# Recording vocal on a budget



## DanielOutro (May 31, 2017)

This one is for all vocalists and singer-songwriters looking to build a DIY recording setup for under $500. Hope you like it.

Read here


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## Phryq (Jun 3, 2017)

If you're on a budget, meaning you don't have a recording studio room, I'd go for a dynamic supercardioid.


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## gsilbers (Jun 3, 2017)

A friend recomended this as well 
https://www.kaoticaeyeball.com


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## Phryq (Jun 4, 2017)

I did a ton of reading about isolation booths, including the eyeball.

The eyeball has a problem with directing some ERs straight into the mic. Someone should design something similar, but use long wedges. There are other 'portable booths' you can buy, but they're often supported by wood or plastic behind the foam.

If you want to go all out, but some good quality 4" wedge foam and make your own. Don't add any hard / wooden materials. I'd still use a dynamic / supercardioid.

The Cad e100s is also very nice and supercardioid.


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## Smikes77 (Jun 25, 2017)

I used to use stockings and a coat hanger for a pop shield when I started out and broke as hell. Works fine. Saved yourself some cash to put towards something else.


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## jononotbono (Jun 25, 2017)

Smikes77 said:


> I used to use stockings and a coat hanger for a pop shield when I started out and broke as hell. Works fine. Saved yourself some cash to put towards something else.



I did too. Great advice. I also think looking into buying an SE Reflection filter is a great way of improving vocal recordings. There are cheaper versions of the SE reflection filter and different sizes too. Works well for Acoustic Guitar isolation (depending on what you're trying to achieve and record).


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## wst3 (Jun 25, 2017)

That post seems to be headed in the right direction, but I'm really struggling to understand the choices.

The voice remains, to me, the highest priority, but lets go ahead and assume we have a voice worth recording. Makes the rest easier<G>!

The microphone is the next most important piece of the puzzle. It is true that in the last 30 or so years a large diaphragm condenser microphone has been used to record the majority of vocals across all genres. And that's a sound we've grown accustomed to. You can even go further, the ELA M 251, C12, and U47 probably make up the majority of vocal microphones. But investing five figures in a microphone is silly under the best of circumstances (meaning you aren't going to realize a proportional return), and if you don't have the voice, the track, and the room it is a really bad investment.

So what's a person to do?

For starters, don't get hung up on a specific brand or even technology. Ribbon microphones are wonderful for vocals, and were the standard before condensers became popular. I'm also a little wary about sub $500 microphones in general, although there are some gems to be found. More to the point, there is no magic microphone to voice/room combination. You really need to audition microphones in the space where you work. Not as easy as it once was, but I'd steer clear of any manufacturer or dealer that wouldn't allow me to do so.

And I am unable to make specific recommendations because in my own experience - inexperienced singers in a less-than-optimal space - the combinations are never obvious. One example: I had a really strong young female singer who wanted to make a demo of her material, which was also quite good. We auditioned a number of microphones that have worked well for me in the past, on female singers, in this space. I don't even know why I put the AKG C414 up, I've never really liked it on vocals. But I did. And then she sang into all the different microphones and when we played them back the AKG was the clear winner. It just loved her! I had expected either a Shure KSM-32 or a Neuman TLM-193 to be my choice, but it wasn't to be.

Next in importance is the space. If you have a great sounding room you are in great shape. If you don't you need to do whatever you can to minimize the problems. In my case all I really need is a vocal shield. I've tried several, including a home made monstrosity, and the CAD seems to work better for me. I don't need a lot of noise reduction, the room is quiet, but I do need to minimize the room contribution, it isn't that it sounds horrible, but it does not sound good.

Next up would be the preamplifier. True confessions time, while I've had the opportunity to work with some really great gear I did not expect the preamplifier to be critical in my case. The rest of the chain should have swamped the differences. Last year I had the opportunity to buy a truly great preamplifier, and the difference is not just audible, but surprisingly so. So I would suggest one not skimp on this piece either.

Next is the A/D converter. The good news is that there are really very few bad converters. The bad news is that the really good ones are astronomically expensive. But a really good microphone into a really good preamplifier can minimize any shortcomings. That's my experience anyway. 

After that I think it is gravy. A good shock mount is a great idea. A good pop filter is equally useful. But these are small items in comparison.

You aren't going to assemble this package for $500 in one pass, but you can assemble it in pieces, and I think you can fairly say it is a budget system.

I really don't like make/model specific suggestions, so I won't make one, but I will share what has worked for me:

Microphones: AKG C12A, AKG C414, Neumann TLM-193, Royer R-101, Shure KSM-32, Shure SM-58 - one of them always works better<G>! There are some lower priced microphones from smaller companies, but I can't even recommend a big name microphone, so I'm not going to try to make recommendations for the lower priced versions. Too many variables!

Preamplifier: Millennia Media HV-37 (I wanted two channels, you can get the single channel HV-35P if you need only one). The only other one I can recommend without reservation is the John Hardy, but it was beyond my reach for now.

A/D Converter: UAD Apollo Twin USB, good, maybe really good converters and competent microphone preamplifiers which can be a lot of fun with the Unison plugins. The converters from Apogee and Audient are just as good, and reasonably priced. If you don't wish to fall into the UAD plugin addiction they might even be better choices.

And here's a trick I recommend to folks who ask - get the microphone first, then get the converter and use the built in preamplifier. That will hold you over until you can get a standalone preamplifier. It is slightly out of order, but you'll end up with a more reliable, flexible, kit that sounds great and you won't break the bank!


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## Phryq (Jun 25, 2017)

^^ Or you can just love your voice, buy a tascam 2x2 (which has amazing built in preamps - totally silent), a dynamic supercarioid to get rid of room problems (because you don't have a perfect room). An EV ND 967 sounds fantastic, costs $75.


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