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Thread: recording/mixing techniques for MC's

  1. #16

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    oh yeah, that was explained to me before. i just cant hear it. i turn that button and it sounds the same. im determined to figure this shit out though. i like making the crap sound tight.

  2. #17
    Fuck The Law. H.Notik's Avatar
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    for those who rock with CE

    ::IMPORTANT:: Make sure yor beat don't start until 5 second's after you hit the record button
    this is letting the microphone pick up everything because even if your wearing headphones the mic
    picks up the beat and when it does that it interfers with the noise reduction and if u don't let
    the mic pick up atleast five seconds of nothing and u try running a noise reduction your vocals
    at the begining and some parts throughout will make you sound computerized.....

    ::IMPORTANT:: Spit like 1 1/2 feet away from the mic. it'll pick up what your saying i got a pop
    filter and a windscreen on my mic but it adds that extra touch you get no pops on your p's etc.
    it just gives nice clarity...if you don't spit 2 feet away from your mic start with step 4....But
    i'll tell you it gives it a more professional sound.....

    after this your ready to record after u spit your verse follow these steps.....

    ---------------------------------

    1.) Make Sure your Eq's are set correct to find your eq's their in the multi-track view look
    directly above where it say track 1 you'll see vol|eq| bus click on eq and insert this preset.

    H +4.0
    M -2.4
    L -3.8 <for high pitch vocals like myself> +3.3 <for low pitch vocals>

    ---------------------------------

    2.) Effects->Amplitude->Normalize

    and just Normalize to 65%

    ---------------------------------

    3.) Highlight those 5 seconds u didn't spit and the beat wasn't playing now go to:

    Effects->Noise Reduction->Noise Reduction

    Set the Noise Reduction Level to 97% and reduce by 40 dB then click "Get Profile From Selection."
    After that is done, click "Close" and now highlight the whole waveform you are editing and go
    again

    Effects->Noise Reduction->Noise Reduction

    and just click o.k

    ---------------------------------

    4.) Edit->convert sample type

    Select "Stereo 32 Bit"

    ---------------------------------

    5.) Effects->Filters->parametric Equalizer

    see http://www.angelfire.com/creep/salvdorchosen/studio.jpg to know how to set it up

    THEN ADD PRESET

    ---------------------------------

    6.) Effects->Noise Reduction->Click/Pop Eliminator."

    Select "Constant Hiss and Crackle" THEN CLICK "Auto Find Levels"

    ---------------------------------

    7.) Effects>Filters>Graphic Equalizer

    see http://www.angelfire.com/creep/salvdorchosen/master.jpg to know how it's setup and remember
    it doesn't show all the db's in the picture so here's how it goes....

    1st bar: band 31 hz, 1.86 db
    2nd bar: band 62.5 hz, gain 1.03db
    3rd bar: band 125 hz, gain 1.45db
    4th bar: band 250 hz, gain .62 db
    5th bar: band 500 hz, gain .62 db
    6th bar: band 1000 hz, gain .62 db
    7th bar: band 2000 hz, gain 3.1 db
    8th bar: band 4000 hz, gain 1.03 db
    9th bar: band 8000 hz, gain 0 db
    10th bar: band 16 Hz up, gain 2.28 db

    THEN ADD PRESET

    ---------------------------------

    8.) Effects->Amplitude->Pan Expand

    Select "Master Width"

    ---------------------------------

    9.) Effects->Amplitude->Dynamics Processing

    Select "4:1,-24,Very Fast Attack" BUT DON"T CLICK O.K YET first click on the "TRADITIONAL" tab
    then look to where it says threshold..underneath it you'll see -24 dB change that to -10 dB

    THEN ADD PRESET

    ---------------------------------

    10.) Effects->Amplitude->Dynamics Processing

    Select "2:1,-20 Fast Drums"

    ---------------------------------


    11.) Effects->Delay Effects->Reverb

    choose "tight and close" and the first Horizontal bar on the top should say 700 ms change that to
    230 ms

    THEN ADD PRESET

    ---------------------------------

    12.) Run silence on un-necassary parts to do this highlight the part you want to silence right
    click and scroll down to silence...now afetr that just listen to your song and make sure your
    feeling every aspect of it when you think it's complete now your ready to save....

    ---------------------------------

    ::NOTE::If you DON'T upload your Songs to the Internet and your satisfied with your song Just go
    to File->Save Mixdown As...And then read below (Save Mix Down* this style for C.D Quality) and
    if you do upload your songs read along....(the reason you want two copies of your song is one
    song saved to c.d quality is for you to put on a c.d for your personal enjoyment and the second
    song is to save as tape quality for internet enjoyment)



    13.)you will want to mixdown the whole song when it's
    done do this in the multitrack view all you do is highlight everything beat, vocals, etc.
    then go to and empty track that doesn't have nothing in it right click on it then go to "Mix down
    to track (BOUNCE)" then choose All Waves after it mixes it down right click on the mixdown you
    just did then go to Loop Dupiclate and loop it just once then after that go to that loop and
    right click on it then go to Convert To Unique Copy after that go to the box that has all your
    files in it you should see "Mix Down*" "and also "Mix Down (2)*" those should be your song now
    just got right click on "Mix Down*" and then choose to close file then it'll ask you if you want
    to remove it from the multitrack click yes then it'll ask you if you want to save it click yes


    ------------------------(Save Mix Down* this style for C.D Quality)------------------------------

    BEFORE YOU CLICK SAVE click the option button look at the mp3 pro logo above it should have a box
    that say convert to Mono look on top of that you'll see to the right an arrow facing down click
    on it and scroll down the list and choose 256kbps,44100 Hz,Stereo 5.5:1 (Add this preset to
    ***C.D Quality***) then click o.k and then after that save your song

    Caught up with the sky
    Shot at God.


  3. #18

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    what is CE? some of those tips could be used with other situations...

  4. #19
    Winter is Coming THE MASON's Avatar
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    CE is Cool Edit i believe

  5. #20

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    ah... damn, angelfire links... lol

  6. #21
    Fuck The Law. H.Notik's Avatar
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    cool edit/acid pro

    i typed up this tutorial alooong time ago.

    you dont need the links there just for reference..

    Caught up with the sky
    Shot at God.


  7. #22

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    ive seen it before...

  8. #23
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    yea we threw it around on rapmusic.com...

    it's a mix of my...phase one's and salvdor's techniques.

    Caught up with the sky
    Shot at God.


  9. #24

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    thats nice stuff. real thorough. now someone needs to write up one for pro tools recorded in an untreated room. then ill be good...

  10. #25
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    I'm fixing to get cool edit. big up to all yall posting up good tips.Im having a hard time sounding the right way.A really hard time. Im like the dopest song ever coming out of a broken alarm clock speaker.Thats what my sound is like and its not a good look. I want grit but not like that..


    like that shit Bronze said bout not over compressing ... yeah.I'm just learning this shit.shit takes years....

  11. #26
    DSR REAPER CREW Caper's Avatar
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    good techniques

  12. #27

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    I agree with pretty much everything Bronze Feet said dealing with mixing. Mixing as a whole is an art in itself & to say (dealing with compressor parameters)ya I want a 2.1 ratio with a 20 ms attack & a 200 ms release just doesn't really fly as a like a set list of parameters. The best audio engineers in the world will say the same shit to you. It's all by ear but knowing what each of those parameters means helps you distinguish the problems alot faster making you job easier. I start with a an EQ & put a lo cut from anywhere from 40-80 Hz using 40 as a starting point to eliminate & unwanted noise like low rumble in the room & this helps to clear vocals up. Then I'll just go through the frequency range & notch out any unwanted frequncies that tend to be annoying to hear. To do this just tighten the Q (bandwidth) on one of the bands & bring the volume up all the way, then just literally sweep through the frequency ranges slowly (keyword slowly) till you hear something you don't like. So say you hear something at 500-750 hZ...just bring the band down (usually like 1-6 dB depending on how unnecessary this may be) nd widen the Q. I never boost any frequencies really. It's all about subtractive EQ work but BE CAREFUL. You can fuck a whole mix up just by overdoing it with the EQ. So do this wisely.

    Next I usually compress the vocals to help bring the dynamic of the vocal to an average level so they are not to harsh. I can't even tell you a list of parameters cuz everyone's voice is different (same goes with on a different microphone, room, etc...it's ALWAYS different)

    Next of the vocals seem dry & unreasonable I will use another EQ & boost some frequencies. Yet again don't overdo it. Just use the EQ with class for textural purposes.*

    De-Essing = Bitch. Bastard.
    I usually automate level changes for parts where those S's & sibilance really are audible. Another method to help, is to do the "notching" technique I explained above. This will help see where the sibilance is in your voice. Sweep through, & subtract. This you can drop to a point as long as you don't start to hear a slurrrr in your vox. Hence why I am straying away from using a e-Esser because they aren't fully reliable & tend to take away from the vocals & make them unintelligible. Don't De-Ess if you don't need to!!

    Reverb. Always use sends to send to any time based effect. Send it PRE-fader to if you can. This helps to send a copy of the signal making it seem more full than shallow. For the most part (as Bronze Feet said), people tend to overdo the whole reverb nonsense but with Hip-Hop, the vocalist is going at a faster rate compared to a rock/r&b singer where there are wider margins for a fuller sound to be necessary. I would say use a reverb very very very minimally.

    Delays. Use your sends to use a delay on your vox. I would say delays in especially hip hop sound better on vox rather than reverbs. Not like an outstanding delay where it muddys up you vocals but give this delay time on your vox a shot.*
    180-220 ms....don't sync the delay with the beat. Just use the BASIC delay manually so you can be precise in this scenario.*

    Those are just the basics but honestly...as I said & I would say it a million times, there is NO SET STANDARD! Everyone mixes different. This was just a basis so you can try to work out what works best for you. Digg?

    But as far as for the other things (mic, room, etc), it doesn't matter haha. I've used an SM57 in a basement & did the best I could with it & made it sound decent. You don't need fancy ass shit with technology these days. *Im not saying make a shitty recording, then fix it in the mix, but just do the best you can with any given scenario. The only thing I will say is preamps on vocals sound awesome (ISA-One is my personal preference).*

    But ya that's just a quick basis on something that may or may not help you. I hope it did haha, but besides that if you have any more questions that I can answer I'd be more than happy to. Peace*

  13. #28

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    As for like DAWs and stuff I use ProTools to record/mix & ableton live to produce. If you are using an MPC, then I recommend pro tools cuz the audio engine is unbeatable in my opinion, but I have seen some motherfuckers record some awesome stuff in GarageBand. Yet again, it's all personal preference & that comfortability to maneuver your way around each DAW quickly & efficiently is the main aspect of anything. Try some different stuff out & if your happy with sound your getting than stick to it cuz when you get someone in the lab & they say they want 4 vocal tracks (1 main, 1 double, 2 ad lib tracks panned slightly left & right for a distant fullness for the vocals), you gotta go in & get things done quickly & efficiently cuz you make yourself look better in the long run. Basic templates are good for stuff like this cuz you can set up different set ups for different scenarios so when you go into whatever program you may use you don't have to fumble around trying to get everything set, it's just one click away.*

    Another thing I forgot to mention before is that when you already have your vocals recorded & are ready to mix take your doubles track and go through piece by piece & line the waveforms up with the main vocals. This helps keep a tight, strong vocal presence in your mix.

  14. #29

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    great contribution. thanks

  15. #30
    PRODIGAL SUN
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    I'm using a RODE NT2-A Mic, with a filter in front. Before i record my vocals i practice how loud im going to be for the song and make sure my vocals dont go above 4 on the panel. Using a compressor/limiter helps a lot too. Mixing for my machine(an archiac Roland VS-1824) the vocals may seem loud in the head phones, but when recorded they come out lower than i heard them originally. So sometimes it's good to make the vocals a little louder than you think they should be. Reverb and delay are good FX for vocals. Also seperate the vocal tracks into 2 tracks. Make each track say, 8 right and the other 8 left. This is what i do, i keep learning. Im only 3 years deep with this old machine. Peace

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