Old 09-07-2018, 11:05 AM   #1
VictorVV
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Default Muddy/Muffled vocals

Good day all,

At first I'd like to mention that I'm new to Reaper and sound engineering in general,

My mic is ''AT2020 usb+'' and long story short, my recordings sound kinda dull and muddy. I applied a little EQ and I guess it sounds a bit better (in my recording first you hear me speak with no EQ applied, then EQ is on).

But it's still far from what I've heard my mic can sound like. For example, you may compare my recording to this video (guy from the vid says that he didn't have any setting/EQ etc, so that's a raw recording of how ''AT2020 usb+'' sounds)

the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA4RvltO9e0

and my recording is here - https://www.soundclick.com/bands3/?bandID=1438705

Guys, I'm sure you are way more experienced in this than I am So may be you have some hints on what could be done to get a better sound quality here, more clarity to the voice? To get it closer to how this mic sounds in that youtube video?

Btw, I'm recording using a portabooth + distance from me to the mic is about 6 inches + I'm using a pop filter (sorry, not sure which info might be helpful here).

Also in case you want to mess with my recording *.wav is downloadable here : http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=...77061706073838


Thank you
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Old 09-07-2018, 11:11 AM   #2
karbomusic
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If the downloadable sample, doesn't have EQ, I don't really hear anything wrong with it as far as being muddy?
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Old 09-07-2018, 12:00 PM   #3
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A quick listen on Bluetooth speaker: yours sounds better to me. What you hear is your room, which likely needs some low end absorption - or you have boomy headphones which indeed might reveal something in the very low end of the spectrum.
My rule in that case: first compress, then high-pass, starting at around 100Hz (6 or 12dB filter) until it sounds tight.
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Old 09-07-2018, 12:01 PM   #4
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Sounds OK to me too using studio monitors. Very slightly "warmer" than the other vid perhaps but that could be due to how close you were to the mic, room acoustics etc. etc.
In short it sounds fine. Portabooth seems to work too!
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Old 09-08-2018, 03:59 AM   #5
VictorVV
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Oh, now I begin to think that I'm just not used to how my voice sounds on recordings haha.

I'll stick to your advice to figure some more about room acoustics and apparently boomy headphones as well as messing around with EQ a bit more.

Thank you all and good luck with your projects!
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Old 09-08-2018, 04:34 AM   #6
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You are very welcome. It seems that extra ears can often really help.
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Old 09-08-2018, 09:39 AM   #7
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Agreed with all. I can hear sibilance but it's not too much, it sounds in proportion. This sounds good to these ears.
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Old 09-08-2018, 11:29 AM   #8
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Quote:
distance from me to the mic is about 6 inches
You might be getting a little proximity effect (bass boost). Just as an experiment, try doubling the distance.

If you like the sound better with more distance from the mic try cutting the bass. (That's probably better than leaving more distance because more distance makes a weaker signal for a worse signal-to-noise ratio.)

I tried cutting ~100Hz by -12dB and to me it sounded "more natural", but I'm not sure I'd say it sounds "better".

A lot of males like to use the proximity effect... Including me... But, it depends on what kind of sound you're going for.

Quote:
I'll stick to your advice to figure some more about room acoustics and apparently boomy headphones
Ideally, you'd be listening on good monitors in a good room. Pros NEVER use headphones for mixing/mastering unless they are specifically making a headphone mix.

Most of us here don't have a "real studio" so we have to compromise. (I was listening on headphones so don't give too much weight to what I said above about the low-cut!)

There are a couple of other "pro tricks" that we can all use. Compare your recording to a known-good recording. You can either choose someone with a voice similar to yours, or choose a voice you'd like to sound-like. (But don't over-process in an attempt to sound like someone else.)

...It's going to be hard to be objective with your own voice!

Check your recording on as many different systems as you can get your hands on (including headphones/ear buds, etc.). And again, compare to your reference recording.


Quote:
as well as messing around with EQ a bit more.
The AT2020 has a reasonably good reputation so I wouldn't go too crazy with the EQ. The 12dB adjustment I mentioned above is generally too much, but it might be OK if you're compensating for proximity effect. (And, it's just something I tried quickly without any tweaking.)

Quote:
Oh, now I begin to think that I'm just not used to how my voice sounds on recordings haha.
The more you record the more you'll get used to it and it will also help if you're monitoring yourself on headphones.

Your "style" is up to you, but it sounds like you are speaking softly. As a rule, it's usually best to speak with a strong, clear, confident voice (without shouting) as if you are speaking to a classroom-size group of people.
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Old 09-10-2018, 12:12 AM   #9
VictorVV
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DVDdoug View Post
You might be getting a little proximity effect (bass boost). Just as an experiment, try doubling the distance.

If you like the sound better with more distance from the mic try cutting the bass. (That's probably better than leaving more distance because more distance makes a weaker signal for a worse signal-to-noise ratio.)

I tried cutting ~100Hz by -12dB and to me it sounded "more natural", but I'm not sure I'd say it sounds "better".

A lot of males like to use the proximity effect... Including me... But, it depends on what kind of sound you're going for.

Ideally, you'd be listening on good monitors in a good room. Pros NEVER use headphones for mixing/mastering unless they are specifically making a headphone mix.

Most of us here don't have a "real studio" so we have to compromise. (I was listening on headphones so don't give too much weight to what I said above about the low-cut!)

There are a couple of other "pro tricks" that we can all use. Compare your recording to a known-good recording. You can either choose someone with a voice similar to yours, or choose a voice you'd like to sound-like. (But don't over-process in an attempt to sound like someone else.)

...It's going to be hard to be objective with your own voice!

Check your recording on as many different systems as you can get your hands on (including headphones/ear buds, etc.). And again, compare to your reference recording.


The AT2020 has a reasonably good reputation so I wouldn't go too crazy with the EQ. The 12dB adjustment I mentioned above is generally too much, but it might be OK if you're compensating for proximity effect. (And, it's just something I tried quickly without any tweaking.)

The more you record the more you'll get used to it and it will also help if you're monitoring yourself on headphones.

Your "style" is up to you, but it sounds like you are speaking softly. As a rule, it's usually best to speak with a strong, clear, confident voice (without shouting) as if you are speaking to a classroom-size group of people.
Ok, I'll try to increase the distance to see how it sounds this way , hope it won't add too much reflections of my room,

And thx for the hint on vocal projection! Will play around with that as well.

Now I see it's a little more complicated than just plugging your mic and speaking haha.

Thanks once again guys!
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Old 09-10-2018, 06:54 AM   #10
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Late to the party here, but would like to add my opinion those saying that your recording is good as it is. It's definitely a more useful solo voice recording quality than the one you linked from Youtube. But context of where you'll be using the recording matters too.

As others have said, it sounds like there is a bit of low end boost from proximity effect, but nothing serious at all. A high pass on ReaEQ around 80Hz or so will take care of it.

If you moved a couple of inches further back from the mic the overall tone might be more neutral. If you lowered the mic a bit from its current position so that you are talking down to it more, it may sound more like youtube video, i.e. more sibilant and nasal.

Cheers,
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Old 09-11-2018, 01:20 AM   #11
VictorVV
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Quote:
Originally Posted by endorka View Post
Late to the party here, but would like to add my opinion those saying that your recording is good as it is. It's definitely a more useful solo voice recording quality than the one you linked from Youtube. But context of where you'll be using the recording matters too.

As others have said, it sounds like there is a bit of low end boost from proximity effect, but nothing serious at all. A high pass on ReaEQ around 80Hz or so will take care of it.

If you moved a couple of inches further back from the mic the overall tone might be more neutral. If you lowered the mic a bit from its current position so that you are talking down to it more, it may sound more like youtube video, i.e. more sibilant and nasal.

Cheers,
Jennifer

Gotta say, I tried that out (lowering the mic + increasing the distance) and it did sound better to my ear.

+ This time I recorded in my mother tongue, which I believe made me speak with more ease and thus more clearance appeared.

Thanks for the tip on lowering the mic Jennifer, + I see everyone tells me about high pass around 80-100Hz and so I did that too haha, and yep, that worked well.

Glad I found this forum!
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Old 09-18-2018, 02:01 PM   #12
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The only way: repeatedly listen to your own recordings, and listen to other people's recordings of similar material. How yours make you feel, and how others' make you feel. This particular recording sounds a (very) little "over-middley", but that is not an EQ or compression problem, it's a mic technique problem. Getting the vocal vibe right is a matter of practice, unless you have an award-winning producer on the other end of the DAW.
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