Recording #3 (x3) (+1 to pick up the slack from last week)

Posted on February 2, 2014 Updated on March 6, 2018

Ok so i wanted to understand why nailing the vocal track is so problematic, so i chose to “learn” some songs from a CD Album received a month ago as a Christmas gift, and record the “sing-along” in the kitchen.  Songs are newish to me so as to not rely on long-term memory.

Alot tougher than i thought!  Gave up trying for perfect lyrics (& on key ) Ended up with a mixed bag of recordings from one song i could live with:

 

Artist:  Shane & Shane/ Song Title:  Your Love

Recorded songs as they were playing on CD through a home stereo in the kitchen using a Zoom H6 Recorder with the MS mic recording the room sound in stereo and a second dynamic microphone recording the sing-along vocals on a separate mono track.  Imported files into Audacity and experimented with basic editing & a few effects:

Recording #3 Take 1:   tried to hide the nastiness of the mono vocal track with effects

#3 Take 1 link to Soundcloud here:     https://soundcloud.com/sue-cunha/zoom0004-kitchen-blend       

Recording #3 Take 2:  used the “Paulstretch” effect on a section of the recording to create a haunting sound

#3 Take 2 link to Soundcloud here:    https://soundcloud.com/sue-cunha/the-haunting

*****************************************************************************************************************************************

Lets try something else:

An oldie:   The Allman Brothers  “Soulshine”

Recording #3 Take 3:  Just singing along with the Allman Brothers in my kitchen

#3 Take 3 link to Soundcloud here:    https://soundcloud.com/sue-cunha/zoom0013-allman-bros

Note:  Soundcloud was not happy with the “copyright infringement” of this gorilla recording.  Re-uploaded using “private” settings:  https://soundcloud.com/sue-cunha/zoom0013-soulshine-singalong but still NFG so y’all will have to miss out on my rendition of “Soulshine”

– probably for the best that it stays in the kitchen lol (but so much for picking-up-the-slack)

How about recording sound at the floor level?

Recording #3 Take 4:  Flamenco Shoes (warm-up): 

#3 Take 4 link to Soundcloud here:    https://soundcloud.com/sue-cunha/zoom0025-flamenco-warmup

I have no idea who the Artist is (to my shame)…Recording was part of a summer party playlist assembled by others

Made the recording as the song was playing on CD through a home stereo in the kitchen using a Zoom H6 Recorder.  The MS mic was recording the room sound in stereo and a second dynamic microphone was set up on a stand contorted so that the mic was recording the foot action on a separate mono track at about two feet above floor level

 

Findings!!

– using a handheld dynamic microphone for vocals allows for physical movement and artistic vocal expression – but takes practice for the artist to achieve the desired sound

– feels like your performance is improved when you are singing along with the sound of prerecorded music pumping-it-up in the room, BUT end result is closer to laziness (off key/poor tone/timing issues/and vocals often “not connected”)  if artist is relying on the recorded lyric track to carry the song

– editing & effects may cover a multitude of sins