Sugarite wrote:

Last I checked, evoking supernatural voices wasn't part of the job
description... stick to what works.

In this lifetime I have found that BGV's work out much better when _not_
tracked individually, but recorded ensemble. Nothing the computer will
do can replace what happens _in the air_ when voices are allowed to
blend in a natural way. This happens to be the _natural_ activity, and
the poster was wanting advice on recording vocals. Some folks have their
heads so far up their computers they don't have their ears in the room
where the people are _singing_.

--
ha

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 07:15:00 GMT, (hank alrich)
wrote:

In this lifetime I have found that BGV's work out much better when _not_
tracked individually, but recorded ensemble. Nothing the computer will
do can replace what happens _in the air_ when voices are allowed to
blend in a natural way. This happens to be the _natural_ activity, and
the poster was wanting advice on recording vocals. Some folks have their
heads so far up their computers they don't have their ears in the room
where the people are _singing_.


What do the singers say? Do they prefer to have a mic each, monitor
the mix through cans? Or do they prefer to make an "acoustic" mix,
monitoring just the backing track with "one ear off"? Or a
combination of the two? Your prime consideration is getting the
optimum performance out of them. Then think where you want to stick
the microphones to capture it.

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect

Laurence Payne wrote:

What do the singers say?

If they knew this question wouldn't have come up. And in many
professional situations the producer will determine how this will be
done so that the final effect fits nicely into somebody's vision of the
final product. Singers I work with are happy to approach it anyway I ask
them to.

A problem often in less experienced situations is that nobody has a
vision of a final product. Another problem can be having the session
player direct the engineering. If it's Ry Cooder then it could make
sense to hear out his idea of tarcking himself. If it's one of my local
yokels that could lead to disaster.

--
ha

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 16:27:29 GMT, (hank alrich)
wrote:

What do the singers say?

If they knew this question wouldn't have come up. And in many
professional situations the producer will determine how this will be
done so that the final effect fits nicely into somebody's vision of the
final product. Singers I work with are happy to approach it anyway I ask
them to.

A problem often in less experienced situations is that nobody has a
vision of a final product. Another problem can be having the session
player direct the engineering. If it's Ry Cooder then it could make
sense to hear out his idea of tarcking himself. If it's one of my local
yokels that could lead to disaster.


"Usually I like to track one singer at a time or mic individually but
this group wants to sing together in the same room"

Sounds like they have at least some idea of what they want to do
artistically.

I often wonder, was it a musician or a recording engineer who first
thought it would be better to track voices or instruments separately?
Good musicians can develop techniques that make music from this highly
un-musical situation. Lesser ones get into terrible problems.
Needing rescue by the bloody engineers who suggested working this way
in the first place ;-)

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect

This is what one singer says:
After doing 1000's of sessions, I can't remember more than 1 mic for group
3.
I find when doing backs, keep one can off, so you can HEAR the other
singers, and blend.
With solos I keep both cans on.

Tom


"Laurence Payne" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 07:15:00 GMT, (hank alrich)
wrote:

In this lifetime I have found that BGV's work out much better when _not_
tracked individually, but recorded ensemble. Nothing the computer will
do can replace what happens _in the air_ when voices are allowed to
blend in a natural way. This happens to be the _natural_ activity, and
the poster was wanting advice on recording vocals. Some folks have their
heads so far up their computers they don't have their ears in the room
where the people are _singing_.


What do the singers say? Do they prefer to have a mic each, monitor
the mix through cans? Or do they prefer to make an "acoustic" mix,
monitoring just the backing track with "one ear off"? Or a
combination of the two? Your prime consideration is getting the
optimum performance out of them. Then think where you want to stick
the microphones to capture it.

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect