song that is intended to be sung by one person, but
alternately giving voice to opposing sides of their personality
-- let's just say the optimist and the pessimist. So each section
is sung either by the optimist or the pessimist, but it's actually
the same person. I want to distinguish the sections by vocal style
as well as how the vocal track is processed. Now, I'm a complete
novice at recording and editing audio, so I'm looking for advice
on how to achieve the effect I'm looking for.

The optimist should sound resonant, present, confident, etc. The
pessimist should sound thinner, somewhat distant, a little off
color, etc. I know very little about processing sound, so any advice,
however basic, would be appreciated.

For the optimist, I'm thinking of using some kind of reverb, and EQ
to enhance the mid frequency range. My software has more than half a
dozen different kinds of reverb, not even counting parameter settings,
so I'm not even clear on that.

For the pessimist, I'm thinking of using flange, with little or no
reverb.

I have a PreSonus TubePre preamp. It has adjustable gain and drive
controls. This preamp adds a distinct "warm" coloration to the sound.

I have two mics. One is a Shure SM57. The other is an Audio Technica
Pro 4L. I might be picking up an Octava MK-319. Any suggestions on
how the use of the mic and preamp might fit in?

Listen to Cat Stevens' "Father and Son". It's not in the technology, it's
written into the song and the voice.

Mikey Wozniak
Nova Music Productions
this sig is haiku

[YourHomeStudioDotCom]

On May 30, 2:57 am, Laurence Payne lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom
wrote:
On Wed, 30 May 2007 01:16:23 -0600, Arthur Rhodes
wrote:

I wrote a song that is intended to be sung by one person, but
alternately giving voice to opposing sides of their personality
-- let's just say the optimist and the pessimist. So each section
is sung either by the optimist or the pessimist, but it's actually
the same person. I want to distinguish the sections by vocal style
as well as how the vocal track is processed. Now, I'm a complete
novice at recording and editing audio, so I'm looking for advice
on how to achieve the effect I'm looking for.

I think this is about performance, not about processing.

Not entirely. The optimist voice could be more in front with typical
vocal processing (compression, eq, reverb) while the pessimist could
be pushed a bit further back in the mix maybe even panned a little
right or left of center and eq's with very little bottom and a lot of
reverb.

Thomas
www.yourhomestudio.com

Free Home Studio Newsletter -

[Laurence Payne]

On 31 May 2007 05:29:59 -0700, YourHomeStudioDotCom
wrote:

I think this is about performance, not about processing.

Not entirely. The optimist voice could be more in front with typical
vocal processing (compression, eq, reverb) while the pessimist could
be pushed a bit further back in the mix maybe even panned a little
right or left of center and eq's with very little bottom and a lot of
reverb.

Indeed. This would put them in different spaces, which may be what
you want. Certainly panning them differently is a given, hardly worth
mentioning. But it won't add optimism or pessimism to the
performances.

[Scott Dorsey]

Laurence Payne lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote:
On 31 May 2007 05:29:59 -0700, YourHomeStudioDotCom
wrote:

I think this is about performance, not about processing.

Not entirely. The optimist voice could be more in front with typical
vocal processing (compression, eq, reverb) while the pessimist could
be pushed a bit further back in the mix maybe even panned a little
right or left of center and eq's with very little bottom and a lot of
reverb.

Indeed. This would put them in different spaces, which may be what
you want. Certainly panning them differently is a given, hardly worth
mentioning. But it won't add optimism or pessimism to the
performances.

The optimist's voice would be artificially bright, with a pumped-up
presence boost. The pessimist's voice would be recorded from some distance
in a bright room so he sounds a little like he's at the bottom of a well?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."