Gang Vocals?
Anyone have any good methods for record gang vocals?
Always Ask Questions
Re: Gang Vocals?
One Large Diaphragm Condenser in the middle of the room with everyone stood around it but a few feet back works for me. Record a few takes (the more takes, the more big and "army like" the sound) and blend in together.
A figure 8 ribbon would probably work nice for this as well, I'll have to try that next time...
Tom xxx
Re: Gang Vocals?
The above is the simplest way and probably most effective way. A different (not necessarily better) way would be to mic the gang up like a choir and using an XY stereo mic pair (for some added dimensions). But there is no reason a single mic of any kind could record gang vocals (I'd even throw up my SM57 for that).
I would say, though, don't mic individually (not enough blend in that) if you were thinking about it. Also, if single voices are sticking out, pack the group closer together. If that doesn't help, move people around in the pack until you get it right. If that doesn't work, tell the person(s) who stick out to shut up!But This should be relatively easy, and you shouldn't encounter problems like voices sticking out.
Last edited by thesilentdrummer; 12-13-2007 at 02:57 PM.
Re: Gang Vocals?
Say I've got three vocalists to record with.
Run a pair of headphones to each of them?
Then record off of a single mic?
Does that sound about right?
Always Ask Questions
Re: Gang Vocals?
I would get 8 plus vocalists and double or triple track. In the past I have used 25+ vocalists with a single condensor in the middle of a large room with a hard floor. Use one or two pairs of headphones cranked held in front of the group to monitor. The vocals will overpower any excess noise from the headphones during the take.
Also, its good to have people who know what gang vocals are supposed to sound like do the takes... I know that seems obvious but its an important part.
Good luck!
Re: Gang Vocals?
Those all sound good. Thanks.
Always Ask Questions
Re: Gang Vocals?
There's no need for the off axis rejection or incredible proximity effect from the Figure 8. At least that's the "theory answer". If the mic sounds best in Figure 8 for this application, that's what you should use.A figure 8 ribbon would probably work nice for this as well, I'll have to try that next time...
Personally, I just reach for an omni. The less thought the better. I don't think it's any fun to record gang vocals with headphones. I'd rather just crank up the monitors a little bit (but I have put a high pass filter on the 2 bus just for this).
Brandon
Re: Gang Vocals?
We were recording the vocalist and for the gang vocals, we used the same set up (SM 58) but turned on the monitors and had three guys sitting around the room. It came out fine. I think this is something you can definately get creative with.
Re: Gang Vocals?
I agree. I try to use the creativity side before the micrphone. I like to move people around when they yell. Get 'em 2', 5', 10', or 20' on various tracks.I think this is something you can definately get creative with.
Brandon
Re: Gang Vocals?
To be fair, I was more pondering the idea of using a ribbon (which are usually in figure 8 - I'm sure omni ribbon's exist but I have never come accross one) than the idea of using a figure 8. I have occasionally found the gang vocals I have recorded overly bright and would like to hear them through a darker mic. I tend to like ribbons for distance micing in general. That said, some rooms, for example relatively narrow but long ones, may benefit from a figure 8 more than an omni.
Anyway, I echo previous statements - with something like gang vocals theory has to take something of a back seat most of the time! These are the moments when recording is the most fun.
Last edited by kingtoad; 12-16-2007 at 04:36 PM.
Re: Gang Vocals?
I've never tried my Royer R121 on gang vocals, but I could see it working. I don't find gang vocals to be too bright for me, but that has a lot to do with the fact that the mic is just slapped any old place. The odds of a guy being within 5 feet of it are slim. The odds of a person even facing the mic are even slimmer. It would depend heavily on the room.
My best gang vocals have came from not thinking about it and just having a bunch of fun yelling.
Brandon
Re: Gang Vocals?
One Large Diaphragm Condenser in the middle of the room
I have used this technique before and it works well. This is what I do when I use it. First, place the gang around the mic at equal distances, let them sing and record it if you want. All you are trying to do is see what kind of balance you are getting. You can adjust the balance of the singer by having what ever voice you would like to hear less of step back a little. After you have everyone in the right place, put down some tape in frount of their feet to help the singers stay in the same spot. Hit record and let the singers sing the first track. Then have them sing the same track again and record it also. Now, the two that were just recorded will creat a nice doubling affect; because if you just take a track and duplicate it, you will just create volume. After this, I put each track on its own channel and then pan them hard right and hard left, group them together and you are good to go.
If you are trying to get a choir sound and don't have a choir, you can pull it off by using a soprano, alto, and tenor voice. Have the tenor singer sing the tenor part, the alto part, and sing the saprano part. This goes for the other two singers also. What you are looking for in a choir is to have many DIFFERENT voices. If everyone does this, it sounds like you have nine singers instead of three.
Re: Gang Vocals?
I just recorded 6 or 7 guys in the same scenario you have described, and I had success with just one set of head phones. I thought that it would sound cool if only the lead vocalist was listening to the mix, and that way everybody had their own place in start and end time. I do recommend that you let everyone hear the song so they know what to expect. This technique makes for a very drunken 'bar like' gang vocals because everybody is on for the most part, but they don't come in or end perfectly together. It sounds great. Try it out and see if it works for you. Also note that the song was really straight forward as far as layout, with the chorus appearing once after every verse, which a more complicated song might make this harder to pull off, but if you can, it makes for a very interesting sound.
Cally,
Boat Insurance
