Double sampling vocals

[Drew77]

Hey everyone, I am wondering about double sampling vocals, since I don't really have a great or interesting voice. I have been playing around with it, but was wondering if there is anyone here who like like to lend their experience.

It seems to be working but I am not sure if there are some other things I should be doing, some of the time it still sounds like two separate singers, and I am trying to get it to sound like one voice, so if anyone has tips on this specifically I would really appreciate it.

Any other general tips you could give me on recording vocals would be great. I have a few sm58s but I have been mostly using the microphone in my mac book pro cause it actually sounds pretty good.

I will post what I am working on real soon but I'm not quite done. I'm gonna get the vocals as far along as I can and then maybe someone get me a little further with advice. But anything anyone could tell me about double sampling and vocal recording would be great.

[Dr_simon]

You might want to try using a large diaphragm condenser mic as opposed to the good old SM58. You can even get these as USB mics for about 100 bucks. They will help a lot. The '58 is a great live mic however it is not as sensitive as an LDC.

If you are going down the double tracking road, be very careful of the ends of words. Try experimenting with not pronouncing "P" or "S" sounds as these help define where words start and stop. This gives you a little more wiggle room in terms of recording an exact second copy.

Another thing to try is cutting and pasting the original vocal track into a second track. Having done this try adding plugin type effects to the second track and play it back along with the original and see if it helps.

Good luck !

[Shameless Dawg]

This post caught my eye. Another thing to consider is EQ. Try making each VOC trak opposite (i.e. V1=+4@5 KHz and V2= -4 @5 KHz.). You might even want to keep one trak flat and EQ the other. Just try not to over do it.
Heck, EQ --and subtle comp--may bring out what you feel is lacking in your recorded vocs. NOTE: I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes their own recorded voice.

[looneytunes]

I really don't know what you are trying to accomplish. Are you trying do like Buddy Holly did with "Words of Love"? If you have a good condenser mic with spit shield and add little reverb, you should be able to do a real good vocal.

I have recorded vocals on three separate tracks with me harmonizing with myself. It sounds like 3 different people. It sounds like something from "Oh, Brother Where Areth Thou". But you are wanting to "Overdub" to make it sound like one person with a better voice?

I'm afraid I can't help, but I thank you for stirring my curiousity.

[Drew77]

Thanks Shameless, I do EQ, but haven't considered the opposites thing, that seems like an interesting idea.

Looney:

Yeah it is a fairly common recording technique as far as I know. I think Lennon did it almost all the time, and many others. It doesn't necessarily make your voice better but it seems to add depth and body to my vocals. A better mic might make it not necessary but I don't have one. It just sounds different.

[belairhotrod]

This post caught my eye. Another thing to consider is EQ. Try making each VOC trak opposite (i.e. V1=+4@5 KHz and V2= -4 @5 KHz.). You might even want to keep one trak flat and EQ the other. Just try not to over do it.
Heck, EQ --and subtle comp--may bring out what you feel is lacking in your recorded vocs. NOTE: I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes their own recorded voice.

I'm using COLL EDIT PRO are you familiar eith this program? if so how do I access the EQ? thanks i like the idea you gave and want to try this out.
Thanks

[Kevin Taylor]

One thing you're gonna need for sure is a compressor/limiter
A little compression during recording to get as hot a signal down as possible. Then as much of each as necessary to keep the volume levels above the music during soft passages and to stop it from clipping during the loud.

A pop filter in front of your mic is another thing you'll need and you should read up on vocal placement or see if there's suggestions for the particular mic you're using.

Last but not least, a De-Esser on your vocals after you've finished EQing and compressing them to cut down on the extra sibilance that always happens.

For double vocals, if you have the processing power and the capabilities built into your audio software. You can try recording each vocal at a different speed.
Start by time stretching a copy of your original recording slower by a very slight bit.
Record your vocal at the slower speed.
Then time stretch the vocal track back to regular speed and paste it back into your original recording.
Put this beside the other vocal recorded in your normal voice and you'll get a difference in vocal characteristics between the two tracks.

[belairhotrod]

This post caught my eye. Another thing to consider is EQ. Try making each VOC trak opposite (i.e. V1=+4@5 KHz and V2= -4 @5 KHz.). You might even want to keep one trak flat and EQ the other. Just try not to over do it.
Heck, EQ --and subtle comp--may bring out what you feel is lacking in your recorded vocs. NOTE: I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes their own recorded voice.

Shameless dawg, how can I take something in say track two and copy / paste it to track 3 to leave it flat and the effects on the other? can it even be done? using Mxl condensor usb and cep2.
thanks

[belairhotrod]

One thing you're gonna need for sure is a compressor/limiter
A little compression during recording to get as hot a signal down as possible. Then as much of each as necessary to keep the volume levels above the music during soft passages and to stop it from clipping during the loud.

A pop filter in front of your mic is another thing you'll need and you should read up on vocal placement or see if there's suggestions for the particular mic you're using.

Last but not least, a De-Esser on your vocals after you've finished EQing and compressing them to cut down on the extra sibilance that always happens.

For double vocals, if you have the processing power and the capabilities built into your audio software. You can try recording each vocal at a different speed.
Start by time stretching a copy of your original recording slower by a very slight bit.
Record your vocal at the slower speed.
Then time stretch the vocal track back to regular speed and paste it back into your original recording.
Put this beside the other vocal recorded in your normal voice and you'll get a difference in vocal characteristics between the two tracks.

Kevin i'm using cep2 with a mxl usb mic, how do i add compression and access the EQ? im recording a rock song (if that matters) thanks

[Kevin Taylor]

Kevin i'm using cep2 with a mxl usb mic, how do i add compression and access the EQ? im recording a rock song (if that matters) thanks

Wish I could help more but I'm totally unfamiliar with CE2, so I don't have a clue how to actually access the features if it has them.

In Cubase they're accessed through the mixer or using VST Plug-ins.
You basically just add a compressor plug-in to a mixer channel or use the built in EQ.

[Jason Bodson]

Kevin - very cool idea with the time stretch. I might try that.

I'm no recording expert but something we've been doing on our recordings is making 4 copies of the vocal track, 2 panned slight L/R & 2 hard L/R. leaving one dry and putting a different effect (reverb/delay/chorus) on each of the others instead of a bunch of effects on one track. Seems to give a nice sound.

[donny44]

Try some fattening on 1 track alone. Any less than a 30ms delay should thicken it a bit for you.