Bass in mono and vocal "megaphone" sound
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Posted on Oct 08, 2003 10:52 am
murray the k
Member Since: May 23, 2003
I just came across a site on the net that explained that the bass track should always be in mono. The reason was due to the phase and double frequency problems when recording in stereo. I'm going to try this out later, but has anybody heard of this before? Are there any other instruments I should know of that need to be recorded in mono? And finally, I need help achieving a "megaphone" like vocal sound. I'm not looking for the feedback of a megaphone, but more of the hollow midrange sound. I've tried to boost the midrange on my eq and add distortion, but it is nowhere near what I'm looking for. Thanks in advance.
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brockMember
Since: Jun 28, 2002
Oct 08, 2003 11:00 am i'm guessing you don't want the obvious megaphone sound but more of that midrangy in your face sound. am i right? what i do to acomplish this is start by rolling the bass off. move it higher and higher untill it sounds good. thats usually enough for me. but if its not what your looking for add some around 2500 or 1000 depending on what sound your looking for. if you can give an example of this sound used in a song. that way we can know what your looking for.
brockMember
Since: Jun 28, 2002
Oct 08, 2003 11:01 am btw i always have my bass track in mono because i like a solid center and it sounds werid to me if the bass is somewhere else, but i've never heard anything about it being a rule
Oct 08, 2003 11:13 am Yes, I'm looking for a more in your face sound. The first song that comes to mind is Beck's "Where It's At", although the feedback is not what looking for. Also, do you know of any other instruments that should be mono? What about the kick drum? I imagine that anything dead center could be used in mono. But when I record in mono (CUBASE SX), it still gives me the option of panning the instrument, but this is not true stereo though, right?
MinkusMazBane of All ExistenceMember
Since: Mar 27, 2003
Oct 08, 2003 11:17 am well if you're in one of those restaurants where their radio is spread out all over and you don't necessarily hear both channels of the mix, it's kind of odd to be missing the bass. if the bass is doing goofy effect stuff, put it anywhere you want. if it's playing the role of a bass, might as well leave it where you can hear it in both channels. if you're doing something like recording both directly and mic'ing an amp, you could also pan them opposite each other, fairly close to the center. i've done that before, and i like it. it's trickier than just recording one mono bass track, but you have more tonal options.
brockMember
Since: Jun 28, 2002
Oct 08, 2003 11:23 am if your bass drum is a mono track and you pan it to the right alittle your bass drum is still a mono track, your master bus is a stereo track with the bass drum track in it. i keep my bass drum, bass, snare, and vocals center. everything else is usually hard right or left except hi hats witch i keep fairly in the center.
brockMember
Since: Jun 28, 2002
Oct 08, 2003 11:25 am about the megaphone sound in the beck song. (from my memory) i think it has a little distortion and the bass and treb rolled off but you should ask somebody else about this cause they could help more. you just got to mess with it till it sounds good. maybe record the vocals with a megaphone instead of trying to make them sound like one:)
Oct 08, 2003 11:33 am LOL, thanks. I'll try the mono techniques and maybe save up and buy a megaphone if the tweaking doesnt work out.
Oct 08, 2003 12:54 pm As far as I know, the original recording was done with a real megaphone....
W.
LokiCone PokerMember
Since: Apr 07, 2002
Oct 08, 2003 01:49 pm megaphones rock...
Oct 08, 2003 02:04 pm about that megaphone sound, y'alls right about rolling off the bass and highs. also try using a really crappy mic, like that junk they make for computers. the poorer the frequecy responce the better. you might even do good to add a little resonant boost in the midsy range. sweep it around until it sounds right. and even some distortion.satutation/limiting will help. the grease tube VST has some great presets on it that will do just this
i love that sound they got on Pink Floyd - The Wall. It's all muffled and you can't tell what he's saying
glynbMember
Since: Dec 16, 2002
Oct 16, 2003 10:42 am Regarding megaphones...
It sounds silly, but a friend of mine got a child's megaphone from a toy shop. It was dead cheap and sounds superb on recordings!
It was a few years ago, so obviously i can't say they are still around. But go and have a look in a huge toy shed, you never know what you may find!
Good excuse anyway!
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Oct 18, 2003 10:28 am On the bass thing... I think "record in mono" is a little over simplified. Or maybe I am missing something. To record simply bass with a stereo image e.g. place two mics spacially representing a person's ears, will produce little positive results. Bass is trickey. Real trickey! Rickenbacher took advantage of the "stereo" effect for a short period of time by outputing two pick ups seperately. Phase difference, oscilation, and cancelation of signal where all part of the "desired" effect. Especially with acustic bass the ear hears a lot of information. Some from the finger board, some from the body, some from the room which becomes part of the sound because of the huge wave lengths produced by the instrument. I have spent a lot of time capturing my basses sound. That is my recomendation per experience. Experiment!
