Bluesberrys new toy (vocal harmony stompbox)

[Bluesberry]

Ok folks, time to fess up.  I used technology to get the vocal harmonies sounding so good on my two (HERE and HERE) "The Band" covers I did this weekend .  I wanted to hear some comments first before letting you all know what was used, I wanted to see if the harmonies sounded convincing, so I kept quiet until a few comments came in.  It seems the verdict is that the harmonies sounded good, I am very pleased about that, time to spill the beans.

Time to unveil my newest toy, the TC-Helicon Harnomy-g.  This thing is awesome.  It is a stomp box for voice and acoustic guitar.  You plug your guitar in, and a dynamic mic (I used my Shure 58), and it takes the inputs from what you are singing and your guitar chord to create a pretty good 3-part harmony.  I went from the output of this thing straight into the microBR Guitar input.  I have been playing around with this all weekend.  I did a few different things, recorded onto one track, then doubled it.  Recorded onto one track, then changed the harmonies and recorded onto another track, doubled this and panned L&R and blended the two, etc,  lots of playing around to get the harmonies you hear on those two songs.  I really am having a blast with this thing, it is easy to use, records really well, and really adds something to my songs.  I am going to have to watch that I don't use it too much.  Anyway the jigs up, I didn't spend hours and hours layering vocals, singing take after take until my voice was raw, I only needed a few takes and was done.  Of course you still have to sing in key, as always that is still the hardest part.  I love this thing.  Anyone who sings and plays acoustic at the same time should check this little magic box out!!!!!!!!  It was designed for live solo singer/songwriter use, but for the home recordist it is equally awesome.  I have a harmony generator on my BR-1200 but this thing blows the BR-1200 out of the water.

http://www.tc-helicon.com/VoiceToneHarmonyG.asp


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCpY0QelOB0

[Greeny]

That's a cool gizmo, BB. And it definitely sounded 'organic' enough to pass muster on here. I'm not sure I'd go down this route myself, as I have very specific ideas about harmonies (usually). That's just me though.

I don't know how this technology works, but it definitely does. It'll add a whole new dimension to your sound. Already has by the sounds of it 

Does it have a 'Beach Boys' auto setting? Lol. That would be good!

[launched]

Wow, that's a pretty cool rig. I want one of those.. Maybe someday. As Greeny says it does have a real organic feel to it. It really makes a chorus line sound tight as hell!! All in all I think you made a great purchase - and great music from it too.!

[Ferryman]

Great toy and very effective but I do feel a bit cheated. Tafka Tony pulled the same trick with his Roland guitar synth and I felt a right plonker after I had praised his sax playing to high heaven only to find out it was a guitar synth. Whenever I listen to a post I always try to pick out something that I feel is specifcally praiseworthy rather than just say jolly good song. So I feel a bit silly that I've been picking out an effect rather than something you really did. Don't get me wrong, it sounds great but I'd rather know up front you were using effects because then I'd focus on something else. Now you're going to make me cautious about praising stuff because I'll be wary that I will be caught out again.

So sounds great but please fess up beforehand next time!

Cheers,

Nigel

[Bluesberry]

So sounds great but please fess up beforehand next time!

I promise.  I was trying to see in a blind taste test if the harmonies stood up to the scrutiny of the experts on here,  and that if I said they were from a pedal then I wouldn't get much response.  I am sorry for annoying anybody with my non-disclosure of the effect and I will divulge my use of effects in future.  It is a pretty cool pedal, I have played with harmonies in my BR-1200 but couldn't get them to sound natural enough to bring up full in the mix like I did here. 

[OsCKilO]

It does it all....

Why not use it as a learning tool instead.....

Listen to the Harmony it is providing you with and try to copy it!

It Only hits stuff that should be in your range!

When I Layer my vox, I Listen to see where Something is lacking, and put some more on till it sounds OK.......... This is only when I need to hit a point home in a song though....

You dont need the tool!

We are all very reserved with vocal Tips on this site though......
I Dont know why..... Maybe because we concentrate on the intrumental side of stuff and vox is a bonus when it happens.....

My Tip (With My VERY limited dealings with vox) is spend time listening to yourself and try different voices until you are comfortable singing it.......

I Used to listen to singers on the radio and think "Wow...How do they get it so emotional when it's so loud....?" Then the revelation came that they were not singing loud. They had just raised the Vox in the Mix or on the Mic!


All they were doing was speaking!



Buskers are the exception to the rule..... They are Loud and Good!
I could never Busk because my vox are Poo.... And I cant Play and sing too well yet like you do!

I sound Like an East London Urchin when I Speak.....

But it doesn't stop you changing your voice when you perform....  Tiz also a great tool in general conversation!

Peace BB

You were doing Great!

T(Osckilo)

[OsCKilO]

I'd say this as well....

Solo's are to fill where your vocals cant get to!

You are a Fucking Fantastic Musician!

Fill Bro....Fill!


Also....Just Find your own voice!
I dont do covers becuase I cant sound like other people!

With "The Pain", I nearly threw up after every chorus...... But it becomes easier the more you do it!

You have too Much Talent to try and sound like someone else!

[OsCKilO]

That Mike Stipe type track you did was Awesome (I'll find it...Can't remember the name....It had the Kaosomilaterix thingy on it...)....




I Think that is your voice......

[Bluesberry]

Thanks T for the nice words about my voice.  I am starting to almost like my voice lately (I am getting better at pitch control for sure).  I really dont want to sound like anybody else, and this pedal doesn't change your voice that much other than standard effects like reverb and EQ and doubling, all stuff we all do on our microBRs now anyway (check out what < AndyR > does to his vocals with his microBR, it is unbelievable what processing he gets up to, and it sounds really great).  The ability to sing and play guitar and have three part harmony is priceless I must say, really a lot of fun.  And the fact that it records so well.  These devices are a hoot, they put something like this into the BR-1200 and BR-1600 (it is called Vocal Tool Box).  I used the BR-1200 harmony generator on my songs that I did with my BR-1200 so far, but this pedal is far super sounding.  I mean, if I was recording professionally in a studio, I would hire the back-up singers, but for fooling around and putting down very nice sounding harmonies once in a while in my little home-recording demos, it is a wonderful tool.

Here is another similar pedal: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs3pyg019mw

[OsCKilO]

Just Listened to Your Track Again...

You Didn't use any Pitch Correction/changers like the Guy in the First Video...

It was All you, Just Doubled up....

Well done BB!

These Gizmos seem like a Time saving device....
Would be cool Live........