Logic Pro 8 small vocal problem

[rainguitar]

I have a small vocal problem I'm trying to solve. I'm working on the final version of a song I originally recorded over a year ago. It has become necessary to change a few lines in the lyrics which, in turn, means that a vocal singing the new lyrics needs to be recorded. A year ago I was using a Edirol FA-66 as my audio interface and mic preamp. Now I have a Apogee Duet. The character of the new vocals using the Apogee is quite different from the original vocal track recorded with the Edirol. It seems to have more top end and general definition but its also more brittle sounding. I used the same microphone, and same plug ins and settings and the same mic technique, but the vocals recorded with the duet really jump out in the mix. I no longer have the Edirol unit. Iam I going to be forced to re record the entire vocal or can I fix this somehow?

 

[Roger Jackson]

The TC Assimilator plug - in is supposed to tackle precisely this problem. Now might be the chance to put it to the test! Even if you get exactly the same gear, I suspect you are going to have to use your ears and clever eq to match things up. Presumably you are recording in the same space, at the same distance from the mic?

Roger Jackson
Film Music
Oxford UK

 

[Eli]

Check out the Match EQ plug in built in to Logic. It can really be a big help in situations like this. I'm sure that at the very least, it can bring it a lot closer to matching the tone of the original track.

 

[artofmixing]

I don't think anything will exactly replicate the vocal take - the voice will have altered as well as the sound coloration from using a different audio interface; also EQing will introduce phase shift which wasn't there when you recorded the original takes; you are probably best to re-record the whole vocal track again.

 

[Doug Zangar]

While artofmixing's approach is the best, I'd certainly spend a few minutes trying Eli's suggestion. If it works it can save you a lot of time.

You already own the product and it can be a quite useful plug-in to know how to use. You will have better results using the same phrase for source and target. So if there are 5 phrases, go through the process with each (that said, you may get lucky and one setting works for everything). Don't hesitate to play with some of the parameters, especially the Apply setting. Also, play with the phase setting: Minimal allows phasing, but minimizes latency while Linear minimizes phasing, but increases latency. As always, your ears are the final judge.

Page 91 of the effects and plug-ins manual explains the plug-in if you want to reference it.