Recording question - Mic positioning - Vocals

MusicManiac

New member
Hello there,

I want to get your insight about mic positioning when recording vocals. Let me elaborate. What is your opinion on turning the mic about 20 degrees to the left or right of the singer so it will naturally not record some of the hard "S" and "P". Do you think that this kind of technique, even though getting the result of a natural de-esser, actually provides the same, lower or different* quality of vocal recording? What's your personal experience about this technique?

Thanks in advance to whoever responds. Hope you all the best! :hello:

*For example recording more high's than low's.
 
It depends on the sound you are going for, the artist, and the mic. Arm up a track and try it one way, then do another take 20 degrees off-axis, and then see which you like better. Personally, I would rather have great tone and deal with the esses in editing/mixing than sacrifice tone just to have to de-ess less. That's not a good trade in my opinion.
 
its funny since i do exactly the same thing but never heard anyone doing it until now :cool:
some artists just have more of a natural S or P or even both in their voice, you can greatly lower these sounds by slightly adjusting the angle of the mic

but there is an easier way to do it also without changing the mics angle.. and thats by just changing the plopkillers angle so its not straight "on the mic"

usually works with this trick, but when its still too harsh you need to do the mic-angle-thing :p

another trick could be asking the artist not to exaggerate on those sounds, they usually have a feeling for it and can reduce it too
 
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