Recording voice dynamics between verse + chorus

[mmm guitar]

Hi,

Maybe a bit of a noob question, but I'm going to record a simple cover
of a nirvana song tomorrow (something in the way) but I am unsure how
to record the voice and wandering if anyone could give me some advice.

The problem I forsee is the verse is quiet and mumbled and the chorus
has a bit more umph / volume to it.

I'm thinking its best to set the gain on the microphone preamp for the
chorus use it at that level for the whole song. I.e. my verses come
out a little quite but I imagine it would be ok.

Or the alternative would be setting the correct gain for verse record
that, then setup the gain for the chorus record that (or nudge up the
gain through takes). Then adjust the relative volumes / dynamics
between the sections in the mix?

What I'm confused / concerned about is I noticed things recorded with
a bunt of gain (not clipping but getting it up at least 3/4 up the vu
meter) they tend to sound more fuller / better then if I record with
it maxing out 1/2 way down the meter and bump up the volume in the
mix... is that normal?

Would appreciate any help, thanks!

[Peter Larsen[_3_]]

mmm guitar wrote:

> Hi,

> Maybe a bit of a noob question, but I'm going to record a simple cover
> of a nirvana song tomorrow (something in the way) but I am unsure how
> to record the voice and wandering if anyone could give me some advice.

> The problem I forsee is the verse is quiet and mumbled and the chorus
> has a bit more umph / volume to it.

Use two mics, quite possibly two different mics, one close and one "far
away", ie. at 14 inches or so. Put up a pair for ambience at more that 6
feet, preferably above head height, it may come in handy for adding verb to.

> What I'm confused / concerned about is I noticed things recorded with
> a bunt of gain (not clipping but getting it up at least 3/4 up the vu
> meter) they tend to sound more fuller / better then if I record with
> it maxing out 1/2 way down the meter and bump up the volume in the
> mix... is that normal?

You have told us nothing about your equipment and ask a howcome?? ..

> Would appreciate any help, thanks!

Kind regards

Peter Larsen

[Mike Rivers]

On 7/2/2011 7:32 PM, mmm guitar wrote:

> The problem I forsee is the verse is quiet and mumbled and the chorus
> has a bit more umph / volume to it.
>
> I'm thinking its best to set the gain on the microphone preamp for the
> chorus use it at that level for the whole song. I.e. my verses come
> out a little quite but I imagine it would be ok.

You can always adjust the levels after you record it. If
you're going to record the verse and chorus in a single
pass, however, you need to set the gain so that it won't
overload on the loudest parts.

> What I'm confused / concerned about is I noticed things recorded with
> a bunt of gain (not clipping but getting it up at least 3/4 up the vu
> meter) they tend to sound more fuller / better then if I record with
> it maxing out 1/2 way down the meter and bump up the volume in the
> mix... is that normal?

Yes. Everything sounds better/fuller when it's louder, and
that's what you're hearing. You can make something that's
quiet sound louder by using compression, but you'll need to
experiment to see what makes it sound the way you want it to
sound.

It's called "engineering" or "mixing" or "producing" or
anything you want to call it but just "recording and see
what comes out."


--
"Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be
operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although
it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge
of audio." - John Watkinson

http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and
interesting audio stuff

[hank alrich]

mmm guitar > wrote:

> The problem I forsee is the verse is quiet and mumbled and the chorus
> has a bit more umph / volume to it.

Your plan is to copy the original? Consider bringing your own view to
it.

--
shut up and play your guitar * http://hankalrich.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpqXcV9DYAc
http://www.sonicbids.com/HankandShaidri

[mmm guitar]

On Jul 3, 12:32*am, mmm guitar > wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Maybe a bit of a noob question, but I'm going to record a simple cover
> of a nirvana song tomorrow (something in the way) *but I am unsure how
> to record the voice and wandering if anyone could give me some advice.
>
> The problem I forsee is the verse is quiet and mumbled and the chorus
> has a bit more umph / volume to it.
>
> I'm thinking its best to set the gain on the microphone preamp for the
> chorus use it at that level for the whole song. *I.e. my verses come
> out a little quite but I imagine it would be ok.
>
> Or the alternative would be setting the correct gain for verse record
> that, then setup the gain for the chorus record that (or nudge up the
> gain through takes). Then adjust the relative volumes / dynamics
> between the sections in the mix?
>
> What I'm confused / concerned about is I noticed things recorded with
> a bunt of gain (not clipping but getting it up at least 3/4 up the vu
> meter) they tend to sound more fuller / better then if I record with
> it maxing out 1/2 way down the meter and bump up the volume in the
> mix... is that normal?
>
> Would appreciate any help, thanks!

Thanks for all your help. Unfortunately couldn't do anything today,
for some reason my installation of sonar managed to eat itself up and
make it so that whenever I add in a synth no midi notes below 60
velocity sound and anything above sounds quite, its a bit half all or
nothing. Okld projects work fine, but if I add a second new synth in
then the new one fails as above :/

Think something in the registry or some random double install of the
synths or something is screwing it up, gonna have to reinstall
windows, again... :/

sigh.

[mmm guitar]

On Jul 3, 4:28*pm, (hank alrich) wrote:
> mmm guitar > wrote:
> > The problem I forsee is the verse is quiet and mumbled and the chorus
> > has a bit more umph / volume to it.
>
> Your plan is to copy the original? Consider bringing your own view to
> it.
>
> --
> shut up and play your guitar *http://hankalrich.com/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpqXcV9DYAchttp://www.sonicbids.com/HankandShaidri

nah, doing odd things with the music to take it to different places
(piano and whatnots). But I dont see what much can be done with the
vocals. Not switching genres into country or a rock version, so its
going to be a similar depressing / dissonant feel (but probably
more...), so cant really do much without loosing sense of the song or
fiddling with the lyrics. I dunno, I'll get my music / backing and
record it with my voice, then play with it / my voice to see if I can
take it anywhere else.

Definitely not gonna be banging it out on the guitar doing my best KC
impression.