Vocal Fx

jumpjet

Active Member
I have a question for you sound gurus out there. I searched for it, but didn't find anything.

For a musical, is there a simple vocal plate or something that you can apply to everyone just to...help the singers a little? I'm just wondering what you typically add. For concerts a lot of times I apply a tap delay, or tap delay w/reverb, or tape echo. That kind of stuff just isn't right for a musical, so I'm just looking for any input.
 
I would suggest perhaps a "large hall" type of effect, but you have to be careful in how you mix the signal because at times it could get overwhelming. I don't use effects too often, so someone please correct me if im wrong, but I think that a hall effect would aid your singers without your patrons catching on too much because it could sound like natural reverberance.
 
Ya, that or a simple "chorus" effect... it realy depends on what effects you have avaiable and how they sound in your room and w/ your singers. A little bit of reverb never really hurts IMO, but again it's something you have to listen and judge. Effects are very tricky to write about if you ask me b/c it is ALOT to do with what you hear and how it sounds with the particular singer. I am currently editing a recording from the same night from the same auditorium with the same microphone with several different people, and I think i have almost used a different set of reverb effects for each person so far! Just differences in the way they sing/use the mic/the music they were singing . Anyways, I digress....
 
Singing lessons perhaps!

I think that Peter hit it on the head in saying that there are no hard and fast rules.

You have to use your ears and make a decision as to what best suits your application. Start of simple and add just a little FX and remember to walk around the house to ensure that what sounds good from the booth doesn’t sound like Darth Vader meets the Chipmunks in other areas.

One of the problems with sound is that it differs from house to house and singer to singer, regardless if the equipment remains the same.

I know that this isn’t filling your heart with joy but it is a reality of the game. Good luck and don’t be afraid to experiment during rehearsals. They are as much about you getting to work out your sound as it is getting the talent to sing, dance and be merry.

Good luck.
 

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