How To MAKE AN SM7B SOUND AMAZING!!

[@AskJoe]

I've got about 25 different microphones, including mics that cost 3x more, but the one I use most when I'm not in my booth is still the SM7B. As you said, it's a bit of a beast to tame, but it's worth it because it sounds great in any room. Above all, it comes down to 3 factors, what the mic characteristics are, the characteristics of the voice are, and most importantly... the sound you WANT to capture. Some people have a voice that doesn't sound right with certain mics, but the right mic + the right settings = the voice they want. The wild card is WHERE you record it (the room changes the sound). Howard Stern can afford any mic he wants, and he uses the Neumann TLM103 because it works best for the sound he wants... Ditto for Robin Quivers, but she uses the SM7B because that's the sound she wants. In both cases, those settings are completely subjective, but finding your sound is where the fun is. Once you know what you want to sound like, it's just a matter of time before you tweak those settings.

[@getstew]

Btw, Reaper has really decent noise reduction, compression and EQ stock plugins.

[@Backgroundtvstatic]

Love reaper just started using it tho

[@DarkCornerStudios]

By the way - The IRONY of this video is that I did all this work (especially on the EQ) and only after it was published did I notice that all the editing was all done with the EFFECTS ON - on the RCP2. So yeah...you arent hearing what I heard...in fact...its quite different. That said...the process is THE SAME. Just make sure any inline effects arent on...sigh. SMH

[@hyunjoonkim]

Just to clarify--is all of the sound in the video coming from the RCP2? I'm just a bit confused because @1:07 In the video, you had it connected to the Scarlett 2i2 3rd gen.

[@DarkCornerStudios]

@@hyunjoonkim no...I edited it through the rcp2... And the channel the audio was coming through had the processing on... Dumb mistake on my part

[@hyunjoonkim]

@@DarkCornerStudios Haha all good, happens to the best of us. Thanks for all the good content!

[@DarkCornerStudios]

@@hyunjoonkim cheers and thanks!

[@DannyBrownCA]

Excellent run-through as always - will be doing a bunch of recording/testing for my SM7B this weekend, so perfect timing, thanks!

[@DarkCornerStudios]

Good luck! Go slow!!

[@MokokomaMokhonoana]

Brilliant intro ✊🏾

[@dannylightning-audio-reviews]

mine is super muddy / dark on my voice, takes a good dip in the low mids and a big boost on the highs and i have to talk into it at just the right angle or it sounds even darker, and i have never really loved thing thing. got to fight with it to get sounding the way i want, honestly i think i am way to picky.

[@vassily_azarov]

BTW it would be great to see an Izotope RX video from you (or something else more broadly on the de-noising topic). I only use their plugin in my NLE for now and would love to dive deeper with some help. Thanks for the video and good luck!

[@Andrewc87563]

Hindenburg Journalist has some nice easy tools as part of the software for EQ, Compression and Noise Reduction. If you just want to podcast for one with no mucking about it's a good option. The 90/10 rule also applies.

[@DarkCornerStudios]

I need to get me a copy of that... Been a long time since I used it

[@Andrewc87563]

@@DarkCornerStudios I think you can get a demo

[@DarkCornerStudios]

@@Andrewc87563 yeah...its not that expensive...and I am looking at a different setup from Adobe soon...

[@Andrewc87563]

@@DarkCornerStudios They don't get many reviews and they are pretty small and friendly they can probably do you a 90 day licence for review. You can possibly do a review / interview. The history about the name and how they started is pretty interesting

[@DannyBrownCA]

I currently use Accusonus ERA Bundle 6 (discontinued) with Hindy Pro. But a good friend, who is an audio producer, mentioned the built in tools for Hindy. Are there any good videos that walk through these?

[@skorpers]

I can verify that the mic does indeed sound like you're talking through a 7 inch foam. The simple fact that it requires so much processing just to become on par with a $50 condenser mic should tell you that he was right.

[@DarkCornerStudios]

No...that tells you that you need to do some research before buying. Doesn't make it a bad mic...just makes it a bad mic for his situation

[@skorpers]

@@DarkCornerStudios There is no amount of research that will contradict physics. What about the SM7B DOESN'T make it bad? It's flattering to no one. You're just mad that people out there won't allow you to be a contrarian to defend something that fills your paycheck with affiliate commissions.

[@skorpers]

@@DarkCornerStudios Not to mention that the audio that you used as an example of "good" audio is unnatural as fuck and is an example of what makes the mic unusuable for voice acting which you know, is literally the benchmark for a good vocal mic. If it sucks ass for natural voice reproduction regardless of the processing you put on it, that objectively makes it a bad mic. I'm going to take the mixing engineer opinion over a fake youtube expert lmfao.

[@DarkCornerStudios]

@skorpers lmao. I don't actually recommend them. What a petty thing to say. They are world renowned for their ability to capture some of the best sounds from voices. Much like shooting video in raw...and treating in post production. This isn't physics... Some mics are beyond beginners. And I would trust the word of career audio engineers over some solely and spiteful idiot on KZbin trying to prove a point that doesn't matter. But...do go on.

[@DarkCornerStudios]

@@skorpers move on little person

[@EmpathizeVortex]

i had no idea this mic required more eq than a condenser mic. all i did with my last mic was take out low end and boost high end then take out some frequencies but with this one i had to boost alot more but oh shit it sounds much better now

[@_SR375_]

Love it, should do the same setup for live/streaming, maybe with a rode caster II? also could be curious to compare that with a cloud lifter

[@DarkCornerStudios]

I just may do that!

[@NebulonRanger]

@@DarkCornerStudios I run my chain in real-time with Element, 8.6% CPU utilization with a big chain isn't bad!

[@DarkCornerStudios]

@@NebulonRanger I guess it depends on the CPU you got. Which one you rocking?

[@NebulonRanger]

@@DarkCornerStudios Haha, I have a 3950X. This thing is good at crushing DSP in real-time, even in eco mode.

[@DarkCornerStudios]

@@NebulonRanger yeah...those Threadrippers are stupid powerful. I am running a 3800x...still not bad

[@RexxReviews]

I love this mic with the Rodecaster Pro II. The SM7B preset does fairly well right out of the box.

[@Don-bp6ch]

Another Great video, now I just need a SM7B

[@DarkCornerStudios]

LOL...I know the feeling...though NEED is a tough sell...lol

[@joaopedroalbernaz]

Waiting for the video on the SM7B and the outboard gear

[@DarkCornerStudios]

It's coming soon...just picked up the gear

[@joaopedroalbernaz]

@@DarkCornerStudios you are awesome. Please talk about 31 band EQs for voice. I'm pairing a DBX 2231 with my DBX 286S to get better results on my WebEx, Zoom and Teams calls.

[@joaopedroalbernaz]

@@DarkCornerStudios everybody talks about post but they forget about people doing calls and people live streaming that needs processing on the fly.

[@DarkCornerStudios]

@@joaopedroalbernaz 31 band? Holy hell that is way more than needed

[@joaopedroalbernaz]

@@DarkCornerStudios OMG. I never waited for something with so much expectations 🤩🤩🤩🤩, I can't wait to see this video on outboard gear out, my audio sucks and I can't seem to get it right.

[@vrguytokyo]

Confirming…. At 5 or super close to 5 for gain on the focusrite? :)

[@steveschnetzler5471]

Thanks. I wonder what sw to use for just spicing up my zoom calls on my mac.? I use a cheap BOYA lav mic wired in directly, and they say it sound ok, but I never have recorded my setup and listened back to it. Guess I am being lazy there.

[@jonhowell7259]

Are we getting the outboard effects video?

[@DarkCornerStudios]

Yeah...I should get around to that

[@user-dx4cc8sn1e]

I just want the sound to come out the mic like every normal mic 🤦🏾‍♀️ it’s like the only way to hear sound is if i plug in my headphones or it would come out of my laptop instead of my headphones😏 I have the sm7b mic connected to cloudlifter and focusrite 2i2

[@michaelallen6946]

small time video channel here but I have the sm7b, cloudlifter, focusrite going to a cell phone for recording. Q: so do I download this voice software to the cell phone to adjust vocal sounds? I have no idea what I'm doing 😂

[@matthewchanmh]

the izotope RX is the most important part in this video actually 😂 without that the noise should be audible somehow 🤫

[@DarkCornerStudios]

I didn't actually use it....lol

[@VIDSInsight]

Ha-ha, Snazzy gets owned! Good one!

[@NickSealPueo]

This seems, difficult. Isn’t there AI that can just optimize the curve for people? Does that product exist yet?

[@DarkCornerStudios]

Sure there are one button approaches...like the one on the Rodecaster series...but hard or not...learning it is the first step. One button approaches are never as good as an eq curve that is tailored to your own voice

[@WesPerry]

The problem is, it seems like 99% of people using them these days (which seems like almost everyone) isn't doing any of these things, and just won't be. It's straight in and into the stream/KZbin video. So much wasted potential!

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

You ever used SM7B and RE20 both at the same time using the same interface to record something?

[@DarkCornerStudios]

I have done multiple times during reviews...and yeah...I prefer the re20 by a mile.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

@@DarkCornerStudios thank you Sir.

[@orlandojunior2975]

to a none audio nerd like me, this mic sounds like there's no high frequency at all lol. you see a lot of people are watching KZbin through phone speaker. and this video sounds god damn muffled even after eq om my phone speaker

[@sevchyk]

The dude just made an SM7B sound like an EQ’ed Sm7B. That shitty tone and the whooshiness at 4khz with nasty “t” sound still remains.

[@KenSaintJames]

His EQ sounds like mud. This guy needs to go back to school. He has no ears.

[@getstew]

I saw Quinn‘s post when he did it and laughed. Overall, he’s just been super negative lately. I stopped following him because of it. And that’s coming from a dude that’s generally pretty negative.

[@realsmt]

You have given the mic a lot of life, color. Which, ironically, is NOT why most people buy this mic. 😂 There are better bright mics for less money. Too much effort to make this mic sound different. Bravo 👏 on the process and explanation though.

[@DanielPetre]

Dude.. you're like -10 db on KZbin..

[@DarkCornerStudios]

Ok...... As in peaking at neg 10? I haven't had ANY other complaints...you sure you aren't the issue?

[@UnusualAudio]

Daniel if you mean the "content loudness" value in stats for nerds, I think that's the difference between the video and the level youtube normalises to, meaning the video is 10 dB below youtube's -14 LUFS loudness recommendation, i.e. around -24 LUFS.

[@DanielPetre]

@@DarkCornerStudios no, i meant the youtube loudness :)

[@QuickQuips]

Didn't Michael Jackson record Thriller on this? But for what Snazzy does, he probably wants a re20. That simple plug and big radio voice.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

MJ used the Vintage version. This is the newer version but yes same Mic.

[@NebulonRanger]

This is a common myth; MJ recorded Thriller on the SM7b's older, now-discontinued brother, the *original* SM7.

[@DarkCornerStudios]

All this is true...but also...referencing how bad the mic is...might be misconstrued as a bit of a reaching statement...lol That said...yeah...re20 is a much more pleasing mic I my mind

[@Life-of-Bluegrass_Music]

Yes MJ used it

[@skorpers]

Radio voice is the problem. That's shit and useful for no one. Unnatural and boxy sounding audio is unusable professionally.

[@cody9542]

Pᵣₒmₒˢᵐ 🙌

[@Life-of-Bluegrass_Music]

Some people are just stupid. They think condenser mics are cleaner then Cardioid/Dynamic Mics. Shure has been around forever and on stage forever in all formats...

[@JLG-tm9dy]

Tell me that the SM7b used for this vocal recording is not totally good and of worthwhile quality kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnq3dGtoaJ2reLs obviously there is processing involved in the signal chain too.

[@skorpers]

If you noticed, he took off the foam and heavily processed the audio. Any decent condenser would have accomplished the same task and better with less processing needed. The problem is that this product won't die because schizophrenics won't stop having superstitious delusions about magical qualities of outdated hardware.

[@NebulonRanger]

re: noise reduction; Bertom Denoiser is free and is basically magic. Set per-band reduction threshholds to taste, se reduction to between 33% and 50%, hit that HF Bias switch and listen to the arcane wizardry at work! Another cool thing you can do to make the SM7b a bit brighter is chuck on some really gentle HF saturation--I use the Air mode on PA's Black Box HG2 emulation for this, but there are other options. Shamelessly stole this tip from @AudioHaze