How to tame multi Vocal tracks, VOl, EQ

[pure.fusion]

I don't know about Cubase but in reaper when you split a file, you can adjust the volume of the split clip with the mouse pointer at the top of it, click and pull down. It shows you the volume change on the wave as you do it. Does Cubase have a similar thing? Item processing? Trim for clips? I've not used Cubase in years so I have no idea.

It's not a permanent adjustment in Reaper as you can just turn the volume back up or down further on the clip. As in pic.


If you were to do something like this with lines of a song, rather than single words, it could be quite quick. Single words however would take an awful long time.

Personally, I would get the levels sorted before EQ.

Thanks for your effort!

As far as I know with my old version of Cubase, I can't do this. But I will be investigating. In older projects, I've done this by selecting the word and permanently lowered the wav by xdB. I thought the automated fader would save me doing this, and be less destructive.

.. yes, this is the sort of thing I need to do in a few parts.

And as for levels before EQ, I think I have no choice, since the levels are really out of whack.

Cheers,
FM

[Mr Clean]

Well I hope you get it sorted. It'll be interesting to hear it after.

[RAMI]

I'm pretty sure (yes, just checked) I didn't say normalize them together!

True. You didn't say normalize them separately either, so it was up in the air.

[pure.fusion]

Ok, well is this the best bet

- Go over all harmony parts with fader automation until they are balanced and level in volume
- same for the main vocal
- Group the harmony parts into one channel and apply EQ and (slight amount of) compression there
- Automate the fader for the group for the (now balanced) harmonys to manage the volume differences from section to section.

Does this sound like the best way to tackle this?

FM

[GONZO-X]

Gonzo, if I group into Soft and loud, I'll still have to mix each line of vocals so the harmony sounds balanced - so I may as well not group because a soft part might actually be needing to stay soft for that bit? I dunno.

well, this is assuming that there are 6 vocals total (just example) and 3 of them are sung soft (which means they peak fairly close to each other) and 3 are sung louder.


so if all 3 soft, are going to the 'soft vocal' bus, and the same on the 'loud', then you could apply a compressor over each of those busses, to balance them out, then do the vocal rides (if you are doing fader automation) on the bus, instead of having to do it 3 times for the soft, on the individual tracks, and 3 times on the loud.


this is just a mix technique to simplify the process.

it's a way of ganging similarly gained tracks, and bouncing them down to just a couple of tracks (or in this case, busses) to simplifiy the mixing.

it's infinitely variable how you can split it all up.....


i mean, you could take the time to automate every single track (like doing manual vocal rides) and get to the same end result.

but my method is MUCH faster.


the idea is, to gel the common vocals together, and tighten each 'group' up with compression and EQ, and then mix using the busses instead.

[Armistice]

I don't know about Cubase but in reaper when you split a file, you can adjust the volume of the split clip with the mouse pointer at the top of it, click and pull down.





It's not a permanent adjustment in Reaper as you can just turn the volume back up or down further on the clip. As in pic.
Attachment 77711

Another cool Reaper tip Mr Clean... I may start following you around with a tape recorder...

[CMB Studios]

another thing i would do, im not sure if your DAW does this (im guessing most DO) but once you get the volumes matched up the way you want them, bounce each track in place and have it replace what was there... then it will bounce and replace the manipulated/automated tracks and give you a fresh track of all the adjustments on a new reel... then you can delete the old frankenslide one. do that for all of them and it will be as though you never had to automate them!!! woah!

[pure.fusion]

Hehe, "Frankenslide".

I got a new PC with heaps of power, so I'm not forced to bounce. I'll group all the multi parts into one fader in the most logical mannor that I can, but for flexibility I'll be able to go back to modify it if needed.

That's really why I tried to kick off this thread. I'd like to do it once and move on but history has shown that towards the end, for example after I have grouped EQ, Compressed etc I need to go and changesome of the part volumes again.

FM

[pure.fusion]

Ok, well is this the best bet

- Go over all harmony parts with fader automation until they are balanced and level in volume
- same for the main vocal
- Group the harmony parts into one channel and apply EQ and (slight amount of) compression there
- Automate the fader for the group for the (now balanced) harmonys to manage the volume differences from section to section.

Does this sound like the best way to tackle this?

FM

More tracking last night. It's sounding really good

I'd like some comments on the above. Would you guys (typically) be EQ-ing a group of voices, or each voice?

FM

[RAMI]

Would you guys (typically) be EQ-ing a group of voices, or each voice?

FM

I generally EQ my vocals as a group. But, I only record myself. I would imagine there might be a case to be made for EQ'ing individual voices if it's several people singing.