EQ Question / Chorus Question

[mark4man]

People...

I have this problematic vocal track which sounds a bit muddy...yet doesn't seem to respond well to high fr. EQ. My EQ of choice right now is the Cambridge, with which I tried several settings to add brightness & clarity...settling on a simple high shelf.

But it leaves the vox sounding harsh...especially those vocal lines that were right on the edge of harmonic distortion (already sounding a tad scratchy.)

So, my first question is: The new Precision EQ; how is that? I've been told (by some knowledgeable folks in this forum) that the Cambridge delivers a \"surgical\" sound. Does the Precision EQ also have a digital tone...is it more like Pultec...or does it emulate some classic approach?

(&...do you think it would help smooth out a rough vocal like the one I described?)


Question 2:

On this same vocal...the attacks on some lyric lines are also harsh, in that the initial burst has a buzzy, rasp like consistency. I thought about going with a chorus effect (which I love anyway) to smooth it out, but none of the software plugs I've ever heard can capture that great \"double tracking\" sound famous in the 60's & 70's. I had the Boss CE-1, as part of v3.9...but let the trial run out without ever hearing it. Now I'm hearing about the Roland Dimension D, which supposedly emulates the best sounding chorus hdwe. ever.

So...how good is it? Does it sound like real double tracking? [I know nothing else but the real thing (2 distinct takes) does]...but is it a reasonable facsimile? How does the Boss CE-1 compare...is that any good?

Thanks very much,

mark4man

 

[Arys Chien]

Hi there,

It's only a blind guess, since I haven't heard any audio clip of your vocal tracks.

Don't boost the high with Cambridge. Do a cut instead, at 334hz, with a narrow Q (ie a higher value like from 6 to 8). Try cut it around 5dB and see if your vocal becomes \"less muddy\" and thus more clarified.

If it works, try to adjust the frequency from 334hz to other value, and see if there's a better choice to cut.

As for the sharp/annoying attack of the vocal, I really don't think that a chorus effect can do it all. Drawing the volumn line to smooth it out, or do a crossfade over the annoying area.

The Dimension D is really good. It's not a doubler effect, at least to me, but widening the singal vocal trcak pretty nicely.

If you want a doulber effect, try the free Classic Chorus plug-in from Kjaerhus Audio or the PSP 84 Delay. Or maybe just the UAD-1 DM-1.

 

[mark4man]

Arys...

Man, am I glad you responded to this (&...it's funny you mention 334 Hz)...

...because; go to this link:

http://www.moonjams.com/musiclinks1.htm

& prior to checking out the vocal tracks, take a look at the EQ processing for those tracks (in the screenshots...Cambridge & EX-1.) The dip @ 308Hz seemed like the only adjustment that helped the buzz*. The song on my server is not the one from this thread...but unfortunately shares the same malady (but not as bad.) The top two links are the reverbed vocals w/ music; & the bottom two are the same w/ dry vox.

Also...I know that the low shelf on the EX-1 is fighting the lower bands on the Cambridge...& even though the combination of both plugs gave the solo vocals a hollow sound...they bite right thru the music the way I wanted them to with the hollowness masked by the music to a large degree (& if you were able to hear the soled vox...you would ask me if they were recorded in a huge coffee can, believe me.)

Give a listen, check out the settings; & tell me what your thoughts are. I'd like to get this overall (vocal) problem solved...'cause I'm way overdue on the CD release.

Thanks,

mark4man


* buzz...& a form of harmonic distortion that gives the lyrics a \"scratchy\" tone.

 

[tkingen]

Sometimes cutting somewhere between 200 - 300hz can help out with the muddiness.