|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 464
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 464 |
I have been working on a tune in BB. I took it to RB and I am about ready to add the vocals. Does anuone have any recommendations on mics, techniques, etc.? Is there a tutorial that has already been posted? Any feedback is appreciated.
i5-3210 laptop. Win 10 Home. 2.5ghz, 64 bit. 6gb RAM. Focusrite Scarlet 2i2.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260
Apprentice
|
|
Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 260 |
I'm sure many others will have suggestions, but in case parts of this are helpful to you, I asked questions about vocals and the suggestions ranged from technique to compression. It was very helpful for me. http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=53594&Number=374087#Post374087
Andy
BIAB 2017 Ultra
Windows 8 and 10
Scarlet 18i8
Reaper and Mixpad
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,885
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 10,885 |
My 2 cents:
Unlike working with midi, synths and band in a box.... recording guitars and vocals with a mic is something that does take time to perfect your skill set.
A good condenser mic. A decent interface. Time spent working with recording a mic.
No need to break the bank on a mic, but don't buy cheap either and don't use a USB condenser mic. Figure a median budget of around $200 up or down a bit. Perhaps a total of around $400 for the mic and the interface.
With a halfway decent mic, and some time spent playing around with it, you should be able to record good vocals. However, it will likely take some time to dial it in to where it sounds good.
Nothing beats time spent recording to learn how to do it. I've been at it for quite a while and I feel like I'm on the verge of "getting it".
With vocals, regarding FX.... use as little as possible.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 01/21/17 01:44 PM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629 |
If I was starting now and knew back then what I know now ..
I'd advise to get a good mic preamp.
An interface 'can' be a preamp, but I'd rather have a good preamp in line before the interface even sees the signal.
Studio Projects Vtb1 is a very cost effective solution.
Like all good stuff, these preamps have gone up over time instead of getting cheaper.
I bought my first couple for about $120 each. Looks like about $199 now.
Good news is your cheaper mics can sound better, and any decent LDC mic will shine as much as it can with a good preamp.
/old saying; an average mic with a great preamp is better than an average preamp with a great mic. .. or something like that
Also, spend some time learning whatever mic you have to work with. Try recording vocals in the hallway, stairwell, living room, whatever .. learn how the room and mic setup affects everything. It does.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,139
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,139 |
"Studio Projects Vtb1 is a very cost effective solution."
+1. Good advice.
Regards,
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 464
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 464 |
Thanks for the help. I have a TubeMP but it seems to have some inherent buzz. I will check out the other pre you folks are talking about.
i5-3210 laptop. Win 10 Home. 2.5ghz, 64 bit. 6gb RAM. Focusrite Scarlet 2i2.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 886
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 886 |
Tho a lot of folks hate Behringer, a solid setup that I have set 3 folks up with is a Berry MIC200 (copy of a TubeMP) and a MXL V67G large-capsule condenser. V67G is a great mic that sounds warm, with a solid mid range & smooth high-end. I KNOW that sounds like a sales pitch, but it is not. I like this mic over every other condenser I have had here from Behringer, Rode, Shure, etc....and it looks cool! The next best mic I heard on my voice was a Shure KSM32. I also owned a TubeMP. As a matter of fact that was my very fist external mic pre when I started. Mine also had a hum / buzz, but I fixed that with a tube swap. With the MIC200 I also swapped out the tube, but no for any problems. I just needed a ua7 instead of an ax7 for some more clean gain. Both the TubeMP & MIC200 use a 12ax7, which breaks up at a lower volume. (this is why they are favorites in guitar amp pre's) the 12au7 does not break up until the top end of its range, so I could get the gain I needed for the ribbon mic.  The presets on the MIC200 are useful for quick down & dirty settings, and in fact I use the Keyboard setting on my MXL a lot, and the Vocal setting for my Samson CS & SM58. They are just EQ pre-sets with names, but they do come in handy.  Hope this helps! 
i5 3.20GHz, 32gb RAM, 1tb SSD OS, 12tb HDD, 4gb gForce vid card, 32" monitor, Audient id44, Win10 x64, BiaB/RB 2023, Reaper 6,IK Multimedia Total Studio 3.5 MAX, Waves 10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,163
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,163 |
If you want to go light cash wise the Blue USB is a surprisingly good mic. We've recorded a lot of vocals with it. An example is our current song on the user forum, "Don't Sell It, Don't Give It Away." Since this vocal track was recorded we have mostly used a Rodes NT1 with a Focusrite Scarlett interface but again the Blue is an incredible deal and requires no interface. About $100 at Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones/b/ref=bl_dp_s_web_2529047011?ie=UTF8&node=2529047011&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Blue+Microphones
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 464
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 464 |
Thanks to all of you. It was very helpful.
i5-3210 laptop. Win 10 Home. 2.5ghz, 64 bit. 6gb RAM. Focusrite Scarlet 2i2.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,815
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,815 |
I use a MXL V63M condenser mic that I got for $50 on sale and an Art TubeMP studio preamp (for phantom power) for $29 that works fine for me.
So you don't have to spend a lot to get started. But if you have the money, bump up the quality on the mic and preamp.
Edit: you can always check out the tunes in my links below if you want to judge the quality I got out of that setup. All vocals, acoustic guitar, ukulele, banjo and hand percussion were recorded with the v63m and the tubeMP.
Last edited by Kemmrich; 01/24/17 06:10 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 13
Newbie
|
|
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 13 |
re: >>With vocals, regarding FX.... use as little as possible.<<
There's a really cool pro trick listed in Bobby Owinski's 101 Mixing Tips website. I think it's referred to as the super delay something...you'll see it as it's extremely popular now.
It involved (he uses pro tools but it can be done in other DAW's as well) a stereo delay and adjusts left and right outs VERY SLIGHTLY by note lenghth. (i.e. left would be 16th, right would be 1/32. Pulls the dealy return (send track) down so it's almost not noticable in solo and not noticed at all in the full mix.
But the technique adds a wonderful shimmer to the vocals. It's one of those less is more type of techniques. Instead of trying to make reverb make the vocals sound wider or bigger, this technique just makes vocals sparkle a bit.
You may have to experiment with your DAW to get it right but it's a wonderful trick and saves hours of fooling around when you want that vocals to cut through the other instruments without sounding processed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,629 |
This is a common trick for vocals.
The Ozone Stereo Imaging module does this quite well as each frequency band can also be adjusting in time by milliseconds and there are L/R phasing options etc.. however I would still record the vocal itself dry.
Always leave your options open even if it appears to be more work.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
|
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,334
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,334 |
however I would still record the vocal itself dry.
Always leave your options open even if it appears to be more work. If I were asked about tracking the vocals....I would always recommend the above. If forces one to seriously concentrate on vocal quality from the start. IE: accurate melody/pitch, phrasing, achieving good levels (about -12db) mic technique and avoiding proximity response when using a condenser mic. But....that's just me. A good day to all....
Last edited by chulaivet1966; 02/12/17 10:50 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,306
Posts803,045
Members40,088
| |
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean