My Vocal Recording Chain And Why It Doesn't Matter

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  • Опубликовано: 21 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 115

  • @nicolasbarroso
    @nicolasbarroso Год назад +3

    Brilliant! that's it! Trouble is they didn't start out in music being poor, like us who made music with kitchen pots.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад

      One of my first recording was playing clay flower pots and I had gotten different sizes to make some sort of scale so I could do a melody. Now that I think of it, I think I'm going to head to the garden shop....

  • @martinn6564
    @martinn6564 Год назад +9

    This is some of the best advice I've seen on vocal chains and vocals...
    I'm really loving your channel Billy. I do hope people realise how very good your advice is in the RUclips world of recording advice.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад +2

      Thanks so much. It's been a long climb to get this many subscribers but I'm going to keep doing it. Thanks for the support.

    • @martinn6564
      @martinn6564 Год назад +1

      @@FreakingOutWithBillyHume I know it's corny but reminding people to like and subscribe, probably near the beginning works... I know it feels like
      A hard sell but!.... Anyway Billy, just keep on keeping on. Great content.

    • @fucuszullanti7877
      @fucuszullanti7877 Год назад +1

      @@martinn6564No

  • @YSBG_
    @YSBG_ Год назад +8

    I’m a student at Full Sail University and building my own home studio. I love your honesty. You’re very informative. Thank you.
    What I’m understanding is that it comes down to the skill and ear of the engineer above everything.
    Side Note: I also have the Distressor Compressor on my list.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад +2

      Yes. You are correct. It's also about (mainly about in my opinion) good songs and a great performance.

    • @YSBG_
      @YSBG_ Год назад +1

      @@FreakingOutWithBillyHume thanks brotha

  • @phillipswansey915
    @phillipswansey915 Год назад +3

    You know Billy, I Have to give it to You. You're Dead On Point. To Me, It's about Learning what My Equipment can and can't do. Knowing what to use and how to use it. Thanks!

  • @operasinger2126
    @operasinger2126 Год назад +9

    Great video. Again, a $10 million studio can not make a poor singer and song sound good. It starts way before the gear. Great points!

  • @ItsIzzyKey
    @ItsIzzyKey Год назад +15

    Performance does matter but a professional vocal chain does help a lot and really boosts everything.

    • @gdanila
      @gdanila 7 месяцев назад +2

      I think what this guy is trying to say is that there is no golden chain of processors that will work in every situation. It really depends on the vibe of the singer. That’s why pro recording engineers are first and foremost psychology experts because they know how to set the mood so they can get the best take from a singer. Yes, a good chain may squeeze a bit more emotion out, but at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter that much.

  • @OmgItsAlexOfficial
    @OmgItsAlexOfficial Год назад +11

    All good points. I will say, I recently invested quite heavily into a professional new chain (mic,pre,eq,comp). It really is a whole different level than plugins and a budget mic imo. My performance was way better, took less takes, just an amazing experience. My advice is just do your research on the mic/pres you like and stick with it. Make it part of "your sound".

  • @drumsbyjones
    @drumsbyjones 5 месяцев назад +1

    Tell the truth brother!!! 👍🏻
    You could have the most expensive gear laying around and still record “crap”… 🤷🏼‍♂️ Some truly valuable information right here! Thx!

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  5 месяцев назад +1

      Well.... I think most of what I do is pretty good bit I definitely have made some crap in my time.

    • @drumsbyjones
      @drumsbyjones 5 месяцев назад +1

      @@FreakingOutWithBillyHume we all have… keep it up! 😊

  • @astrangeandmysteriouspodca7168
    @astrangeandmysteriouspodca7168 2 года назад +3

    Totally agree. I have and use lots of different flavors of mics , along with different compressors, and pre amps. Not once has anyone cared which one I used. Only if the song was good or had the vibe they could connect with. Thanks for this.

  • @o5pfilms951
    @o5pfilms951 Год назад +2

    All very true and all great points. Buuuuuut, 90% of chart topping rappers use one of two or three chains most of the time. Nueman, Lauten, Sony mic -- Neve pre - CL1B or LA2A. I especially love the Lauten mics with multi-voicing.. Between the Atlantis and the Eden you have pretty much everyone covered. If I could only pick 3 I would pick those two and the TLM 103. Anyway, great topic!

  • @TheHonestTruth
    @TheHonestTruth Год назад +4

    TSD's is one of the dopest records made in hip hop!
    I wouldn't of thought that it was a blend of multiple takes and studios on the vocals! Well done!
    *_BIG KNOT, BIG CHAIN, BIG rIMS_* is the line i heard the mic change!

  • @christopherdunn317
    @christopherdunn317 29 дней назад +2

    So true ! when we were young way back in the 70's and 80's i didn't think hey what vocal mic was Dave lee Roth singing threw ? its because of the net buy this, or you'll suck ! or for show so you have something that people will go hey he's got a u87 it don't matter !

  • @milanioriginalmusic8570
    @milanioriginalmusic8570 12 дней назад

    Another great video, thanks. Question, do you record the Distressor going in or do you add it in post? Thanks.

  • @jacksp8de
    @jacksp8de 2 года назад +2

    Best video on vocal chain I’ve seen!! I’m actually doing a series about building my vocal chain on my channel so I’m finding the right mic, pre, and audio interface for me and my situation

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  2 года назад +2

      That's a good video for a video series. I'd love to talk with you about this series.

  • @BojanBojovic
    @BojanBojovic Год назад +1

    Together with Dan Worrall's videos, this is the best advice on RUclips for anyone with magic mentality.
    These days, one needs to look really hard to find the gear that will hold him back.

  • @JonCamposTheIncurables
    @JonCamposTheIncurables Год назад +1

    It’s all about the performance Baby!

  • @gorillaice1229
    @gorillaice1229 5 месяцев назад +1

    Love this. So true and extremely accurate.

  • @msmoozesful
    @msmoozesful 9 месяцев назад +1

    finally someone said the truth ,...for gods sake they
    are electrostatic/dynamic diaphragms and amplifiers that just so happened to have some harmonic distortion(cuz it is distortion even though ppl call them magic) but everybody fails at the performance stage and the vibe etc etc... anyway love it how you put simple electrucity back into it's place!

  • @Funkybassuk
    @Funkybassuk Год назад +4

    Curtis Mayfield recorded the vocals on his last album lying down due to his sad paralysis. That singer you work with is in good company.

  • @TheAndrewforbes88
    @TheAndrewforbes88 8 месяцев назад +1

    I agree with pretty much everything he said in principle, but I will say having a couple of nice pieces of gear has made a difference in the quality of my productions. I have one "nice" vocal chain with a couple of other mics for vocal stacks. A Stam Audio SA800G -> a Heritage Audio 73 -> a Distressor -> Audient ID24. I also have a Rode NT1 and a Warm Audio CX12 to record stacks. Are all the pieces of my chain "necessary" no, would it work fine if I used a Warm Audio Tonebeast instead of a Heritage Audio 73 absolutely. The point of my comment though is that having the nice mic and the nice pre and the nice compressor did improve the sound of my productions over when I was just using an NT1 and a Focusrite 4i4. I could switch out any one piece and it wouldn't matter that much and I could record on a less expensive mic like an SM58 and still make a cool recording, but having a chain of quailty pieces does make getting a good recording easier. It leaves me with less work to do in the mix.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  8 месяцев назад +1

      True. For the past few months I've been using a U87 for vocals, which I've never used much because I preferred my TLM 170. But I thought I'd give it a go for a while. But after mixing a bunch of stuff that I'd used the U87 on I found myself having to work the De-essors more and picking up more vocal artifacts that I didn't like... too much work in mixing. Going to swith back the the TLM 170 and the TLM 103 for a bit.

  • @phantomentertainment5629
    @phantomentertainment5629 Год назад +1

    i use close the same settings on my distressor lol glad i ran into this video

  • @myopicolympian7020
    @myopicolympian7020 2 месяца назад +1

    I always run my vocalists through a Webster Wire Recorder BEFORE it hits my LA-2A, but I have a Bell Labs EQ-102 which I have wired up in reverse polarity (I think? I don't know, my tech makes it work!) but I send the two signals back twice through a harmonic percolator before it gets anywhere near my Monitor chain (for obvious reasons) - but, what blows my mind is that you can have a double-fold reverse system that sounds exactly like a single-fold straight system?! I mean, I'm a bit OCD but I measured it and it's only off by 2 bits per sample. Did you try this? it has a similar taste

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  2 месяца назад

      Thast sounds really cool but I don't understand everything you're describing.

  • @gianaccetta8571
    @gianaccetta8571 Год назад +1

    Great video, I agree with what you said a lot, but sometimes I feel I'm a fanatic for getting certain tonal characters, i think nowadays with software it can help but I'm still feeling like certain older mics/preamps still help with this?

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад +1

      Different mic pres make a huge difference. And each one is unique so you get a one time sound all your own.

  • @MultiFreddy34
    @MultiFreddy34 8 месяцев назад +1

    The best gear is talent!

  • @QbanThunder
    @QbanThunder 6 месяцев назад +1

    Thank you for this!

  • @geoffreymerrifield5666
    @geoffreymerrifield5666 Год назад +1

    I agree, the song and key are most important. That said, I have been recording for many, many years. My gear has evolved. For example, I had a Warm Audio Tonebeast preamp. Now I have a BAE. The BAE makes vocals sound significantly better. Same with a Lauten Audio Eden mic versus a Rode, there is a big difference. Just my 2 cents.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад

      The BAE's are awesome! I have a 1073 clone from a company called AML out of the UK. One of the best clones I've ever used.

  • @maxmixproductions
    @maxmixproductions 3 года назад +1

    Some awesome advice. Thx Billy!

  • @BluesHeavy
    @BluesHeavy Год назад +1

    I’m not sure the point… if you are an engineer building a studio having a vast amount of mics, pre amps, compressors is ideal as you aren’t sure which combination might inspire the artist to reach their potential and give you the most inspired performance. That said many newbies are going to ask seasoned professionals what there go to setup is as they have a developed ear and have spent time building out a gear chain they like. Yes all things being equal it’s not a straight forward answer but it’s a fair question.
    As a guitarist most novice chase their hero’s and they buy the gear based on what Hendrix played or page etc… then they begin to write their own music and find their voice. I’m new to recording and I’m setting up a studio for myself and I’ll say this finding the right preamp, mic and compressor to suit my voice is hard as there is no way to test gear to find your chain.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад +1

      The point is, after going down the gear rabbit hole you eventually find out the what really matters is the song, performance and most importantly - the vibe. Some of the greatest records don't technically sound great but you never notice because the music is just doing what it's supposed to. Of course if you're just in your first few years of recording you SHOULD go down the gear rabbit hole so you can learn about different gear. I'm mainly addressing those who think somehow the right gear chain, plugin or mixing technique is why songs become hits and spend more time chasing that illusion instead of learning how to make better music.

    • @BluesHeavy
      @BluesHeavy Год назад +1

      @@FreakingOutWithBillyHume 100% I agree there is no magic bullet, the gear is just the tool to bring the music to life. Great song writers or musicians look at their instrument as a tool to express what they are trying to convey. If the message you convey sucks then expensive won’t magically make the song better. That said I do think great sounding gear in the right hands can inspire and bring something out of the performer they didn’t know they had. Your reply was on the money should have been part of your video.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  10 месяцев назад

      One of the things I love about making these videos are the comments I get. It makes me think deeper about my ideas and how to make better videos. And yes, I should have said what I said in my reply to you in the video.

  • @mentalprogram5256
    @mentalprogram5256 Год назад +1

    I love when the random dude walks through.

  • @leshawn1977
    @leshawn1977 Год назад +1

    Don't know how these thing work I know it sounds good classic and that's what we search for at the end of the day the consumer isn't worried about what vocal chain you used great words of wisdom that Destressor is my favorite swish Army Knife

  • @johngilsoncoleman
    @johngilsoncoleman 3 года назад +2

    Word, Brother!

  • @JohnFraserFindlay
    @JohnFraserFindlay Год назад +1

    I just did a mini mic shootout before my vocal session recently and ended up on a 414 which I hadn’t used for over 20 years

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад

      Interesting... I used to use the 414 more often years ago for vocals. Maybe I'll try it again.

    • @JohnFraserFindlay
      @JohnFraserFindlay Год назад +1

      I use a RODES Classic 2 at home..the studio had that as well as a U47.

  • @fawdian
    @fawdian Год назад +1

    Great Video. And I agree with you 100%. But i would really love to ask if all of these things are there good arrangement, good singer etc. After that how good it is it to upgrade from in the box to outboard gear. How much the outboard preamp boosts the sound of a vocalist. Thanks.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад +1

      Thanks. I think a great song and/or a great vocal performance are the most important things. But after you have that squared away a good mic and a good mic pre definitely helps. I have no set vocal chain except for my Distressor compressor. Usually for mics I'll use either a Neumann U87, TLM 103, TLM 170, Shure SM7 and lately the Slate ML 1. As far as mic pre's I'll use either an Avalon VT 737, Focusrite ISA 110 (Original series), CAPI VP28 or a 1073 clone from England called EZ1073. Always I go into a Distressor at 6:1 and hit up to 12 db of compression on loud notes. Sometimes I'll put a De-essor at the end.

    • @fawdian
      @fawdian Год назад +1

      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume Thanks a lot for the reply. I am a music producer residing in Pakistan. I have been making music in the box till now. Now i am looking to upgrade, but sadly, in pakistan, there are not a lot of outboard gear available. Very limited options are available even if there are. So i have to get some stuff through somebody coming here. I have been thinking about getting a vintech 573 neve clone, ssl ultraviolet stereo eq, a fredenstein 500 series chassis 6ds and a drawmer 1978. I think this will give me enough basic experience of outboard gear. Also i am not thinking about investing in to a high end mic right now i have a Rode NT1A. Would love to hear what you'd suggest to me.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад +1

      All that gear sounds good. As far as a mic is concerned, the Audio Technica mics are pretty good for vocals and less expensive thatn Neumanns. When you think about upgrading check out the AT 4033.@@fawdian

    • @fawdian
      @fawdian Год назад +1

      Oh yes, i have heard of audio technica. Bundle of thanks for your suggestion. 👍

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  10 месяцев назад +1

      Also, check out my newest video about the Slate Digital modeling mics. They're pretty golod.

  • @JorgeMorales73
    @JorgeMorales73 3 года назад +1

    Thanks for helping drive up the price of those even more buddy ;-)

  • @zwsh89
    @zwsh89 10 месяцев назад +1

    A video like this really separates the kids from the grown ups. The “bedroom producers” from the true engineers and artists. Something I’m still trying to wrap my head around. I love thinking about this…. If I’m working on a female vocal and there’s not enough low end, I might boost 200hz to see how that sounds. How can that move possibly also be right for a male vocal whose fundamental is down by 100hz? It can’t! What if I’m working on a mix where the singer was eating the mic? I probably don’t need a ton of agressive compression. So what about the next song where the singer is 2 feet from the mic and keeps moving closer and farther from it, or turns their head a lot? Will the same light compression that was perfect for that other song still work? Sure, but it probably won’t be enough to control that vocal fully. Context not only matters, but it’s the ONLY THING that matters. The best compressor for this song is the one that sounds good… on this song… not the one that sounded good on that other song. That tells us nothing about what this vocal needs to fit better into this mix. Luckily, those of us who understand this don’t really need to worry about all the shortcut takers competing for our jobs.

    • @zwsh89
      @zwsh89 10 месяцев назад +1

      Asking what the best one size fits all vocal chain is like asking what’s the best set of scalpels for performing surgery. It’s never about the gear, and always about what YOU can do with it. Just because I’m using the same knife that the lead surgeon at the Mayo Clinic uses for brain surgery does not mean i can be trusted to perform an appendectomy.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  10 месяцев назад +1

      Everything you have said is spot on.

  • @DavidLee0227
    @DavidLee0227 2 года назад +1

    Great video. All true. Subscribed. 👍🏼

  • @feriants
    @feriants Год назад +1

    100% True !!!

  • @FromTheHipp
    @FromTheHipp Год назад +1

    the story about steve lillywhite was a miss. his options to select from would be the highest end. and hes the producer. as a producer, my job is to worry about the arrangements. its the artists job(and engineer), and these days the vocal producer's job, to worry about the actual quality of the vocal. and that often means the tools used capture the desired quality. now, we agree, ability is first and foremost. if someone cant sing/rap, then what are we even doing here. but beyond that initial point, the quality does matter. I remember when Throw Some Ds On It came out. Was a huge song. nice to know you took part in that.

  • @HarvinderSingh-yy8th
    @HarvinderSingh-yy8th Год назад +2

    I want to open a home studio with ID 14 Mk2+ NTI gen 4 mic. But I am just mad for U 87ai which I can't afford. Can you suggest any other gear that is better than ID 14 MK2+ NTI gen 4. I can sing at any range in any range in any language if taught honestly.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад

      I don't know what mic you're talking about and how it compares to a Neumann u87. But for general across the board recording I'd suggest a Neumann TLM 103. They're around $1,200 new. They are versitile. I've got a couple that I've been using for over 25 years and I use them all the time.

    • @HarvinderSingh-yy8th
      @HarvinderSingh-yy8th Год назад +1

      @@FreakingOutWithBillyHume TLM 103 is said have terrible boost in the upper frequencies. People say it is not balanced. Is it true.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад

      It's a little bright but that just means I'm not going to add any high end to the vocals on the mix. However, I singer with a harsh voice will get a different mic. I've recorded a few hit records using this mic on vocals.

  • @lgs1dustryservices431
    @lgs1dustryservices431 Год назад +1

    very nice

  • @Annamatedlife
    @Annamatedlife 3 года назад +3

    I just had to go listen to “throw some D’s on it.” Hahah

  • @flackotv809
    @flackotv809 Год назад +1

    you actually mixed Throw Some Ds by Rich boy ? thats dope . fun fact actually lol

  • @jerryb.7021
    @jerryb.7021 Год назад +2

    In my experience, vocal chain mattered a lot back in the 90s when home recording equipment started becoming widely available. The stuff I could afford back then sounded really bad. Very muffled. Horrible mic preamps and AD converters in the "home studio" category of audio equipment. But nowadays, I am watching all these comparisons on RUclips of $2,000 audio interfaces vs $200 interfaces; $100 microphones vs $1,000 microphones. The differences are so minor that it truly doesn't matter. Yes, it's cool to have the expensive stuff that perhaps a professionally trained ear can discern from the cheaper stuff, but there are hits on the radio that are being made with "vocal chains" of around $500. And the audience doesn't know any better.

  • @lerrynhawke3375
    @lerrynhawke3375 Год назад +1

    All that matters is what comes out the speakers...

  • @jermainesmith6315
    @jermainesmith6315 Год назад +2

    Funny But it's a video of Marvin Gaye singing/recording while lying on the coach.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад +1

      Cool. I had a singer that would sometimes sing lying down. I do get a lot of people to sit when they sing.

  • @EJ-ye7wg
    @EJ-ye7wg 26 дней назад +1

    He’s saying get a dynamic mic and run it to an mbox. It doesn’t matter apparently according to this guy

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  26 дней назад

      Not exactly. But if you get a great performance and the recording is not totally screwed up no one will care about the sound not being perfect. Here's an example: ruclips.net/user/shorts8TTIG5tv1Uk

  • @voyxu143
    @voyxu143 10 дней назад +1

    You stand up as a singer because you get more power. You lose 30% of your power when you sit down.

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  7 дней назад +1

      On the other hand, I have often gotten better performances when singers were sitting.

    • @voyxu143
      @voyxu143 7 дней назад +1

      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume I hear you, I am just answering your question as to why a singer would stand up.

    • @champnessjack1154
      @champnessjack1154 4 дня назад +1

      "Lose 30%" - I've heard this, too (from a certain online vocal instructor), but I think it's nonsense. Your abdominal muscles don't go anywhere when you sit. All the power is still there. You just need to practice singing while sitting, if that's how you want to perform. If the 30% thing were true, I don't think Lady Gaga, Elton John, Billy Joel, and countless other top artists would perform sitting at the piano. And they sure sound like they have full abdominal power.

    • @voyxu143
      @voyxu143 4 дня назад

      @@champnessjack1154 Yeah, I agree. I love to sit down and sing. But I also think it's the material. More challenging material may need to be delivered standing.

  • @HarvinderSingh-yy8th
    @HarvinderSingh-yy8th Год назад +2

    Just talent matters the most. No one cares for your gear. Excellent mind blowing tips.

  • @johnsuggs7828
    @johnsuggs7828 10 месяцев назад +1

    They're asking and saying that because they don't understand the technology or the concepts of the technology

  • @DjStakman
    @DjStakman 2 года назад +2

    Throw Some D's, !!! RESPECT

  • @george8920
    @george8920 Год назад

    Vocal chain - > GREAT SONG !! - Great Singer - > GREAT VIBE - > - all else is BS -

  • @Killabvato
    @Killabvato Год назад +1

    Maybe your missing the point- people don’t have thousands of dollars to throw around on gear- we wanna know where to start- Music production is like journalism now- anyone can do it-

    • @FreakingOutWithBillyHume
      @FreakingOutWithBillyHume  Год назад +3

      I thought that was the point... you don't need all that gear to make good records.

  • @ryanjlucas
    @ryanjlucas Год назад +1

    What? You don't have to spend 10 grand to sound pro? Haha...