Eddie, read Bob's response carefully. This is true for nearly any instrument that isn't large physically, like acoustic guitar, individual brass instruments, violins and violas, etc.

These are all traditionally recorded in mono. Monitor through your soundcard and if you set whatever DAW software to record to a mono track, it will play out mono TO BOTH EARS simultaneously. That's all you really have to think / worry about. That's what you should want.

If you want to process it internally in the DAW with stereo effects, that shouldn't be a problem either. Most plugins that have stereo function automatically will take a mono source and process it stereo, like a ping-pong type of delay. Usually no thinking or signal routing required.

Your looping thing through the EQ could be the very source of what sounds odd to your ears about your recorded vox. It's possible you are printing to disk the very thing that is bothering you.

Go simple. Eliminate the mixer. Roll-off the low frequencies below 100 Hz or so, add light amount of compression if you have some level inconsistencies, add slight, and I mean slight amount of reverb to taste and enjoy the results. I think you'll be very happy / surprised.

For effects, try to avoid processing. This includes harmony processing. I have yet to hear this sound satisfactory. There's always a 'machine' like quality no matter if it's the most expensive digitech vocalist outboard gear or not.

John mentioned that he uses harmony processing for live performance. I can understand that but then I have to ask about the listeners. Are they expecting vocal harmonies from a solo artist?

If you are just recording, I say to make the little bit of extra effort involved in recording your own harmonies or double and triple tracking. For not a lot of effort, you can get a much more palatable result. In fact, I would say it's less effort than bothering with harmony processing.

This is the first ever double tracking and BGV project I did using my own voice. It's a two minute cover of Beck's 'The Golden Age': I stand that up against any harmony processor - and you know what it was fun doing the BGVs one track at a time.

http://rockstarnot.rekkerd.org/songs/new...ute%20cover.mp3

Now, the original song had quite a bit of reverb on the vox and through critical listening, I tried matching it.

Here's the original by Beck btw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6zAT15vaFk

I did all of the parts, including the faked pedal steel - which was a soundfont, but I did the bends and so forth. I recorded an actual glockenspiel (most difficult instrument recording I ever did at home) that I borrowed from church.

I don't like most of Beck's stuff, but there's a vibe on that Sea Change album that is haunting and beautiful. Credit to the choice string section stuff he has in most of the tracks. He learned that from his dad.

I chose to attempt to directly copy the feel and sound of that song because to me it is so sonically interesting. I spent a great deal of time deconstructing all of the elements and trying to figure out how to ape it in my basement studio. I was accused of more than once directly stealing it until people did a back-to-back listen, then the differences are easy to detect (guitar strum rhythms are totally unlike each other, my drum programming is a bit hitchy, etc.)

-Scott

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