NEW version of Snax singing "Is This Love" by Whitesnake

[Snax]

Hi gang. I found a better backing track and decided to record a better version of this song. Hope you enjoy it. I bought some Mackie MR8 mk2 studio monitors recently and my mixes are getting much better as a result.

http://soundcloud.com/mike-bromelow/snax-is-this-love-feb-21st

[Keith]

Man, I love the way your voice resonates! Sounds so effortless. Great awesome singing!

[Vocalist Dad]

Snax, I thought it sounded very good as well. You have a nice fullness to your voice. Remember, Coverdale was about 35 when he recorded this. As I wrote this, I had your version playing again and thought I was hearing a little more mature Coverdale.

Steve

[Snax]

Wow, thanks so much guys!!!

Out of curiosity Keith, what did you mean by you like the way my voice resonates? Do you mean my vibrato or the fullness etc?

[Guest]

I thought you did a really good job. You have a good voice. If I have one complaint, it really has nothing to do with you. It's the backing track. I felt like telling the backup singer to shut up Some how (for my ears) there was a slight mismatch there at the high parts. I'd be interested in hearing you sing something in a slightly lower range or something that doesn't burst into high notes. There is a certain quality in your voice I'd be curious to hear in that range.

Tommy

[Snax]

Thanks Tommy. I'm going to give some country a try soon so maybe I'll sing one that stays lower in my range.

[Keith]

Your voice has that ever so desired "ring".. Squillo / resonanace / ring / all the same thing (I think). Love it!

[Snax]

Your voice has that ever so desired "ring".. Squillo / resonanace / ring / all the same thing (I think). Love it!

Nah, it's ALL special effects Keith! ;)

[Keith]

Nah, it's ALL special effects Keith!

Yeah, the special effect called awesome....

[stew503]

Talking effects in there, what you using, bit of verb / other ?

What settings for verse (Decay time ... etc) ? as there is a nice smoothness to the voice.

[Snax]

Talking effects in there, what you using, bit of verb / other ?

What settings for verse ? as there is a nice smoothness to the voice.

Well, there's a few things going on under the hood on that particular vocal! lol From the top to bottom of that vocal signal path in this order is:

1. Gain

2. EQ to cut the lows below 150 hz

3. Tube-Tech Passive EQ to add a bit of air to the highs

4. Tube-Tech CL-1B Compressor plugin with a 3:1 ratio and moderate threshold to even overall track level before passing into second compressor. Slow attack and release settings.

5. Tube-Tech CL-1B Compressor plugin with about a 7:1 ratio and a higher threshold so it only catches the peaks. Fast attack and release settings.

6. Compressor set for de-essing only. I always put this AFTER the other two compressors.

7. Sonnox Oxford Limiter with some enhancing added. GREAT plugin for adding a bit more presence without adding overall volume. Don't know HOW it does it but the enhance settings work wonders on vocals!

Then of course I send some bus signals into my effects which in this case are a Waves Rverb and a 1/4 note delay. I use compressors on both of those effects to first de-ess the vocal coming in before it hits the effects and then I have EQ added. Finally, I have compressors with side chain activated from my vocals so that the vocal signal "ducks" or lowers the effects as I'm singing (but not completely) and then gets louder once a phrase ends.

Then I also have another vocal bus sent into yet another aux channel which then uses a Waves doubler and Waves Passive EQ set to add high end.

Almost forgot...I also use another compressor on the backing track which is side chained from the vocals and set to duck the volume only by a db or two whenever my vocals are singing at a certain volume.

The stereo output also has a whack of other things going on which helps to then blend my vocals with the backing track.

The finished result is what you hear.

PHEW! ;)

[stew503]

Interested to know the verb decay time and pre-delay (if used) are (as well as mix %), as well as the delay mix % (as can't really hear that unless it's ducked on vocal).

How also do you find no.4 affect the track (do you not hear occasional pumping - or have you mastered the dark art that is compressor use).

I say this as my (shall not swear name) compressor is currently a bag of bolts and next stop bin unless it starts to behave itself. Last night, give it a bippertyboperty and it pumped like crazy. And all I wanted to do was cut a few Db over threshold !!!. I wouldn't mind - I had it on one singer (female) a few weeks ago and to her - her voice sparkled (to me cound hear occasional volume pump).

[Snax]

Stew, I'm away from the iMac at the moment so I can't look up those reverb settings for you. The pre delay is coming from the ducking in this case so that's not a variable. Same for the stereo 1/4 note delays. I'm very attentive to getting the threshold just right whenever ducking my reverbs and delays etc. I want a little of the effects to still be heard as I'm singing to smooth things a little and then open up once the vocals stop or pause briefly. I always use the fastest attack and release on the compressor that is doing the ducking.

As for the pumping issue on the backing track, I only had it duck a little on my loudest singing so it didn't become an issue. Had i lowered the threshold any more than I did you would have heard the backing tracks volume "pumping" as you mentioned.

i'm not a "master" at any of this stuff but I am somewhat advanced regarding vocal production, yes.

p.s. The effects mix is 100% since the effects are on their own return channels and then blended with the vocal.

[jillhuber31]

one of my fave SONGS:) I like the sound of your voice!

[jonpall]

Great singing Mike! David Coverdale is one of my favorite singers.

[ronws]

As usual, excellent, Mike. What else can I say?

And I know what Tommy means. I have come to despise the backing vocals that usually come with karaoke tracks. I know why they are there. So drunk electricians in a bar that can't remember where stuff comes in during the chorus have a "landmark." Doesn't make it any less disconcerting, at times.

But I like how you mix so that such an effect as that is minimal.

[Validar]

Man, that was outstanding. Way to go.

[Daug Poland]

Yeah. That is cool indeed.

Deep and free. Just the way it should be.

[Olem]

Wow, Snax, awesome, great singing and production as always.

Two minor disturbances for me was: You were holding some notes a little too long and also you sounded a little like inspector Clouseu in the Pink Panther movies when you sang "love" in some parts. Are you living in a french-speaking part of Canada, Mike? because that would perhaps explain it then.

Well, that is just to be picky IMO it was so damn close to be something i could play over and over again on my cd-player. And IMO, at least of what i can hear in your clips, you are in the league there with world-class Metal singers like David Coverdale, Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford to name a few and that is a hell of an acheivement.

[Snax]

Thanks for keeping it real Olem. There are a few spots here and there around my passagio that I need to refine for sure. There's always room for improvement I always say. :cool:

[Snax]

Wow, Snax, awesome, great singing and production as always.

Two minor disturbances for me was: You were holding some notes a little too long and also you sounded a little like inspector Clouseu in the Pink Panther movies when you sang "love" in some parts. Are you living in a french-speaking part of Canada, Mike? because that would perhaps explain it then.

Well, that is just to be picky IMO it was so damn close to be something i could play over and over again on my cd-player. And IMO, at least of what i can hear in your clips, you are in the league there with world-class Metal singers like David Coverdale, Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford to name a few and that is a hell of an acheivement.

It's so funny that you thought I sounded a bit like Clouseau in some parts because the old Pink Panther movies are mine and my families favourites of all time! My Mum will laugh when I tell her about your comment! lol Actually, I am British but have lived in Canada most of my life. I did however live in Hull Quebec and in Ottawa for 10 years so my accent does have a little French Canadian in it at times. Being a mimc of voices for most of my life, I do have a tendency of subconsciuosly adding little nuances to my own voice.

[ThisIsJewels]

We should be hearing this on the 80's station on the radio!

[basil]

Pretty good. Coverdale is a blues singer and when he sings he has more of a bounce to his singing and dynamics. Your take is a bit stiff and doesn't quite flow as nice to my ears.

[Snax]

Pretty good. Coverdale is a blues singer and when he sings he has more of a bounce to his singing and dynamics. Your take is a bit stiff and doesn't quite flow as nice to my ears.

Great observations, thanks! :)

[gno]

Sounded great as usual Mike! One of my favs from Coverdale. Nice production on the Vocals too.

You've got that big low resonance combined with the high smooth range which is a rare combination.