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Thread Recording vocals like MGMT or STRFCKR

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1 Recording vocals like MGMT or STRFCKR
I'm still very new to recording vocals on my own. What effects should I use to be able to get a vocal tone like MGMT in "kids", or more specifically, Starfucker's "Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second"? (see video)

2
Heavy compression with multiple layers, plenty of reverb, and a buttload of delay
3
So for a beginner like myself, I'm assuming the order matters. Would the following look right?

  • Record multiple tracks (not duplicates)
  • Apply extreme compression (How much? Any additional advice here?)
  • Apply delay
  • Apply reverb


Is that right? In addition to obvious harmonies
4
That's more the story with MGMT in "Kids", but for that STRFCKR example, it sounds like it's quad tracked. Compressor seems to be removing the transients. The vocals are actually quite dry in this example (at least regarding reverb and delay).

I would venture a guess and say there's a short convolution, along with potentially a low speed tape saturation to give a natural reduction in the highs without cutting them. Anything else I might simply attribute to the singer's singing style
5
It sounds like both examples have a lot of frequencies looped off (either by EQ or tape). To get a similar sound I would low pass all the way up to 500 and high pass as low as, i dunno, 5k. It should get you the nostalgic/speakerbox effect you're after if you wanna give it a try
6
A lot of the sound is up to the gear. For example, the Black Keys have a vintage and nostalgic sound, largely due to the fact that they specifically use a lot of vintage and cheap gear in their setup. Their vocals have a slapback or John Lennon delay and was recorded hot. It might also be distorted in a preamp or VLA.

Point being, that same sound is much harder to get with a different setup.
7
Quote from dirtyAC30:
That's more the story with MGMT in "Kids", but for that STRFCKR example, it sounds like it's quad tracked. Compressor seems to be removing the transients. The vocals are actually quite dry in this example (at least regarding reverb and delay).

I would venture a guess and say there's a short convolution, along with potentially a low speed tape saturation to give a natural reduction in the highs without cutting them. Anything else I might simply attribute to the singer's singing style


Pardon the potentially idiotic question, but what in the world is a short convolution?
8
A short convolution is a type of reverb that incorporates a sample of a real room then recreates that type of reverb in your sound. Waves IR1, Space Designer, etc to name a few
9
I was immediately enamored with the two-step, glitchy, dubby rhythms mashed with soulful vocals that SBTRKT, born as Aaron Jerome, has created.
10
I think you're talking about a different band :mdr: