Vocals sound like ****te

JonnyG92

New member
Do I HAVE to buy a mic? I was REALLY hoping my PS3 webcam would hold up better than what I'm hearing in REAPER. :(
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

Maybe i should've elaborated...
Okay, I've been using REAPER and POD Farm 1 to record some tracks. The Line 6 does a great job to show off how sloppy my playing is, so no complaints.
However, I have my PS3 webcam/mic set up because I'm a cheapskate and don't feel like buying a Shure just yet. I run the Webcam through REAPER and when I record, it seems as though the webcam sucks out all of the actual singing and makes it sound like I'm talking.
I hope I'm not in denial and actually DO suck eggs, but who knows, I could be shiitake and not know it.
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

Those little webcam mics aren't exactly geared toward making music. However, you don't HAVE to buy a mic. You just have to change your style. Like so:

1. Go instrumental. This means writing an assload of melodies that you can play that are interesting without words.

or

2. Imitate the Strokes and call the vocal sound an effect.
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

Why recordings sound like **** using a built-in mini computer mic? The question answers itself. I'd search Craig's List for a basic Shure 57 or 58 mic.
 
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Re: Vocals sound like ****te

you can get sm57s for around 75 or less on Craigslist/kijiji.

FWIW, the 57 can do almost anything. It's not a vocal mic, but you could use it as one.
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

SM57's and 58's recommended here from me.

We use them at our practice space and we had them at our former college, really good robust bits of kit.

I may also recommend Fender mic, if you can find the right one, we had one at college and MAN that was LOUD and very clear, extremely good (which did surprise all of us)
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

SM 57 is not a vocal mike...

...is a big-time misconception. It is one of the best all-around workhorse vocal mikes made, especially for the price. Shure list vocals as one of it's primary uses in their own instructions. I do live sound, and I highly prefer them to 58's, as they reduce feedback and help keep the mix clean. But 58's are good because most singers don't know how to sing within the ideal pickup pattern of the 57, or at least don't know how to stay there throughout a set. You can just kind of sing anywhere within a reasonable range/angle to the 58 and you will get a decent-sounding signal. Move off from a 57 or sing into it at a funky angle and the tone gets bad and the volume gets quiet. Additionally, you can easily fine tune the EQ of a 57 by changing your distance from it. Not so much with a 58.
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

If simple and cheap is the name of the game, get the BLUE SNOWBALL



It's a large diaphragm (full bass response) condenser (fast transient response, warm, full tone) microphone that is its own interface, and connects to your computer directly via USB.

I recorded these 2 songs using only the BLUE SNOWBALL and Reaper. I'm not a great mixer, and my buddy Kyle is not the best singer, but this gives you an idea of what you can do in your basement with nothing but a $99 microphone.

http://soundcloud.com/hunterjsmith/chicken-fried-9

http://soundcloud.com/hunterjsmith/toes-7
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

SM 57 is not a vocal mike...

...is a big-time misconception. It is one of the best all-around workhorse vocal mikes made, especially for the price. Shure list vocals as one of it's primary uses in their own instructions. I do live sound, and I highly prefer them to 58's, as they reduce feedback and help keep the mix clean. But 58's are good because most singers don't know how to sing within the ideal pickup pattern of the 57, or at least don't know how to stay there throughout a set. You can just kind of sing anywhere within a reasonable range/angle to the 58 and you will get a decent-sounding signal. Move off from a 57 or sing into it at a funky angle and the tone gets bad and the volume gets quiet. Additionally, you can easily fine tune the EQ of a 57 by changing your distance from it. Not so much with a 58.

and what you just described has just illustrated that it is a better mike for vocals and it also means singers have more control over their voice by using a 57.

have a look round, plenty of people use 57's as vocal mikes we used 57's as our mainstay mics in the band that I had whilst at college, and it sounded alright with a crap singer, even she picked up a bit after learning how to use a 57 properly.

Man, just buy a 57 you won't regret it.
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

If simple and cheap is the name of the game, get the BLUE SNOWBALL



It's a large diaphragm (full bass response) condenser (fast transient response, warm, full tone) microphone that is its own interface, and connects to your computer directly via USB.

I recorded these 2 songs using only the BLUE SNOWBALL and Reaper. I'm not a great mixer, and my buddy Kyle is not the best singer, but this gives you an idea of what you can do in your basement with nothing but a $99 microphone.

http://soundcloud.com/hunterjsmith/chicken-fried-9

http://soundcloud.com/hunterjsmith/toes-7

I got mine for about sixty bucks or so on amazon. Best sixty bucks I've ever spent, by far.
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

If you are recording, look into a simple USB mic like either the Blue that was already listed or maybe an Audio Technica condensor. They sound good and plug right into the computer.
 
Re: Vocals sound like ****te

Uh.... Won't he need a preamp also?

Not with the USB microphones.

If you get a regular microphone (XLR), you will need a mic preamp.

In these modern times, most computer audio interfaces (CAI) have a preamp built in, so your preamp is your CAI and your CAI is your preamp.

Cliff's: Snowball = plug it in and you're recording
SM58 = plug it in to a preamp and CAI, and you're recording
 
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