Karaoke Forums

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www.finnpeter.uni.cc

HEADPHONES HEADPHONES HEADPHONES HEADPHONES HEADPHONES HEADPHONES HEADPHONES HEADPHONES HEADPHONES HEADPHONES

HEADPHONES!!!!!

Yep.. I'm with the king o' flirts  :hug: heya hon!

headphones to record
headphones to mix
and headphones to listen

BUT then again.. I do most of my work on my laptop... so headphones are MUCH better sounding than my builtin laptop speakers are!

I will even listen to some of my own songs at work on my cruddy speakers before I upload them here..  if it sounds ok on those.. then it will sound at least ok on everyone else's stuff usually.

I started out using my headphones to record... basically playing the backing track through the headphones and singing along, but it turned out I couldn't hear my voice well enough using that method to stay 'on pitch'.

Now, I play the backing through my pc speakers & just sing out-loud with it.

I also used to mix my tracks with my headphones, but discovered that when I mixed that way, the end result would be odd... with the vocal track either much softer, or much louder than it sounded using headphones.

Bottom line... I don't use headphones anymore when I record.

Well, I listen and record with a laptop (ibook), so I have to use headphones, laptop speakers are pretty horrible. Occasionally, if i click on a particulary good singer, and i am in the living room, i grab the cord that I have beside the couch, that is connected to my stereo system, and plug in the laptop, and blast it.

But, obviously, always headphones to record. Hmmm, how many people use playthrough, or monitor on their headphones while recording? I don't, and I only use those little in ear bud headphones (actually, I use the ones that came with my ipod)

sppeakers... but I record on my karaoke home system

Desktop system,  4 decent speakers, subwoofer.  Moderate volume.  I listen about 5 feet away from the speakers. This gives me a more accurate sampling of what you guys are actually doing, and the mixing, effects used, etc.

A really good pair of headphones would likely allow this as well. Yet I don't like using headphones.


I only listen to final mixes on the computer.   This pertains to how I listen to your work on SS.   If I record, I use an analog studio setup, with headphones, and monitor speakers

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headphones to record, headphones to mix the track but i then on songs i am really pleased with plug into my stereo system to listen and then change the mix accordingly. Sometimes ive listened to songs ive recorded on my stereo that ive heard slight off notes which when listening through my headphones havent appeared off.

Hi Peter,

my recording methods are evolving all the time but what I do now is:
- listen to other with headphones to achieve an intimate environment for the listen
- record with headphones (voice volume high, a lot of reverb for support, music volume lower than in the final mix)
- mix with headphones
- check the levels of the mix with speakers and try to find a golden middle path in order to satisfy both ways of listening

I got a lot of constructive feedback about the relation of my voice vs. music. That's why I decided to take in the speakers (bad ones tho..) fot the mixing part. Before that I just used headphones for everything.

jee

I would lean more toward using headphones for the recording part if I could get my recording monitor to work correctly. As it stands, I can't hear anything back out of my speakers on my voice, unless I turn on the 20DB Mic boost. If I turn on the boost though, it overdrives my recording and causes distortion.

Ditto what Jazzy said! When recording I always use headphones. When I listen and mix I also listen through headphones ... then before the final mix I unplug them and listen through my speakers.

When I practice I crank the speakers... I find I let go more when not confined to headphones. I have a karaoke machine that sits next to my pc.. I play the backing on my pc and use the karaoke machine for my vocals. Actually works quite well!

Funny tho... when I get ready to record and switch to my headphones it's quite an adjustment.

I always record without headphones..... I just feel that if my neighbors have to hear my cat-screechin moaning, then they can at least have music to cover some of it up! HAHA!! I don't even think I'd sing without music if my HUBBY was here.. eesh! *cringe*

I like to listen back with headphones tho.... i think..... OH I DON'T KNOW!!

I have really good computer speakers that sound awesome, but my headphones are stupid earbud things that i HATE!! They never stay in my ears, and when they ARE in there.. they hurt like a muther, cuz they're stretchin ma poor ears off... maybe I have small ears? *shrugs* anyways... if I had nice big headphones, I'm sure I'd use 'em FAR more often, but for now... I basically use 'em to listen to a song once, to make sure it sounds ok for all you guys that always listen with headphones.

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Recording yourself is extremely difficult if you want to do it right. PC speakers are out, and headphones can boost certain freq. that don't really exist.

I record myself and my wife on flat response studio monitors. That means, no boosting of any kind. While I record my wife, she can listen/sing with the headphones, but doing the actual mixing is done with the studio monitors. The aim of recording is unbiased sound. Having a sub in the room or high powered mids with good X-overs will make you sound good on your system, but not on all others. If you use PC speakers (God forbid) then you tend to mix in too much bass and vica versa with a good system.

I use Tannoy, and JBL monitors with my Tascam mixer Allstar.  Than I dump down to reel to reel which goes thru Dennon system A/B'd to either full speaker setup, or Monitors.  If mix is balanced on both, I dump to cassette.  Yet always keep a copy on the reel too.   Don't do Karaoke or vocals.  Just instrument work.  Compressor for bass, Shure Betagreens for drums, Radio Shack (Crown) PZM's for piano, and Boom setups for bass end of piano.  I seldom go direct for even guitar work.  Usually use a microphone, and depending on effects or reverb I'm going for,  the Pignose amp, in various containers trick.  I usually just use microphones, seldom go direct (except for bass which need gimmicks), and for some reason,  I never liked headphones.  Just really good speakers, and some space between myself, and the speakers.  I've found what you stated (at least from the headphones I've used). You don't get an accurate representation of certain music types. Never seems balanced. I use a somewhat flat speaker setting too,  Carpeting behind the larger speakers to dampen bounce.  All speakers at ear level always.

headphones for recording, hifi speakers/studio monitors for mixing. Make sure you can hear yourself in the headphones when you record (preferably zero latency!!). Also for the recording don't add effects. Mixing on headphones can mess up the balance and feel. How the ears of people interface with headphones it much more individual than for speakers. Try mixing on headphones and then listen to it on hifi speakers (not computer speakers). You will often find that you want to change the mix, effects etc. Computer speakers are useless for anything. Not worth using for neither recording nor mixing.

Morten

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Cindy, those are cross-over cabs, correct ?    two or three way cabs  ?   (meaning they usually have more than just a 15" woofer,  they have a horn as well for higher frequencies).  I have a few 15" bass bins, and although I like the fullness of the bass on the ported 15 cabs.  It's just a bass cab missing certain frequencies.


Morten,   Yeah for separate track work when I pan and bounce I use the headphones,  for that type thing.  I suppose I have for blend on lower volumes,  Yet to mix, EQ afterwards I won't use headphones,  The headphones usually are around my neck.  I like more space than just the cushion of the ear padding between a sound source, and my ear.  Even when recording single tracks, I feel that there's a type of dampering having a speaker sitting right on your ear,  Kind've like sitting right at the stage of a large play....you don't get a balanced frequency range. Unless you have really nice headphones,  the placement and separation just seems lacking.
I suppose alot of this also has to do with music type you listen to. Remember, my recording isn't vocal work.  Guitar, bass, piano, horns, synth, and failed attempts at mic'ing a hammond B-3 Leslie cab.... (Can't do it).  I go for more specific timbre.

For playback  of blues stuff, and certain styles. I'll switch to a Scott, or Marantz tube rig I use.  Tube equip. offers more of a spatial 3-D separation of sound.  This is one of the aspects I love about the older analog setups vs the affordable newer digital lines.  With tube audio there is (for some of us) more of a 3-D positioning that headphones just lack placement of.   Even smaller speakers do IMHO.

I try to get the bass, mids, and high freq's to separate, as if you can see these positioned in different locations.  NOTHING like tube

good gawd...

I shudder to think what my stuff sounds like through 15" cabinet speakers... yeeek!!

Don't even give my hubby THAT idea... I'll be crawling out the window.

Seby,  I've listened to you on 15" bass bins.  You sound quite good.  Just a little more bassy.   Actually,  you sound just like Barry White !