dont disturb the neighbors
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Posted on Nov 14, 2003 06:25 pm
fortymile
Member Since: Jan 18, 2003
right now i live at home, and have for the past two years. but i'm going to be moving out soon. while i've lived here, one bonus has the been the ability to add vocal tracks to my songs during the day when no one's home. this is something i've always wondered how i would do if i get an apartment AND dont have access to a practice room. i'm anticipating this in the near future. how would i add vocals to my songs?
then i remembered those palm studios. could i get a cheap one and import my track and then go out to the woods? does anyone have one of these things? if so, what's good and cheap? could i take this thing and run it on like a 9-volt or something, and plug a shure into it and get a decent vocal take out where no one can hear me trying to learn how to sing at the top of my lungs?
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TheTincanbugsloppy dice, drinks twiceMember
Since: Aug 05, 2003
Nov 14, 2003 11:08 pm OK, I'll wait for one of the tech heads here to offer you any gear advice, but since I seem to be on a roll with low-tech solutions tonight, may I suggest...?
Have you thought about making an isolation chamber? You could if you have any closets that have no shared walls with the neighbors. You could take that, pad it with carpet remnants, use that space. Secondly, if you don't have that, you might - I know this is going to get laughs, but seriously - you might try getting a large plastic garbage can, padding the insides with pillows or something, and putting your mic inside it. Put the contraption on a desk, with the open end toward you, and stick your head in it to sing. For extra sound blocking, cover yourself and the end of the can with a couple of heavy blankets.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents... I've never tried the garbage can thing, so I can't vouch for its effectiveness, but if it worked it would save you a trip to the country every time you wanted to do a vocal track. :)
Nov 14, 2003 11:35 pm hahaha, man, that's hilarious. you're audio-macgyver.
i suppose i could try to pad a closet. would that really work? i mean, if i lived in an apartment complex, and were doing a lot of screaming, i would worry that some of it might bleed through the floor or ceiling.
one time we thought of a magical device: some kind of device that would take your incoming vocal signal and re-route an exactly out-of-phase signal through loudpeakers, which would cancel out all sound.
TheTincanbugsloppy dice, drinks twiceMember
Since: Aug 05, 2003
Nov 14, 2003 11:42 pm I have my closet padded with carpet and people can still hear me outside the room, so if you're in a place where you're surrounded by people it probably wouldn't work well enough for you.... if it wasn't a multilevel building you might get away with it.
"...device that would take your incoming vocal signal and re-route an exactly out-of-phase signal through loudpeakers..."
Some of the folks who stand on runways and guide the planes in with flashlights wear headphones that do that... If you could get your hands on one and modify it to work on your stereo, that would be sweet indeed. :)
Nov 15, 2003 12:02 am h9ow is that possible? they work in real time? they take the actual input and phase-reverse it?
i dont think my idea is possible.
Nov 15, 2003 01:04 am i cant believe this. i always figured that the (small but measurable?) lag between the sound and the output would make phase reversal technology impossible, without a device that could actually look ahead microseconds in time...
but if this is possible, then my dream can finally be realized! a live, mute rock concert! where the band is sweating it out, obviously screaming at the top of thier lungs in a packed house...while producing no sound whatsoever!
AlanfcMember
Since: Mar 13, 2003
Nov 16, 2003 12:02 am hey fortymile-
I have a homemade vocal booth
$99 plastic assemble-yourself tool shed from the hardware store. Rubbermaid makes them too, mine is made by a company called Suncoast. I put up 3/4" particle board pieces on each side, stapled moving blanket pieces to the boards, drilled holes for the headphone and mic cords.(then sealed them). Did all sorts of sealing and padding anywhere I saw light coming through. Bolted down one of the doors. Made a latch from the inside to close tight the other door. Got a battery operated worklight for inside. Got a wireless mouse so I can just open the door and see my computer screen and do take after take of anything.Made a tiny tall table for the mouse. I also have a crude homemade McGyver style isolation box for my Marshall. that thing is ugly but it works.
Trouble with the vocal booth is that its small.
5 ft. 8 in. tall inside, once you're inside the left-right width is 24 in., and front-back is 31 in. Luckily I'm 5 ft 7 inches (OK 5-6 3/4"). Far mic'ing for vocal is out of the question while standing. I can get about 8-10" inches free between me and the mic if I need it. Usually I'm about 3-6" away anyways. I sometimes sit on the floor, change the mic position, and sing =up= to get any kind of far off vocal sound I may need. Thats just my deal
good luck
Nov 16, 2003 04:33 am that sounds interesting. i havent done too much thinking about isolation booths. i havent thought too much about this problem at all until recently. but seeing as how one of my favorite things to do is sing while driving at night, i thought up the palm-studio idea. treks out to the woods would actually be really ideal for me. let me ask you, have you done a test to see how much sound gets out of your booth? i mean because partly, my goal here is to 'not disturb others.' but besides that, another goal is 'to not have anyone i know hear me whatsoever while im working on stuff.' it's just how i am. i get nervous if people can hear. unless i'm doing a show or something.
anyway, your booth sounds nice. just don't move in there permanently.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Nov 16, 2003 02:08 pm Forty, yes you can just use one of the cheapy recorders to do that. Remember though you will need something that will playback a track while you record the other though.
Nov 16, 2003 02:31 pm i thought those palm studios were full-fledged mini-4-tracks, with headphone jacks and all. i thought the studio itself would play back the track.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Nov 16, 2003 09:08 pm I do believe you are correct. I didnt read your post fully and was kinda refering to the cheap little 2 track recorders for doing scratch recording on the fly.
I think Korg has a nice little one. And I know I have seen a couple others in the latest Musicians Friend catalog.
Nov 16, 2003 09:25 pm nice! yes, this is what i will do.
Nov 17, 2003 12:13 am I've got a BOSS BR-532 digital portable studio that'll do what you want, and I've also heard good things about the Korg Pandora PXR-4. Both can play back while recording. The Korg is more the "palm" type recorder than the BOSS, but I think you'd be happier with the BOSS. The effects are pretty decent (with proper tweaking) and will make for a reasonable quality vocal track. Also, the BOSS has a dedicated XLR mic input, where (and Im not 100% on this on) the Korg's mic input is a "line" input. I've actually used this recorder to do just what you're wanting to do, carry it to the woods where I can belt 'em out good and loud. It runs (but not for long) on 6 AA batteries. You'll also need a smartmedia card reader/writer if you dont already have one, which'll run you $20-$30. This'll allow you to put you're song on the card as a track that you can record over. It doesn't, however, have phantom power. Hope this helps you in some way, and I hope you find what you're looking for.
Nov 17, 2003 03:01 am thanks man, this is good stuff. i'll make this purchase sometime in the coming year. and i'll definitely check out these models.
it's hard to figure out what's crazier, sticking your head into a garbage can and screaming, crawling into a little padded house and screaming, or going out to the middle of nowhere and yelling your head off.
AlanfcMember
Since: Mar 13, 2003
Nov 17, 2003 11:20 am
this small recorder sounds like a great thing fortymile- sounds good for you
I have to do stuff over so many friggin times that I need to be right by my computer yelling into my little padded house
TheTincanbugsloppy dice, drinks twiceMember
Since: Aug 05, 2003
Nov 17, 2003 11:46 am fortymile - screaming into a garbage can is definitely craziest. :) hahahaha
If you do get a little recorder, invest in a power inverter for your car. I have one for mine, and run my boom box (for the cd player) everyday, and it's saved me a TON of money in batteries. eBay usually has folks w/ good prices on them. Plugging into a car lighter will save you from having to deal with any issues involving fading power, as well.
Nov 17, 2003 06:18 pm excellent idea on the inverter. but i'm not sure what an inverter is. you mean one of those little radio-shack cigarette lighter adapters where you can flip a switch and get all different kinds of voltage and polarities?
speaking of those, i still remember one trip i took to the beach when i was young and electronically naive, the time my samurai's tape player had busted. my boom box did not have a dc adapter, but did have a battery compartment. so, ignoring the voice of caution in my head, i found an old cigarette lighter adapter from another device, plugged that into the dash, clipped the wire and cut the leads to the battery cradle in the box, then hooked those together. i summoned my friend to witness my wizardy. smoke poured out and the boom box began exploding inside. i just assumed the adapter would deliver 9 volts, but i guess it brought 12. that summer was also the summer i donned one of those shock-collars for dogs and ran across an underground fence just to see how it felt.
what would you do if a video of you screaming into your garbage can surfaced on the net and all your friends downloaded it?
TheTincanbugsloppy dice, drinks twiceMember
Since: Aug 05, 2003
Nov 17, 2003 09:19 pm An inverter is a power converter box that plugs into your lighter outlet in the car, and then has a regular 2-slot wall outlet on it that you can use to plug in electrical devices.
"what would you do if a video of you screaming into your garbage can surfaced on the net and all your friends downloaded it?"
My friends would probably think it par for the course... :)
Nov 17, 2003 09:23 pm so the inverter turns DC power into AC?
Nov 17, 2003 11:53 pm Quote "I have to do stuff over so many friggin times that I need to be right by my computer yelling into my little padded house."
The BOSS not only has a punch-in feature, but also has 32 virtual tracks with which you can scream to your hearts content. Not that I dislike the padded closet idea, but Im a man of rather..ahem..large stature, and even the idea of having to confine myself to such a closet makes my breath heavy with claustraphobia.
And Yes, the inverter translates DC power into AC. (I think, but I've been known to be wrong at least once before.)
Nov 18, 2003 06:17 am well, i've actually got a boss br-8, and that has no battery nook. although it's medium sized and not a hassle, it would be too big to carry around in the woods. although i could get an inverter and use it in my jeep on emoty roads somewhere.
i think i'm going to look at pandora and other things that are very small. my idea was to be able to actually hike out to a remote place.
bonoboMember
Since: Feb 17, 2005
Feb 17, 2005 09:34 am Hi Gang. This is a great site, my first time here.
Fortymile. I use the ZOOM plam studio. It is a three track machine. It has it's own battery supply, can be pluged in for power. Uses head phones. Has some pretty good effects, vocal and guitar stuff. A small condenser mic that is quite good. Line in. And a sequenced bas drum track writer. Follows chords and has pre-written drum tracks. You can download the tracks to your music writing program for editing.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Feb 17, 2005 12:18 pm I know of a few others that have the zoom; ps-02 i think. I thought it had 4 tracks. anyway, i think they're 200$us at MF. I've heard it also has a mic of some sort built right into it. I'd check as to what type of microphones you can plug into it though.
RigsbyUltra MagnusMember
Since: Nov 13, 2004
Feb 17, 2005 12:20 pm Welcome to the board bonobo.
Fourty, i've got nothing technical to offer but maybe when you're looking at places to live it's worth checking out the building, seeing how much you can hear outside when someone's singing inside, where your neighbours would be in relation to you, that sort of thing. I say this as living where we do now has changed a lot for me, the lounge has no neighbours save the woman downstairs who's rarely there and there's no-one above. I can record and rehearse here til around eleven or twelve at night which is so cool. We also have an awesome stairwell that has amazing reverb and no-one seems to mind me recording out there. All of this stuff has made recording so much easier, so just thought it was worth a mention. I know we lucked out, but i think it's worth baring in mind.
mach_rMember
Since: May 10, 2009
May 10, 2009 03:31 am If you want to record vocals in a small apartment try using the silent microphone. I built one for about $80 and now I can record vocals as loud as I want at all hours of the night. You can see how I built one by checking out my blog at
silentmicrophone.blogspot.com/
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
May 10, 2009 05:28 am ha ha ha ha, man thats funny!
May 10, 2009 12:35 pm
So this must be the nice cup of shut the **** up I've heard about.
zekthedeadcowEat Spam before it eats YOU!!!Member
Since: May 11, 2002
May 10, 2009 05:24 pm don't laugh... similar things are used by a number of courts transcriptionists using voice to text software.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
May 10, 2009 06:08 pm actually Herb, i think its for a nice glass of "harden the **** up"
the hose is for the cement, and the clips are to stop it coming out yer nose.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
May 10, 2009 06:15 pm It seems to yield a pretty odd sound to the vocal. Like singing in a cup. Oh wait, it is singing in a cup.
Although I would guess some major processing would cover that up. I'm not sure I'll be needing it here anytime soon.
Good idea though for sure.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
May 10, 2009 09:24 pm
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
May 10, 2009 09:34 pm I was thinking the same thing.
Although it looks as it would be useful on the other end as well if one was a bit...
Packed in shall we say.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
May 10, 2009 10:48 pm ha ha ha ha, ah yes.
be a long night that one.
