AA 1 week 7

This weeks exercise deals with recording of the voice. The photo, right, is a reconstruction of the position of the microphone in all of the recorded examples below. The vocalist was also position facing the buffer in the dead room.[1]

Sample 1
MICROPHONE: Nuemann U-87
PATTERN: Cardioid [2]

Whisper U-87

Sample 2
MICROPHONE: Nuemann U-87
PATTERN: Cardioid [2]

Talking U-87

Sample 3
MICROPHONE: Nuemann U-87
PATTERN: Cardioid [2]

Yelling U-87

Sample 4
MICROPHONE: Shure Beta 58
PATTERN: Cardioid [2]

Yelling 58

Sample 5
MICROPHONE: Shure Beta 58
PATTERN: Cardioid [2]

Screaming 58

Comments

In sample 1 the problem of sss did come to light. Tristan, who supplied the vocals stated that he did have a bit of a lisp and I found that this was enhanced during the recording, (this is one aspect of vocal recording that I will continue to work on. Sample 2 there really wasn't any problems. In samples 3 and 4 I found that the beta 58 was, at least in my opinion, easier to work with. It seemed to give the vocals a more dynamic feel compared to the U-87. There was also a dramatic difference between sample 3 and 4 with regards to the gain level on the Avalon. In sample 3 using the U-87 the gain was on 30 whilst in sample 4, using the beta 58 the gain had to be boosted to 50. The last example, sample 5 was in part recorded to indulge Tristan's feeling that he had more to give vocal wise. We did a level check at which point I had the gain adjusted so as not to peak. Straight after the level was right Tristan once again screamed into the microphone with the result being that he must have increased his volume slightly as there was one peak in the recording. Due to this on the next take I left a little extra head room to allow for this in case it re-occurred. All the samples were recorded using ProTools HD[3], and used the compressor through the Audio suite.[1]

Special thanks to Tristan Louth-Robins for his patience and exertion in supplying the vocals.

[1]Fieldhouse, S. "Audio Arts Lecture week 6" at University of Adelaide , 24/04/2007

[2]http://www.emu.adelaide.edu.au/resources/guides/hardware/microphones.html

[3]Digidesign. "Pro Tools HD version 7.3.1" http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm