Brittle Recording - Feedback and Help Request

[SpottS]

Hey Friends! I've been recording for a bit and a few songs have given me trouble. The recordings I've gotten for these more quiet verses (verses where my vocals are very quiet) have come out brittle and sort of harsh sounding.

I've included a dropbox with me recording the verses on different mics and interfaces. I still seem to get a similar problem. I've included the raw versions with no FX, so I know there may be some sibilance and some mouth clicks. But I'm interested in the overall tone/quality of the sound and trying to get it as clean and clear as possible.

Here's the dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mwu9lub188z9 ... Vip_a?dl=0

Can you all help me figure out how to get a clean and clear sound?

Thanks!

[sonics]

In your examples, I do hear some issues with the last two Focusrite recordings. The Apollo, especially the NT1a, sound just as I would expect. The quality of your voice is a factor, too, of course. Speaking quietly, close to the mic will give the voice a sibilant quality.

Do explain in more detail what you think is wrong with the Apollo examples. They sound just fine to me.

[SpottS]

In your examples, I do hear some issues with the last two Focusrite recordings. The Apollo, especially the NT1a, sound just as I would expect. The quality of your voice is a factor, too, of course. Speaking quietly, close to the mic will give the voice a sibilant quality.

Do explain in more detail what you think is wrong with the Apollo examples. They sound just fine to me.

Thanks so much for your reply and for listening! The thing is I’m not quite sure what it is but it’s bothering me. Sometimes it is a spike in the 13K, but overall there is a “brittle” almost metallic quality in the mid to top end. I’m hoping for the recordings to sound intimate and close, but the top end sounds like there is some distortion or “dirt” that I can’t quite describe. Does it sound like it’s just my voice? Can you hear a difference in the two interfaces or a sound coming from the mics? What issues are you hearing? Perhaps your perspective will help me pinpoint it a bit more. Thanks again!

[SpottS]

Also what I’m referring to I don’t think is normal sibilance. When I use different de-es plug ins I can get rid of the sibilance but the brittleness remains. Sometimes I use a soothe on the 7-15k range or just around the 13k range and that helps but I’d like to figure out why it’s happening in the first place and what it is. I see other people record close and not have this problems/character so I’m not sure what’s happening.

[Wonks]

What are you monitoring on? What monitors or headphones? Could they be emphasising certain frequencies that other monitoring systems don’t, hence you hear harshness and others don’t?

Or older ears might not pick up high frequency issues that younger ears do? I know I wouldn’t notice anything at all at 13kHz!

[Mike Stranks]

The NT1a is a notoriously 'bright' mic... I've never yet received a recording made with one that didn't need remedial work to tame the hard and bright high-mids and above.

Jus' sayin'...

[Wonks]

The NT1a is a notoriously 'bright' mic... I've never yet received a recording made with one that didn't need remedial work to tame the hard and bright high-mids and above.

Jus' sayin'...

But if the OP thinks it’s also happening with an SM7B…

I agree that an NT1A isn’t the right mic for this job, but there shouldn’t be harshness with the SM7B.

[Arpangel]

The NT1/Focusrite sounds near enough, would be fine with a bit of top cut.
But, in the the context of a mix?

[Drew Stephenson]

Like the others here I'm not hearing anything amiss on either headphones or monitors, and my hearing is still good to 14kHz. Maybe a mic with a flatter response might help? Do you have anything else to hand?

[Mike Stranks]

The NT1a is a notoriously 'bright' mic... I've never yet received a recording made with one that didn't need remedial work to tame the hard and bright high-mids and above.

Jus' sayin'...

But if the OP thinks it’s also happening with an SM7B…

I agree that an NT1A isn’t the right mic for this job, but there shouldn’t be harshness with the SM7B.

Yes; I know that... it's not always necessary to dot every i and cross every t... it was a comment about the NT1a... not a broader comment on the OP's perceived woes...

[Wonks]

However, I did read it as if you hadn't noticed the SM7B use. Sometimes it does help to dot and cross.

[Aaron Straley]

I thought the SM7b was less brittle than the others. Try experimenting with distance from the mic and the timbre of your voice. The meat of the voice doesn't have enough edge, so the edges are forced to the consonances and they stand out more. That's what I think I'm hearing

[SpottS]

I thought the SM7b was less brittle than the others. Try experimenting with distance from the mic and the timbre of your voice. The meat of the voice doesn't have enough edge, so the edges are forced to the consonances and they stand out more. That's what I think I'm hearing

Thanks to everyone who's listened so far! I do sometimes hear it with the SM7b, though I hear it mostly on my monitors (KRK Rokit 5s). If you all aren't hearing anything distorted or brittle, perhaps it is my own perception? I'm afraid I may have hyperfixated, but I've been hearing it for months and done a lot of tests.

Aaron, can you tell me more what you mean by "The meat of the voice doesn't have enough edge, so the edges are forced to the consonances and they stand out more. That's what I think I'm hearing" ?

I think I've heard that once before from an engineering friend I showed this too but I'm not quite sure how that happens or what is happening.

Thanks to everyone!

[Aaron Straley]

I think the recordings are an accurate representation of your voice. Instead of using a different mic or interface, you might look at your vocal and mic technique to get a better recording. I don't hear a clearly defined edge to vocal, and I think this makes the consonants stand out more. That's the best way I can explain it.

[Wonks]

Probably true. Have you had (thought of trying) some vocal coaching lessons?

[SpottS]

I think the recordings are an accurate representation of your voice. Instead of using a different mic or interface, you might look at your vocal and mic technique to get a better recording. I don't hear a clearly defined edge to vocal, and I think this makes the consonants stand out more. That's the best way I can explain it.

Sorry, I'm still unclear what you mean by defined edge? Do you mean in terms of performance a clarity in the enunciation? Or do you mean edge as in a top end of the character of the vocal?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by edge.

[Aaron Straley]

whisper (this would have no edge) a few sentences and see if you notice how the consonants are the loudest part and stick out more. Then, holler out like your calling across the yard to your brother. the consonants should be less loud compared to the rest of the word(s)

[SpottS]

whisper (this would have no edge) a few sentences and see if you notice how the consonants are the loudest part and stick out more. Then, holler out like your calling across the yard to your brother. the consonants should be less loud compared to the rest of the word(s)

Oh okay, so the transients are the edge you're referring to. I think I understand better.

[Aaron Straley]

Not exactly. I mean the difference in volume of your vowel sounds compared to the consonants.

A vowel is a speech sound made with your mouth fairly open, the nucleus of a spoken syllable. A consonant is a sound made with your mouth fairly closed.

[Kwackman]

A consonant is a sound made with your mouth fairly closed.

Mouth (lips? Jaw?) open for these consonants?
C, D, G, H, J, K, L, N, Q, R, S, T, X, Z?

[Aaron Straley]

Fairly closed for those consonants

[SpottS]

Fairly closed for those consonants

oh okay, thanks! That's something I hadn't thought of. I know when singing to change the vowel to a more open vowel/sound to help for certain things. I hadn't thought of playing with a similar technique for consonants. Thank you.