Need help with really strange noise on vocal recording.

[Shitforbrains]

Hi

I have a really annoying noise problem when recording vocals. It's like a fluttering sounding harmony being added on the vocals and I have NO idea what it might be.

I just know this:
I've tried 2 different microphones (Röde NT1 and Electro Voice RE20)
2 different interfaces (SPL Crimson 3 and a Presonus Audiobox)
2 different Macbooks
2 different DAWS (Logic Pro and Waveform 13)
2 different microphone cables
2 different USB connectors
I've tried recording the vocals completely dry without any plugins and the noise is still there.

I can't figure this out.

Is anyone willing to have a listen to my short vocal take where this noise is heard clearly, and maybe suggest what I should try next? Any help is appreciated.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bxu4v8xh ... 029oa&dl=0

Regards,

[Drew Stephenson]

Not able to listen right now, but my first question is what's the room like? Is it acoustically dead?

[Hugh Robjohns]

Have you had anyone listen to your voice in real life to see if it's a natural vocal artefact?

[Shitforbrains]

Not able to listen right now, but my first question is what's the room like? Is it acoustically dead?

Not acoustically dead, but there's some dampening panels on the wall. I'm pretty sure it's not the room, but I'll give it a try and record in another room just to be sure.

[Shitforbrains]

Have you had anyone listen to your voice in real life to see if it's a natural vocal artefact?

Yeah, well not recently, but no one's ever noticed anything like this with my voice. I can also hear it's not there when I sing without the headphones into the open air.

[Drew Stephenson]

What processing have you got going on there? It's a stereo file that isn't dual mono - there's a different signal in the sides.
You've not got some comfort verb routed in somewhere it shouldn't be have you?
EDIT - just loaded this into the DAW and it looks like you're clipping as well so backing off the levels a bit might help as well.

[Sam Inglis]

Do you mean the strange noise on the word 'possess' at the end of the clip?

It's not spill from the headphones, by any chance?

[Shitforbrains]

What processing have you got going on there? It's a stereo file that isn't dual mono - there's a different signal in the sides.
You've not got some comfort verb routed in somewhere it shouldn't be have you?
EDIT - just loaded this into the DAW and it looks like you're clipping as well so backing off the levels a bit might help as well.

I turned the mic gain down on the SPL Crimson 3 but that just makes the noise less noticable. I hear it in realtime when I sing into the mic, no plugins activated at all.

Although it might be that a limiter was activated on the stereo output when I bounced this snippet, just so that it would be heard louder. But even with nothing but the dry vocals this noise is very noticable. I just can't understand it.

[Shitforbrains]

Do you mean the strange noise on the word 'possess' at the end of the clip?

It's not spill from the headphones, by any chance?

Yes, that's the noise I'm talking about. I guess it couldn't be spill from the headphones as I hear it in realtime when I sing into the mic without recording.

[Shitforbrains]

f*** f***... It's my voice.

Sorry for taking up everyones time... I must have f*** up my voice recently.
I just sang it straight into the air I could here the weird overnotes clearly.
Guess I'm gonna have to do some more warming up before singing..

[Drew Stephenson]

It'd be worth hanging a couple of duvets up just to see if you're not getting some weird room reflections.
Also worth double checking your routing - the file you shared definitely has some kind of stereo processing going on so best to eliminate any other potential issues whilst you're at it.
Good luck.

[Hugh Robjohns]

f*** f***... It's my voice.

I thought it might be... .

Guess I'm gonna have to do some more warming up before singing..

Always a good idea... but might I suggest organising some time with a professional vocal coach who will be able to help you not only to use your voice effectively now, but more importantly learn how to avoid damage in the longer term.

[Bob Bickerton]

Agreed about the vocal coach. I recommend singers seeing a vocal coach regardless of where they are on their career path.

It can be viewed as anything between learning new techniques to general maintenance - my experiences with it have always been very positive.

Bob

[shufflebeat]

It can be viewed as anything between learning new techniques to general maintenance…

Agree strongly.

You could, of course, discover your voice and how to avoid destroying it by just singing lots and observing what happens, you may be lucky.

With a decent vocal coach you have a native guide with a map of the local area who knows where you want to end up.

[ConcertinaChap]

+1 to all of that. Once I saw a singing teacher for a series of sessions. I asked if she minded me recording them and she didn't. I later edited the recordings into a file that I play from time to time as a set of exercises to keep my voice in trim.

CC

[Tim Gillett]

It's an unusual sound, like an unrelated rasping noise, especially as Sam mentions on the "possess" word. More like something anatomical in the throat, perhaps related to the vocal cords. The sound reminds me of an Afro-American comedy actor from maybe the 50's who had unusual vocal cords which gave him a very distinctive speaking voice in the films he acted in.

[Shitforbrains]

It'd be worth hanging a couple of duvets up just to see if you're not getting some weird room reflections.
Also worth double checking your routing - the file you shared definitely has some kind of stereo processing going on so best to eliminate any other potential issues whilst you're at it.
Good luck.

Thanks for the reccomendations! Will do

[Shitforbrains]

f*** f***... It's my voice.

I thought it might be... .

Guess I'm gonna have to do some more warming up before singing..

Always a good idea... but might I suggest organising some time with a professional vocal coach who will be able to help you not only to use your voice effectively now, but more importantly learn how to avoid damage in the longer term.

Yeah definitely, I usually warm up but i've been a bit careless lately..

[Shitforbrains]

It's an unusual sound, like an unrelated rasping noise, especially as Sam mentions on the "possess" word. More like something anatomical in the throat, perhaps related to the vocal cords. The sound reminds me of an Afro-American comedy actor from maybe the 50's who had unusual vocal cords which gave him a very distinctive speaking voice in the films he acted in.

Yeah, it sounded so unnatural to me that I completely overlooked the possibility that it was my voice..

[Tim Gillett]

It's an unusual sound, like an unrelated rasping noise, especially as Sam mentions on the "possess" word. More like something anatomical in the throat, perhaps related to the vocal cords. The sound reminds me of an Afro-American comedy actor from maybe the 50's who had unusual vocal cords which gave him a very distinctive speaking voice in the films he acted in.

Yeah, it sounded so unnatural to me that I completely overlooked the possibility that it was my voice..

To be fair, you uploaded a solo voice track with no accompaniment. That's a tough, revealing test for any voice or instrument. Add a musical accompaniment and some reverb and as with many other instruments and voices, pro or amateur, the noise some of us hear may not be even noticed.

[Shitforbrains]

It's an unusual sound, like an unrelated rasping noise, especially as Sam mentions on the "possess" word. More like something anatomical in the throat, perhaps related to the vocal cords. The sound reminds me of an Afro-American comedy actor from maybe the 50's who had unusual vocal cords which gave him a very distinctive speaking voice in the films he acted in.

Yeah, it sounded so unnatural to me that I completely overlooked the possibility that it was my voice..

To be fair, you uploaded a solo voice track with no accompaniment. That's a tough, revealing test for any voice or instrument. Add a musical accompaniment and some reverb and as with many other instruments and voices, pro or amateur, the noise some of us hear may not be even noticed.

Yep, that's very true. I'm glad I thought the problem was Logic or hardware cause now I've updated all my software so it runs much smoother without any glitches.