Should I use my dynamic or condenser for vocals?

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Member Since: Feb 07, 2005

I have a beta 58 dyanmic and a pretty nice condensor as well and im not sure which is the proper one to use. Some of the music that will be recorded will include some screaming into the microphone and I am not sure if that would be bad for a condensor or not.

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ILLbino - one of WA's finest
Member
Since: Feb 10, 2004


Feb 16, 2005 02:01 am

you can always use both.

Bohemian
Member
Since: May 04, 2003


Feb 16, 2005 06:50 am

it won't hurt the condenser... just make sure you have a compressor on the way in, you should be good in that case... and there isn't really a standard for which mic for vocals..

seeing the making of last aerosmith album Steven Tyler used a bunch of dynamics and a condenser and even an shure Bullet mic ( for harmonica ) which all recorded his voice..

came out pretty good...

Hello!
Member
Since: Jan 12, 2004


Feb 16, 2005 06:58 am

If ye listen to anything I done (see profile) it was ALL recorded using that method i.e. SCREAMIN into a Shure SM58...! :-)

Now, I just got me a Behringer B1 and I can say, its nice to be ABLE to "sing" rather than shout. My advice - use both...slower, gentle songs, use the condenser where you may want to actually sing rather than "blast".

For rockers, stick the SM58 on a boom, angle it to the floor, stand with yer hands behind yer back and snarl into it ala Liam Gallagher!! hehehe...well, it worked for me.

So - yer good to go...experiment dude...and, good luck to ye.

Coco.

Ultra Magnus
Member
Since: Nov 13, 2004


Feb 16, 2005 07:17 am

Anything's fine as long as you like it, there's no 'proper' use of any mic as such, different mics suit different styles and volumes of voices. Like coco said, experiment, and you'll find sounds that you like and sounds that you don't.

Hello!
Member
Since: Jan 12, 2004


Feb 16, 2005 07:24 am

I might also add, the main reason for me recording everything with the SM58 was cause that is all I had :-D !!!

So, aye, experiment...costs ya nowt and you could find the killer sound ye need.

Coco.

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Member
Since: May 10, 2002


Feb 16, 2005 10:18 am

Yup, agreed with above for sure. (no pun intended)

I have used an Oktava 319 and an NT1 on eat your neighbor screamin rock and got nice takes. Just position it a little up and away from the singer so they can't get it into their mouths and all will be ok.

As far as which sounds better, agreed with above, try what you have. Some singers can realy 'work' an dynamic (proxmity effect) and sound simply great on one. Others sound better on condensers.

I will usually try to catch a couple of rehersals or a performance prior to recording a group and get a sense for how they do things. If the singer is pretty good and does not lean on the proximity effect I will go right with a condenser. That kind of thing. If I can't catch rehersals then all of that has to be worked through in the recording session obviously.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2003


Feb 16, 2005 12:32 pm

I use both for vocals with some pretty nice results. I stack a Beta 58 right over top of a large condensor. I favor the large condensor as far as levels.... but that nice gritty sound of a dynamic blends in nicely. The worst thing that happens is you have a side by side comparrison of mics. If the two together aren't working for you then you can just pull one of them out of the mix.

It's funny.... we were in a studio recording and I took in my Neuman U87 and had them break out an SM58 for vocals. We used both mics as stated above and it came out really nice. After we had everything laid down we went back in a week later to mix it. I saw they had a U87 and a 58 set up just as we did the prior week. I asked the Engineer about it and he said he was working on his own bands CD. He loved the sound of the two mics together... for good reason.

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Feb 16, 2005 12:35 pm

hmm i'm gonna be trackin' vox this weekend, i was plannin' on just using an AKG C4000 but now you got me ponderin' usin' a dynamic also....certinly can't hurt!

wyd

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