Michael Plaster of Soulwhirlingsomewhere took time from recording his new record to talk to Gearwire about a number of musical topics. Last time out it was guitars and recording. This time he talked a little about how he approaches music gear and how he records vocals.

How do you approach recording your vocals. In the past they have always had a very "far away" quality that seems more than just reverb?

Yeah, I’ve pretty much abandoned that old "parking-garage sound" to my vocals. But hey, I was young and had no clue about mixing. But my new stuff is way up front. Nice and raw. Sometimes a little room reverb to fatten it up, and a thick, ethereal 'verb buried WAY low in the mix, just for a bit of air and dimension.

Honestly, not to sound cocky, but I think I’ve got a fairly pretty voice, although many have called it too-soft or mellow or even lethargic in the past. But I want the raw emotion to come through, and a few years ago I realized that the more effects I soaked it in, the more detached my vocals would sound. And ultimately, with my stupid music, what I am trying to do is really tell people something; truly express my emotions through the music. So the better one can hear me, the better of a chance that has of getting through to the listener.

Well, for the last few albums I used an Oktava MK-319. I know, I know.. but hey - I was wanting a condenser mic and it's all I could afford at the time. But running it through the DBX-376 made it sound alright. You can push the tubes up a bit and it gets this really nice rubbery mid-range sound, with just the slightest overdrive, so it sounded nice enough I suppose. Most the effects on the last album were reverbs from a TC Electronic Powercore Classicverb plug in. Got some really clean, dreamy reverbs. I love that Powercore. It's also got some decent compressors and a nice chorus, although I try to stay away from modulation on vocals usually, unless it is really really low in the mix.

I'd usually end up with some delays in there, too, from either a TC M-One outboard unit, or some software delays. But since my last album, technologies have advanced so much, so I have a much wider palette to choose from. Ohmforce's Ohmboys delay is invaluable. Still havent found a sotware chorus that sounds as good as the Powercore's Chorus/Delay, which roughly models a TC 1210 chorus unit.

The one thing I do miss the most - and this is from the old days - is a reverb patch I had on my first reverb rack unit. It was a Peavey Ultraverb. Peavey makes digital effects? Yeah I know. But there was this ONE reverb on there that i used all the time. Patch #94. This long, grainy, modulated smeary reverb. You can hear it ALL over Eating the Sea, my first album. But the unit is sadly fried. Yet I still can't seem to duplicate this effect with anything else. R.I.P. Ultraverb!

Tell me about how you see your music? Describe it in your own words. How has it developed over the years?

It rocks. It's the kick-assingest music on earth. Not really. I am guilty of being one of the premiere purveyors of sad, sad music. It turns a lot of people off. I can’t tell you how many bad reviews I’ve gotten saying how "over-the-top" the sad, depressing nature of my music (and lyrics) are. But honestly I don’t care. My songs are about love. My music sings to the brokenhearted and hopeless. And ironically, I still end up filling it with hope and beauty. I guess if you really want to simplify my music, it is trying to tell the few people who hear it, "We are all hurt and broken and sad. And I understand. I'm not saying I have the answer, but I understand." I suppose it is the audio equivalent of wrapping my arms around someone and holding them while they hide their head and cry. I know that probably sounds stupid to some, but hey--it's what I do.

Is there a piece of music gear you do not have but really want?

Being a computer geek software dork audio gear whore, there is a whole lot out there that I crave. But at some point you can overstuff your computer with so many effects and soft-synths that you spend less time truly digging in to wrench out totally unique sounds from what you've already got. I've got some amazing gear and software that I still manage to really get into and tweak until I get a sound I have never heard before. I've got a Hartmann Neuron VS, which is a software version of their hardware synth. It is ridiculous. No other synthesis engine like it. I can't even begin to explain it. But way more than sampling or granular re-synthesis or physical modeling. Just a completely unique piece of gear that totally trips out any sound.

But if I had to pick one thing, I guess it would be a TC Electronic System 6000. Absolute top of the line reverbs, and also has pro mastering algorithms, too. I've never really been nuts about convolution reverbs. I use Logic's Space Designer on some material, but for me, I find that convolution 'verbs really only sound good on drums (to me, anyhow). Or if you are specifically trying to mimic a certain physical space. But they seem to color the source material too much for my preference, which is why I like synthetic verbs more. They have a more "musical quality" that I like. The System 6000 is just the ultimate in a hardware/software hybrid of the most beautiful and perfect reverbs. I'd love to get my hands on one, but I dont happen to have the fifteen grand or whatever the hell it is they cost.

Is there a piece of gear you have that you cannot live without?

Whenever I am asked this, I can’t really pinpoint one specific thing. I mean, I love my guitars, but I don’t play them on every song. And my keyboard, is just a controller, you know? And the software... its just computer programs - bits and codes - when you really break it down. So what could I not do without in order to make music? My heart, my brain, my voice, and my hands. In that order.