Adobe Audition vocal mixing?

[chea]

I use Adobe Audition 1.5 to record my music but everytime I record vocals they sound too thin or light. How could I make my vocals more fuller sounding?

This is my recording equipment...

MXL 990 Condenser Microphone with Shockmount >>> http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...unt?sku=273156

Eurorack UB802 Pre-Amp/Mixer >>> http://www.behringer.com/UB802/

Anybody know how I could make my vocals sound more fuller with this equipment? What settings would you prefer? Any help would be appreciated.

[brandondrury]

Well, your mic isn't exactly the biggest sounding mic in the world, but before I blamed gear, I'd take a look elsewhere.

How far away are you standing from the mic? Are you aware of proximity effect?

Brandon

[chea]

I stand about 5 or 6 inches from the mic and no, I wasn't aware of the proximity effect. Even if I'm close to the mic, my voice still doesn't sound full. Does that mean its nothing I can do about that unless I get a new mic?

[brandondrury]

Well, I do have to say that "full" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To some this "full" is a frequency response thing that describes a sound that is sort of "thick". To others, "full" is acheived by adding reverb or delay. To others, "full" is acheived with compression to bring up the quiet parts of the vocal.

Can you post an mp3? I can help you a lot from there.

Brandon

[chea]

Well, I guess the full I'm talking about is the "full" that is acheived by adding reverb or delay and the "full" that is acheived with compression to bring up the quiet parts of the vocal.

Here's a link to 1 of my recordings >>> http://www.soundclick.com/util/getpl...d=5490161&q=hi

[DT Chris]

Cool sounding song, and I'm not into Hip Hop . I like the instrumental.

Yeah, the vocals sound kind of thin alright. Sounds like the mic is only picking up a bit of what it should be.

Just a question. If the mixer board comes with phantom-powered mic pre-amps, why are you using a USB mic?

How are you getting the song to the computer? Are you mixing samples on the computer and simply recording vocals via USB to the computer? What is your soundcard you are using? Do you have an audio interface?


[chea]

Glad you like the song. My mic is hooked up through the mixer and I have a cable transfering the sound from the mixer to the line-in of my computer. I don't have the volume on the mixer turned all the way up because I don't want there to be static in the background or any extra noises. Should I turn it up? And I have a Sound Blaster 16 Live sound card. However, I don't think my sound card is the problem because it sounds 5 times better than the previous sound card that was on my computer and right now I can't get a new one. I don't know if I have an Audio Interface though.

[DT Chris]

Static, crackles, pauses and crappy sound when recording is the staple response from computer sound cards, even SoundBlaster. This will happen more when you're working in multitrack view of Audition 1.5 and want to record a new track while playing back a pre-recorded track. Sure you can record a track or 2, but try the third, and you won't be able to stand how it bogs and delays and stutters...

It's called 'latency', the delay between when you input the sound, and it gets written to your hard-disk + the delay reading it back off your hard-disk, along with other samples you may want to read off your hard-disk.

They are fine for playing back stuff, but for recording and monitoring what you are recording, they are not built for that.

An 'audio interface' will allow you to record into your computer via USB/Firewire connection, and have a stand-alone box where you can input your mics, guitars, etc and is a dedicated sound device that can simultaneously record and playback multiple tracks at once.

You didn't answer my question about why you were using a USB mic instead of an XLR-cable/mic, since your mixer already is set up to take them and even have phantom power to power condensor mics? Even if you were still pluging only into the Line-In of your computer, you would probably get better sound.

Your next move is to research audio interfaces, finding one within your budget, and looking at some XLR-based mics that you can plug into your mixer and/or audio interface.

[brandondrury]

I used one of the super cheap MXL's at a buddies house and it had that same high end character.

I personally don't think the vocal sound is a bad vocal sound. Not every vocal needs to sound "beefy'.

You can go a few different routes here. You can get a new mic, but you'll also need an audio interface. I'd avoid the USB mics in the future.

In the mean time, you can use EQ a little bit to thicken the vocals up. I'd try boosting 300Hz with a wide bandwidth, but I'd only go 1 or 2 dB.

You will still have that weird thing in the high end. That's just the character of the mic. I don't consider it terrible, but I'm not in love with it either. There is no EQing it out.

Brandon

[chea]

Originally Posted by DT Chris

Static, crackles, pauses and crappy sound when recording is the staple response from computer sound cards, even SoundBlaster. This will happen more when you're working in multitrack view of Audition 1.5 and want to record a new track while playing back a pre-recorded track. Sure you can record a track or 2, but try the third, and you won't be able to stand how it bogs and delays and stutters...

It's called 'latency', the delay between when you input the sound, and it gets written to your hard-disk + the delay reading it back off your hard-disk, along with other samples you may want to read off your hard-disk.

They are fine for playing back stuff, but for recording and monitoring what you are recording, they are not built for that.

An 'audio interface' will allow you to record into your computer via USB/Firewire connection, and have a stand-alone box where you can input your mics, guitars, etc and is a dedicated sound device that can simultaneously record and playback multiple tracks at once.

You didn't answer my question about why you were using a USB mic instead of an XLR-cable/mic, since your mixer already is set up to take them and even have phantom power to power condensor mics? Even if you were still pluging only into the Line-In of your computer, you would probably get better sound.

Your next move is to research audio interfaces, finding one within your budget, and looking at some XLR-based mics that you can plug into your mixer and/or audio interface.

Oh, now I know why I'm confused, I put the wrong link to the mic I'm using. Here is the mic I'm using >>> http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...unt?sku=273156 And for now I'm just using the inputs in the back of my computer but I plan on getting an audio interface. Do you have any suggestions of any eq settings I could use on Adobe Audition so my vocals can sound fuller?