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Vocal Mic Shootout

Lesson 50 from: Recording Metal with Eyal Levi: A Bootcamp

Eyal Levi

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Lesson Info

50. Vocal Mic Shootout

Next Lesson: Lead Vocal Tracking

Lessons

Class Trailer
1

Intro to Bootcamp

13:44
2

Purpose of Pre-Production

15:54
3

Technical Side of Preproduction

11:32
4

Pre-Production: Setting Up the Tempo Map

12:05
5

Pre-Production: Importing Stems

10:10
6

Pre-Production: Click Track

15:26
7

Creating Tracking Templates

17:03
8

Intro and the Tone Pie

04:51
9

Drums - Lay of the Land

10:44
10

Bearing Edges

03:09
11

Wood Types

10:36
12

Depths and Sizes

04:00
13

Hoops

02:38
14

Sticks and Beaters

07:38
15

Drum Heads

07:30
16

Drum Tuning

1:03:54
17

Drum Mic Placement Intro

10:37
18

Basic Drum Mic Setup

53:36
19

Cymbal Mic Setup

35:24
20

Touch Up Tuning

46:55
21

Microphone Choice and Placement

40:34
22

Drum Tracking Intro

01:01
23

Getting Tones and Final Placement

34:51
24

Primary Tracking

31:54
25

Punching In and Comping Takes

20:11
26

Guitar Setup and Rhythm Tone Tracking

01:59
27

Amplifiers - Lay of the Land

10:00
28

Amplifiers & Cab Shoot Out

27:12
29

Guitar Cab Mic Choice and Placement

03:56
30

Guitar Tracking and Signal Chain

29:07
31

Finalizing Amplifier Tone

51:24
32

Guitar Mic Shootout Round Robin

05:21
33

Intro to Rhythm Tracking

07:46
34

Setting Up Guitars

15:02
35

Working with a Guitarist

05:04
36

Final Guitar Tone and Recap

04:10
37

Guitar Tracking with John

15:19
38

Guitar Tracking with Ollie

32:03
39

Final Tracking

22:08
40

Tracking Quads

33:44
41

Intro to Bass Tone

01:26
42

Bass Tone Setup

07:35
43

Bass Tone Mic Placement

16:42
44

Bass Tracking

45:08
45

Intro to Clean and Lead Tones

02:15
46

Clean Guitar Tones

34:04
47

Lead Tones

10:58
48

Vocal Setup for Tracking

11:26
49

Vocal Mic Selection and Setup

02:38
50

Vocal Mic Shootout

09:13
51

Lead Vocal Tracking

38:09
52

Writing Harmonies

07:44
53

Harmony Vocal Tracking

23:25
54

Vocal Warm Ups

11:39
55

Scream Vocal Tracking

18:56
56

Vocal Tuning and Editing Introduction

01:35
57

Vocal Tuning and Editing

29:26
58

Routing and Bussing

25:16
59

Color Coding, Labeling and Arranging Channels

17:54
60

Setting Up Parallel Compression

30:50
61

Setting Up Drum Triggers

10:41
62

Gain Staging and Trim

1:00:54
63

Drum Mixing - Subtractive EQ

25:38
64

Drum Mixing - Snare

23:00
65

Drum Mixing - Kick

11:39
66

Drum Mixing - Toms

24:47
67

Drum Mixing - Cymbals and Rooms

17:23
68

Drum Mixing Recap

08:57
69

Mixing Bass Guitar

16:26
70

Mixing Rhythm Guitars

1:16:07
71

Basic Vocal Mix

1:08:59
72

Mixing Clean and Lead Guitars

58:55
73

Mixing - Automation

43:35
74

Mastering - Interview with Joel Wanasek

31:01

Lesson Info

Vocal Mic Shootout

We're gonna be checking three mics, the U87, RE20 and SM7B through three different sets of pre's. I mean, through three different pre's, API's, and then through three different Neves to hear what they sound like. We're gonna be sending each one of these pre's through a distressor into an 1176. As you can see, we've got three distressors and three 1176's so, they're all gonna be set the same and this'll give us a really, really good idea of what the differences are between the mics. And again, we're just gonna go for what sounds best on his voice. As far as the settings on the distressors go, I'm gonna figure that out as we do this but more than likely I'm gonna start in a somewhat neutral setting as far as attack and release which is kinda like, down the middle, five and five. Probably gonna go ten to one like they're set right now and I'm gonna get above 10 dB of gain reduction on the distressor and then we'll see what happens, maybe even more, sometimes it sounds better when it's hig...

her than that, so let's see what happens. Hey, hey, hey. (deep scream) Alright, so, yeah, go into the SM7B and just kinda like check it a little and see what's going on, alright? Alright. I'm gonna record you, I just wanna see what level's coming in first. Okie dokie. Hey hey, check, one two. (Monuments track plays) Hey, check, one two. ♫ I would be wise to lay in ♫ Parents or planets sublime Alrighty then. Alrighty, so real quick, what I ended up settling on with the distressors is actually a super fast attack and a medium release, just because I wanna clamp down (clears throat) 'scuse me. I wanna clamp down on his vocals immediately. I've also got a pretty fast attack on the and a pretty fast release as well and I like it, I want his vocals to be super compressed. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. So, we've go the U67, the RE20, and the SM7B through the three API's as well as the three Neves and we will check them out. Yes we will. So here's what we got with the U67 Okay. Let's do it. Let's hear it against the music actually. Let's check it out. Check it out. (laughs) Yeah, yeah. (Monuments track plays) Sounds nice. Nice shitty take. (laughs) What, are you just warming up? (Monuments track plays) Sorry, 20, I kinda like you but I feel like it's kinda boring. Yeah, the RE20 through the API, is that what that was? Yeah. That was actually nicer than the U67. Here's the SM7B through the API. (Monuments track plays) It just hits harder It's what we used on the record. Yeah, I mean, we wanted to try different things just because that's what you do in the studio but on the record, we shot out, what, like five different mics? Big time. And ended up with SM7 through an API And we basically were like, it seems like it's going to be the same case. Yeah. It's, as you heard, it's not like there's anything wrong with the other ones through the API. Not at all. I'll solo them. It's just that Characteristics of the mic. And my voice. (Chris Barretto's vocals) That's the U67. I mean, it sounds nice. (Chris Barretto's vocals) I don't like the RE20 at all. (Chris Barretto's vocals) that just gives so much more. Let's just check the Neves too. It's just go that perfect combination of body and crunch slash cut. And attitude. Yeah, the attitude is there. So, the U67 through the Neve I actually had to de-ess it a little bit 'cause it was super ess-y. (hisses) Yeah. It wasn't through the API but it certainly was through the Neve. So this is the-- Does the Neve have the tendency to be super ess-y, or is it just me? I think it's just you, and it wasn't on the other mic. So this is the U67 through the Neve. (Chris Barretto's vocals) I don't like it at all. SM7 through the Neve. (Chris Barretto's vocals) I don't like that. I don't like it either. It just doesn't have the attitude. The presence, yeah. It's an attitude thing. Here's the RE20 through the Neve. (Chris Barretto's vocals) I dunno, I feel like the Neve colors your voice too much in the wrong way. I believe you are correct. Yeah, I feel like the API just captures you very, very well. We'll play it against the music too. Do you have a reason you think why the API and my voice go so well hand in hand? API is a much more full-frequency, punchy sounding pre-amp when you drive it harder and a Neve is more, people think that it's got better low-end, but it doesn't. What it does is, it shaves off some at the top, some at the bottom, and you get more low-mid presence in it. It adds a little bit more coloration, so a lot of people like them for whatever reasons, but on your voice, I just think we need something that just captures you, doesn't color it too much and just pushes you in front, 'cause I want it to sound exactly like you do in the room, we don't need to mess with the character of your voice. Fair enough. That's what I think, that's my opinion on the why. What kind of vocal type do you think that I have that works so well with the API, just out of curiosity? Like, if any other vocalists are out there that are kinda like me in that respect, is that something that they could use too? It tends to be a really good choice for this style of music, for heavier music, 'cause it's so punchy that it does help push vocals to the front. I feel like if I was recording some sultry jazz singer, Probably not. Probably not. Something a little more body, a little bit rounder. Darker, yeah. We need the brightness to punch through. And I feel like my voice isn't that bright naturally anyway, so I feel like it gives it a little bit of an edge. That's what I personally think, but you tell me. Well, yeah, it definitely does. I mean, even against the other microphones via the API, those definitely have more edge than the Neve ones, but the SM7B just wins. Let's hear it against the music though. Let's do it. No. Just kidding. Alright, so here's the SM7B Neve against the music. (Monuments track plays) SM7B API now against the music. (Monuments track plays) Just a world of difference. Night and day. Here's the U67 Neve against the music. (Monuments track plays) It's like, that sounds nice, but we would need-- It's just missing that little something. Yeah, it might be good for a different genre. Here's U67 API. (Monuments track plays) Again, it sounds nice. Smoother, a lot smoother though. Man, this SM7B wins. (Monuments track plays) It naturally sits in where it should be. Yeah, so let's roll with that. Cool. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Alright, let's get a screaming tone and a finish this. Yeah!

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Eyal Levi Bootcamp Bonuses
Drum Editing - HD

Ratings and Reviews

Ron
 

I'm on lesson 19! Already worth every dollar!!! Priceless insight! I have already incorporated some of the ideas (preproduction common sense stuff that I never thought of, but damn). VERY HAPPY with this course! ALWAYS LEARNING and looking forward to the next 50 (or whatever) lessons!!! Excellent course! GREAT PRODUCER/ENGINEER, GREAT DRUM TECH, and GREAT BAND!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

ceeleeme
 

I'm just part way though and I'm blown away by the quality approach Eyal takes to getting the best out of the sessions. I love how well everything is explained and Eyals calm manner is just awesome it really makes you want to listen to the gems of wisdom he offers.

Will
 

Wow is all I can say. This bootcamp goes in so much depth from tuning drums, setting up guitars, to recording and mixing. I have learned so much by participating in this bootcamp. It has taught me some new recording techniques and signal routing for my mixes. I just want to thank Eyal, Monuments, and Creative Live for taking the time to do this. It has been amazing and I will keep going back to these videos.

Student Work

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