Ape Trax Studio Blog

Ok, this always seems to be a hot topic on most recording forums and I don’t understand why people still think that mixing with headphones is so much worse than mixing with monitors. In fact, I think that it’s more important to mix with headphones than it is with monitors. I introduce to you your new studio mix environment…

Yes, I am just awaiting the evil comments…”How dare I say such a thing”.

After reading an interesting article about why you should not be mixing primarily with headphones I decided that this approach was wrong, and I’ll tell you why…

Most people listen to their music with iPods, their phone, or their computer.

and to do this they typically must use headphones. Yes people today digest their music with a small portable device and a headphone no one sits in front of their home stereo any more, well, maybe this guy still does:

If the ultimate music listening environment is most likely a set of headphones then why not mix with a pair of headphones, and while you’re at it, a pair of crappy stock iPod ear buds. If you still can’t wrap you head around the idea of sticking these admittedly crappy-sounding headphones into your ears and mixing your clients work, at least think about creating multiple mixes. (done with headphones, monitors, multimedia speakers) This can at least give you different variations with which to choose from later.

Now I’m not saying abandon the monitor all together–let’s not be hasty. The studio monitor, along with as many other playback sources as you can find will still be a major part of the studio environment, but I’m saying re-evaluate the way you view you mixing priorities.

It may or may not come as a surprise that many of the singers that walk through the doors of our studio know little to nothing about microphone technique and how it affects their voice and, of course, their final recording.  I’ve seen singers attempt to use a microphone from just about every angle and distance and yes, extreme setups can be correct for certain situations, but knowing what suits your voice and your musical style is crucial in the final sound of your music.

What is mic technique?

Just singing in the general direction of a microphone is not enough in a studio environment where the highest quality is expected. The recorded sound of voice is influenced by many factors other than their actual voice.
Distance to the microphone is important because the closer you get to a microphone, the louder the end result is going to be. Cardioid microphones also exhibit what’s called the “proximity” effect, which boosts low frequencies as the singer gets closer to the diaphragm of the microphone.

Why should I care about mic technique?

As studio engineers we try to keep the dynamic range of recorded vocals within a certain range (we are allotted only so much dynamic range on a CD) using studio equipment like compressors and limiters. The greater the dynamic range, the harder our equipment has to work, and the harder our equipment has to work, the greater the chance of there being unwanted artifacts making their way into the recording. That said, the singer can be of great help by controlling the way they approach singing into the microphone.

Tips to improve your microphone technique

Use a pop filter to capture plosives. This typically happens when singing phrases containing “B’s” and “P’s” that produces a quick blast of air that hits the microphone diaphragm resulting in an unpleasant thud.  A fine mesh pop filter is designed to disperse these blasts of air before reaching the microphone.

Position the microphone slightly above your mouth and pointed downward about 8 – 12 inches away. This is a great starting point for most singers and works well in most cases, but always remember to experiment.

Do not cover the microphone with your hand. Many singers like to sing with the microphone in their hand, and this is fine, just be sure not to cover the main capsule with your hand. This can only lead to muted frequencies and inferior vocal recordings.

Change the microphone distance based on volume. This is important and rather difficult to master for many vocalists. In order to keep the the overall level of volume within reason it recommended that on louder phrases you back away slightly from the microphone to avoid overloading or distortion. The opposite is true of softer phrases, get a bit closer to the microphone to avoid letting in any room noise or monitor bleed.  If the song is structured in such a way that there are long phrases of loud and soft parts,  consider concentrating on each of these sections separately.  You can hold one postition for the softer vocals, and then go back and re-adjust for the more aggressive ones.

Try different microphones. While not really microphone technique, this is extremely important to the final sound vocal sound. Some voices sound good with a $3k studio condenser, and some sound great with a $50 dynamic mic. Typically all-out screaming just doesn’t sound any better, and many times worse, on an expensive vocal mic.

Place written lyrics in front of you. If you must use written lyrics, please arrange them properly so you can see then while practicing the points above. Do not attempt to sing and hold lyric cheats on your hands at the same time–it doesn’t work. Have someone else hold them for you if needed, or setup a stand at a comfortable height for singing.  Be aware that having a music stand too close to the mic can cause some unwanted reflections that most vocal mics will pick up.  We’ve found that the best setup to avoid these reflections is either taping or clamping the lyric sheet at eye level onto the boom arm of another mic stand or lowering a music stand to about waist height and tilting the rest back into a lectern position.  With this second option,  you’ll have to use your eyeballs more to keep an eye on your cheat sheet so you don’t drop the direction of your voice.

Just remember to experiment, and be conscious of what you are doing when you step in front of a microphone. Just singing in the general direction of a microphone is not going to cut it. Remember, it’s your music, your baby…do it right.

Realize that by going into the recording studio you are putting your band and your music under a microscope where it will be poked and prodded into submission. Every line, every transition, and every break will be revealed in astonishing clarity and failing to prepare yourselves and your music for this environment can be the difference between a successful song and just another forgotten track.

Don’t fret; here are a few tips to help you prepare for a successful studio project:

Download the studio checklist.

Have You Even Practiced This Before?

Have your songs completed before going into the studio. The studio is not the place to be writing and practicing your material. Save that for back home where it’s free. You wouldn’t build a bridge without a set of plans, would you? Be prepared before hitting the studio. You will save yourself a bunch of money and everyone else a giant headache.

Start With Nothing But The Best

Beg, borrow, or rent the best equipment you can get your hands on. Everything starts with your gear and starting in the hole just makes everything else harder. That starter drum kit may be fine for rehearsal or even live gigs, but all will be revealed once we throw a mic in front of it and try and sell it to the world.
Make sure your gear works before we hit record. Do all the amps work? Do the drums rattle and squeak? Do the outputs on your keyboard sound alright? Asking yourself a few simple questions can save the day.

Preparing Yourself For War

Musical instruments can and will break–usually at the worst of times. Luckily many problems can be easily solved with a bit of preparation. Bring along extra sets of guitar and bass strings, guitar picks, cables, drum sticks, drum heads, drum keys, and batteries to power gear.

Restring Your Ax

Put a set of fresh strings on all your guitars and basses the day before the studio session to get the fullest sound possible. The extra day will give the strings some extra time to stretch out a bit–no one likes a guitar that constantly goes out of tune.

What Do You Want To Sound Like?

One of the most difficult questions for bands to answer is: “What do you want your songs to sound like?” Most jazz groups don’t want their songs sounding like an extreme black metal record. Let us know what sound you are looking for. The easiest way to do that is with a great example. Something as simple as an iPod or a CD of a song with a sound you like will go a long way in helping us understand the sound you are looking for.

More Is Not Better.

We know you love your girlfriend dearly, but unless she’s going to be on the record, or is bringing the audio engineer cupcakes, we would advise that you leave her and the rest of your posse at home. You are here to do one thing and only one thing…make the best damn record you can. Trust us when we say that everyone else just gets in the way of that process.

The More You Party The Worse You Sound.

We know you have an image to uphold as the hardest partying group in the whole city, but that’s not going to help you in the studio. Vocals quickly become harsh and out of tune. Musical parts get sloppy and offbeat. Soon enough a great song dissolves into a smoking wreck that you can’t stand listening to. Get a good night sleep before coming in and everything, including recording, becomes easier. Unless you have the budget to hire studio musicians to come in and re-record the drunken mess you’ve made the day before, we suggest you save the beers for your next gig.

Food Can Be The Best Motivator.

Studio sessions are long, tiring, and take everything you have to keep things running smoothly. Bring along your favorite food and drinks because you’re in for the long haul. Nothing keeps morale up better than having a bag of Cheetos ready and waiting when you need it.