Topic: Need some help with my first gig!

[manepipoca]

hi! i'm new here, sorry if the topic are in the wrong forum...
i bought a Zoom H2 a few days ago, and this weekend i recorded an entire gig. i used the middle gain of the mic, and i don't have external mics, so i used the 120° internal mics, with the Zoom H2 about middle of my chest in the entire gig.
but only the vocal seems too loud, the rest of band sounds very good. i'm using goldwave to manage the file (i recorded in 24bit 44.1khz).
here is the sample of a part with the vocal too loud:
http://rapidshare.com/files/301833905/teste.rar.html

thanks for help!

[dean]

It'd be helpful if you provided at bit more info.  I'll list a few items here:
- What type of music and what type of PA system, and general volume of the room?
- What does this room typically sound like - boomy, crisp?
- Where were you in the room in comparison to the stage and the PA?
- Where was the zoom in comparison to the room (how high up, sitting on table, whatnot)?

 

[manepipoca]

the type of music is a soul/R&B/pop with a guitar, bass guitar, synthesizer and a drum.
-the volume was not so high, was really good for a live show, do not know what was the PA system.
-The room was quite large, but with a good sound!
-I was the first of the stage! PA band was on my left and right, the PA voice of the front.
-I held the zoom in the middle of my chest, about 1.60 meters above the ground, pointed up.

thank you!!

[dean]

I'm still a little confused.  I think it'd help most if you indicate where in the room you were.  Were you front and center, right in front of the stage?  And if so, were the PA stacks on the back of the stage or at stage lip?

From your description, it sounds like maybe you were just too close to the vocal PA.  And when you say PA, I'm not sure if you're not meaning the stage monitor. 

Please clarify. 

[manepipoca]

sorry, I'm new here! and thank you for patience!

i was in the center, close to the vocal PA. All the PA was in the stage.

you listened the wav file? My question is how to make the voice less strident.

I am using goldwave and also downloaded the Audacity...

thank you!

[dean]

sorry, I'm new here! and thank you for patience!

i was in the center, close to the vocal PA. All the PA was in the stage.

you listened the wav file? My question is how to make the voice less strident.

I am using goldwave and also downloaded the Audacity...

thank you!

Don't even need to listen to the file.  90% confident you were just too close to the vocal PA.  Recommend sitting back a row or two if you're in the same set up again.  Edit to add: kind of like if you were too close to the drum kit, or whatever - it's just going to be naturally predominant and hard to attenuate. end edit

Not familiar with goldwave.  Not sure how you'd trim out the vocal in Audacity (or other programs) unless the vox is predominant in one channel or if it's in a specific frequency, different than most of the instruments, that you could attenuate with one of the filters or through equalization.  I think it'll be very difficult if it's not channel dependent.  You're kind of stuck given the set up, which is a limitation we all face since we're not independently mic'ing each instrument/vocal.  So, I'd play around with it via frequency and filters.  Experiment and see if you find something, then report back with comparison wav samples. 

And welcome aboard.    

[Scooter123]

PA's in small clubs will not be a very good mix.  Most won't include drums, bass and other instruments which might be loud enough on their own, or in the case of some guitar players, loud enough with the on board amps on stage.

[manepipoca]

deanlambrecht: thank you for explanation! this is my first record, I knew it would be good, but even thought it was good for a first recording!

the next time try to improve!

thanks for your help!

Scooter123: actually the sound of this room is excellent. is that I was very close to the PA's vocal ...

[guitard]

As a very general rule - the vocals lie predominantly in the mid-range.  Bump the mids down and see if you can back them off a bit.  Sometimes this will work.  And it works both ways - bumping the mids up to increase the vocals as well as bumping them down to decrease the vocals.

[dean]

As a very general rule - the vocals lie predominantly in the mid-range.  Bump the mids down and see if you can back them off a bit.  Sometimes this will work.  And it works both ways - bumping the mids up to increase the vocals as well as bumping them down to decrease the vocals.

Yep.