Re: [linux-audio-user] How to get good vocal sound

Bill Allen wrote: Hi Bill: You also have to remember that you don't hear yourself the way others hear you. I'm not especially fond of my voice, but I know how to hit the right notes and other people seem to like it. The *sound* of a voice can be effective enough as a carrier of personality. Bob Dylan is often used as an example of a not-so-beautiful voice that's perfectly suited to his material. And it's worth mentioning that Dylan does know how to sing (check out Girl From The North Country).

As you say, there are many to choose from. I like Tim Goetze's Versatile Plate Reverb, it's easy to control and has some sweet spots that complement my voice nicely. I also often use the SC4 compressor (pre-fade) and the TAP Scaling Limiter (post-fade) on the master track. As general advice: Pick an effect, preferably one with only a few controls, and learn what each control does to the sound. In the case of reverbs, think about the ambience you want to create and make your initial settings accordingly. Yes, you'll have to experiment, but IMO that's the best way to learn about these things. It's easy to be overwhelmed: LADSPA, DSSI, VST/VSTi, all provide that embarassment of riches. But I figure that the pros don't have the time to learn everything about everything, so I don't expect it from myself. I think you should plan carefully: think about what sort of sound you want to project, think about its characteristics, then start working towards it with a minimum number of effects. A little 'verb and some judicious compression go a long way towards making a good basic sound, I find that for my purposes I use little else. Maybe someday I'll find a use for chorus and delays, but they'll probably get used on instruments, not on my voice. A few random tips: Stand when you sing. Use a pop filter (I should follow my own advice). Breathe deeply, you can always erase the noise. Don't raise your chin when you try to reach notes on the high end of your range, it tightens the vocal mechanism and works against your attempt. Relax, you won't sing (or play) well with excess tension. Consider your input chain, i.e., decent microphones, preamp if necessary, good hot signal, etc. Don't record with effects in, you'll fool yourself and it will be harder to fix (I like that Ardour forces that behaviour). Key your music to complement your available range. WRT planning: Do you want to recreate the sound of a small group playing in a bar ? Or a big band performing in a concert hall ? A rock band playing an auditorium ? A jazz quartet in your living room ? Each of these scenarios has some salient characteristics that you should try to describe and understand in relation to your selected effects. Try analyzing the vocal sound on some of your favorite recordings in the same manner. Yes, you have to study up on some terminology, but you don't have to become a DSP engineer. That's what we have Steve Harris here for anyway. ;-) And don't worry about understanding everything right away. It's enough to know what a compressor does, the rest you'll learn by fiddling with settings and *listening* to the results. For instance, I use the SC4 compressor but I'm still sort of blank about exactly what the knee radius does. Always more to learn. :) GVerb is more complex than I'd advise for a start, but it is a fine effect and definitely worth learning. Have you tried Freeverb or any of the other 'verbs from the LADSPA collection ? The TAP reverb is also superfine (with presets!), but again I'd suggest something even simpler. If you really have problems with intonation and pitch acuity you can always try fixing it in the mix with a pitch shifter plugin and Ardour's automation control, but that's getting elaborate. You can also try that infamous vocal "fixer" from Antares, but I don't know if it will run under any of the current support systems for VST under Linux. It costs $$ though, and frankly at that point I'd suggest singing lessons. You can also use Ardour's excellent editing tools to correct small (and not so small?) errors in timing. A bit tedious, but worth the effort. I listen a lot to the music made by other members of this list. I love the sound of Pete Bessman's F4, I'd like to know how he got it. I'm also fond of The Girls, their material is great and their singing is perfect for it. I like the overall sound they achieve, though it's quite different from my aims. And I'd commit heinous and unconscionable acts just to be able to play and sound like Steve Doonan. Lots to be learned from the folks using the same software (more or less). So many different genres are represented at http://lam.fugal.net, it's a terrific resource: if you like a particular piece, you can just write to the composer and ask how s/he did it. Well, there's my contribution to the thread. HTH. :) Best, dp