Recording Vocals with a Handheld Mic and Studio Monitors
Recording Vocals with a Handheld Mic and Studio Monitors – While headphones are the undisputed champion for studio vocal recording, some singers crave the freedom and natural resonance offered by performing with a handheld microphone and studio monitors. This technique, often employed for capturing live performances or achieving a specific sonic character, requires careful consideration to avoid unwanted “bleed” – the leakage of speaker sound into the microphone. This blog post dives deep into the process of recording vocals with a handheld dynamic microphone in the control room, exploring the intriguing technique of phase reversal to minimize speaker bleed and offering references for further exploration.
Why go speakerphone?
While headphones provide isolation and precise control, some singers find them restrictive and prefer the freedom of movement and natural ambience offered by studio monitors. This approach can be particularly effective for capturing the raw emotion and energy of a live performance or for singers accustomed to performing with monitor wedges. Additionally, artists who struggle with headphone bleed (hearing their own voice too loudly) might find singing with speakers more comfortable.
The Bleed Battle: Cancelling Out the Monitors
The main challenge of recording vocals with speakers lies in “bleed,” which is the unwanted leakage of speaker sound into the microphone. This can muddy the vocal track and make mixing a nightmare. To combat this, we can employ the ingenious technique of phase reversal.
Here’s how it works, incorporating references for further understanding:
- Mic Placement: Position the vocalist and the microphone equidistant from both studio monitors, creating a symmetrical triangle. This ensures the sound arrives at the microphone from both speakers at the same time. https://audient.com/tutorial/how-to-record-vocals/
- Mono Monitoring: Ensure your monitoring system is set to mono. This ensures both speakers receive the exact same identical signal. https://www.blackghostaudio.com/blog/mono-vs-stereo-sound-the-difference-explained-with-audio-examples
- Phase Flipping: Flip the phase of one speaker. This means inverting the audio waveform, effectively creating a “mirror image” of the original signal. Most audio interfaces and mixers have a dedicated “phase” button or switch to achieve this. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search?s=audio+switcher
- Cancellation Magic: When the original and phase-reversed signals combine at the microphone, they partially or completely cancel each other out, significantly reducing the speaker bleed in the recording.
Important Considerations:
- Not foolproof: Phase reversal isn’t a magic bullet. The effectiveness depends on several factors like the specific microphone and speaker characteristics, room acoustics, and the vocalist’s position. You may still hear some bleed, requiring further reduction techniques in the mixing stage. https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/how-to-make-better-voice-recordings-at-home/
- Experimentation is key: The optimal microphone placement and speaker phase configuration can vary depending on your setup. Experiment with different positions and monitor levels to find the sweet spot that minimizes bleed while maintaining a comfortable listening experience for the singer.
- Alternative approaches: If phase reversal proves ineffective, consider alternative methods like using a mic with better rear rejection (such as a supercardioid dynamic mic), employing acoustic blankets or gobos to absorb sound, or exploring different microphone placement techniques like the “Off-Axis Technique” or the “Blumlein Technique.” https://www.shure.com/en-US/products/microphones https://www.amazon.com/acoustic-blanket/s?k=acoustic+blanket https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gobo_%28lighting%29 https://gearspace.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/384603-vs-off-axis-mic-placement.html https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vwyDZ15eUxk
Conclusion:
Recording vocals with a handheld mic and speakers can be a rewarding experience, offering a unique sonic character and a comfortable performance environment for some singers. By employing phase reversal and other mitigation strategies, you can effectively minimize speaker bleed and capture clean, high-quality vocal takes. Remember, experimentation and adaptation are key to achieving the desired results in this approach.
