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[LeVan Moxley]

Wow. It's actually almost hard to believe that that mic on the vid is the one picking up the vocals heard in the video. Mic in face, nice and clear, mic the same distance as NYC - Beijing, nice and clear.

Those were my initial thoughts also.  But judged by the responses on here, it's common place to get these kind of results from a 58.  I've still got a lot to learn.

[brian maddox]

Those were my initial thoughts also.  But judged by the responses on here, it's common place to get these kind of results from a 58.  I've still got a lot to learn.

It is not "common place" to get these results with ANY vocal mic used this way in a live environment.  But given the relatively moderate stage volume, the proficiency of this particular singer, and the fact that this was processed on a NLE using any and every tool available makes the end result understandable.

That last point bears repeating.  Processing audio in a Non-linear DAW opens up a level of control and manipulation that's simply not available during a "Live" event.  Think of it this way.  If i put a compressor on a mic in a Live Event, the compressor can't react to the signal until it actually "hears" it.  That's where you get that "pumping" sound under heavy compression.  But in a NLE, the compressor can cheat and look ahead to see what's coming and roll into that compression in a much smoother way than is possible in a live environment. 

I'm sure this sounded great to the live audience as well.  But i doubt it sounded quite This Great.

[Mike Caldwell]

The problem with videos like this is that people will try to copy that kind of mic technique because it sounded good on the video and have neither the vocal chops or the proper stage set up to attempt it on.
I can almost hear "turn my monitor up, I can't hear myself"

[LeVan Moxley]

In a "concert setting/recording for media distribution" setting like this, don't they usually run two consoles, one for FOH and one for recording?  Obviously having the ability to mix all this post let's it become as good as it can be.

[Scott Helmke]

In a "concert setting/recording for media distribution" setting like this, don't they usually run two consoles, one for FOH and one for recording?  Obviously having the ability to mix all this post let's it become as good as it can be.

Standard would be splitting all the sources for recording, direct to ProTools. But also the recording engineer will mix (on her own console or maybe just laptop) a "live" stereo recording as a reference/backup in case something goes wrong with the multitrack recording.

[Luke Geis]

Commonplace, absolutely not. There have been instances where I swear I had CD quality vocal sound from even basic systems, but it was only with certain singers. It truly comes down to the singer's voice and their ability to control the mic. You can get pretty far using tools, but the symbiotic relationship between the singer and the mic are truly where it starts. If it is right at the source, it should be pretty hard to mess it up later.

[brian maddox]

Commonplace, absolutely not. There have been instances where I swear I had CD quality vocal sound from even basic systems, but it was only with certain singers. It truly comes down to the singer's voice and their ability to control the mic. You can get pretty far using tools, but the symbiotic relationship between the singer and the mic are truly where it starts. If it is right at the source, it should be pretty hard to mess it up later.

this^^

I tell the story often of mixing the National Christmas Tree Lighting in DC with a variety of talent singing accompanied by the Army Band.  A [still teen-aged] Leann Rhimes walked up to the single Mic [it might have been an SM58, although i think it was probably an SM85] downstage and launched into a song for soundcheck.  I'll never forget that feeling of raising the fader, reaching for the EQ as one does to "fix" someone's voice, and realizing there was literally nothing to fix.  The girl could just flat out SING and i just needed to stay out of the way.  HPF and bring the fader up.  Done!

Real Actual Talent makes us idiot sound guys look REALLY good! 

[Mike Caldwell]

this^^

I tell the story often of mixing the National Christmas Tree Lighting in DC with a variety of talent singing accompanied by the Army Band.  A [still teen-aged] Leann Rhimes walked up to the single Mic [it might have been an SM58, although i think it was probably an SM85] downstage and launched into a song for soundcheck.  I'll never forget that feeling of raising the fader, reaching for the EQ as one does to "fix" someone's voice, and realizing there was literally nothing to fix.  The girl could just flat out SING and i just needed to stay out of the way.  HPF and bring the fader up.  Done!

Real Actual Talent makes us idiot sound guys look REALLY good! 

While not always a Leann Rhimes type of moment we have all had
the multi band festival days and just about the time you begin to wonder what's wrong a polished pro act gets on stage and all you do is push up the faders and make it look easy.

[Roland Clarke]

It is not "common place" to get these results with ANY vocal mic used this way in a live environment.  But given the relatively moderate stage volume, the proficiency of this particular singer, and the fact that this was processed on a NLE using any and every tool available makes the end result understandable.

That last point bears repeating.  Processing audio in a Non-linear DAW opens up a level of control and manipulation that's simply not available during a "Live" event.  Think of it this way.  If i put a compressor on a mic in a Live Event, the compressor can't react to the signal until it actually "hears" it.  That's where you get that "pumping" sound under heavy compression.  But in a NLE, the compressor can cheat and look ahead to see what's coming and roll into that compression in a much smoother way than is possible in a live environment. 

I'm sure this sounded great to the live audience as well.  But i doubt it sounded quite This Great.

Outside of vocal tuning and editing, much of what is available to studio engineers is available live these days.  Avid S6l aims to do exactly that!  Obviously things like smashing a vocal 6:1 on a compressor with 10-15 dB of reduction, live is probably not a good idea.  We, by consequence, have some advantages over studio sound.  Due to power compression and other factors, it’s much easier to make a BD slam live and studios have to work much harder to achieve that.

[Keith Broughton]

the symbiotic relationship between the singer and the mic are truly where it starts

YES!
End of story.

[ProSoundWeb Community]