Weird / Strange Resonances on vocals.

[Manolo G]

Hello, how are you? Let me introduce myself.
My name is Manuel.

We made this recording for a Spanish rap EP. We recorded it with an SSL 2 + Neumann TLM 102. I hear some very strange frequencies in the mids and highs in this vocal. I tried several spectrum analyzers and denoisers, but I couldn't get the right sound. I hear the voice with a lot of harshness and metallic noise in that area like digital clipping or something like that and we can't re-record them. I recorded them at a healthy volume. The rapper's voice is already very harsh, but those resonances are driving me crazy. I appreciate any help.

Sample :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10Fqghs ... sp=sharing

Process in sample :

High pass filter 100 hz
RVox

[Drew Stephenson]

Smarter people with better ears and more experience than me will doubtless be along soon but my initial thoughts are that firstly I'd try a different reverb as that might be contributing. Secondly popping on a dynamic EQ but with the active band set about an octave above what initially seems to be the problem frequency area.
I find with vocal resonances it can be the area above the main resonance that is actually the problematic bit.

[James Perrett]

Could you post a sample of the unprocessed vocal? It may just be a case of the mic not suiting the voice. Over emphasised high frequencies are a very common problem with cheaper condenser mics (the TLM102 is cheap for a Neumann). The mic may well sound impressive in the shop or in isolation but the sound doesn't always work well in a mix - which is a very common problem with mixes that I receive for mastering.

I'd much rather hear vocals recorded with an SM58 than with many of the sub £500 condenser mics out there.

[R_A]

RVox has an exciter in it's signal flow (that you can't switch off). Maybe try switching it out with your DAW's clean compressor, or if you are a WAVES user try C1.

Have you overseen all elements of the project? If not, check whether the voice has note been tuned with a digital tool. The voice is rapping to a pitch of C, then alternating to D. It's sounds a little forced, though this could just be the performance.

Might be worth trying some different mics on his voice next time.

That said, I don't think it sounds dreadful. Does it trouble you as much once the rest of the instruments are in the composition?

Good luck with your project.

[Manolo G]

Smarter people with better ears and more experience than me will doubtless be along soon but my initial thoughts are that firstly I'd try a different reverb as that might be contributing. Secondly popping on a dynamic EQ but with the active band set about an octave above what initially seems to be the problem frequency area.
I find with vocal resonances it can be the area above the main resonance that is actually the problematic bit.

Thanks for the reply and taking the time to read and listen

That sample doesn't have any reverb, so I'll upload a completely RAW one now.

Could you post a sample of the unprocessed vocal? It may just be a case of the mic not suiting the voice. Over emphasised high frequencies are a very common problem with cheaper condenser mics (the TLM102 is cheap for a Neumann). The mic may well sound impressive in the shop or in isolation but the sound doesn't always work well in a mix - which is a very common problem with mixes that I receive for mastering.

I'd much rather hear vocals recorded with an SM58 than with many of the sub £500 condenser mics out there.

Hi bro ! Thanks for the reply .

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lmyaWY ... sp=sharing

Here is the vocal total raw without any process.

RVox has an exciter in it's signal flow (that you can't switch off). Maybe try switching it out with your DAW's clean compressor, or if you are a WAVES user try C1.

Have you overseen all elements of the project? If not, check whether the voice has note been tuned with a digital tool. The voice is rapping to a pitch of C, then alternating to D. It's sounds a little forced, though this could just be the performance.

Might be worth trying some different mics on his voice next time.

That said, I don't think it sounds dreadful. Does it trouble you as much once the rest of the instruments are in the composition?

Good luck with your project.

Hi bro ! Thanks for the reply .

Here i upload a totally raw take of the sample :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lmyaWY ... sp=sharing

Exactly, for me it's not the right microphone for the harsh voice and the resonances it produces. Already sounds very metallic or distorted to me, and I can't find a way to fix it since we can't re-record them. In context with the other instruments, it also sounds very harsh.

[Manolo G]

Here I leave another sample, with a little EQ and compression, with uncolored EQ and compression the "problem" I am describing is much more noticeable.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mvsaos ... sp=sharing

It's like a ringing noise, sorry if my english is bad

[Drew Stephenson]

Smarter people with better ears and more experience than me will doubtless be along soon but my initial thoughts are that firstly I'd try a different reverb as that might be contributing..

That sample doesn't have any reverb, so I'll upload a completely RAW one now.

Sorry, getting myself confused, I thought RVox was a reverb, my bad.
Will listen to the dry recording when I'm back in the studio tomorrow.

[James Perrett]

Looking at that sample on a spectrum analyser, there is almost a whole octave missing between 4.5 and 8kHz for most of it but there is also quite a bit of energy around 8-12kHz. That missing octave may account for why it sounds strange.

I suspect that missing octave is a characteristic of the voice rather than an artefact of the signal chain but a different mic may help to make things sound better.

[Manolo G]

Looking at that sample on a spectrum analyser, there is almost a whole octave missing between 4.5 and 8kHz for most of it but there is also quite a bit of energy around 8-12kHz. That missing octave may account for why it sounds strange.

I suspect that missing octave is a characteristic of the voice rather than an artefact of the signal chain but a different mic may help to make things sound better.

Thank you so much for your response and your interest in answering and listening. I completely agree. He has a special, cracked voice that's great for that style of rap, so you can apply effects to it later (tune, dist, etc.). But that ringing noise is really driving me crazy, haha. We can't re-record him (at least not anytime soon) since he's not from my city. Obviously, I'll change the microphone next time, but now with this vocal recording, I need to "fix" or hide that defect. I appreciate any help or tips. Thanks, and sorry if my English is bad.