I think I might know the answer to this, but I wanted some outside opinions. When tracking backing harmonies, particularly higher harmonies, how are the pros getting the notes so smooth. There are many recordings out there with the lead singer doing his/her own backing vocals, and the higher harmonies are WELL outside there singing range for them to not be shouting the notes out. I'm assuming this is actually a small amount of pitch shifting or possibley a harmonizer. I know there are a lot of singers that can efficiantly do their own higher vocals...but there's a lot that can't. Any insight into your recording techniques of backing vox would be greatly appreciaited. I also wouldn't mind hearing some recommendations on if you use different mics for backing vs. lead, differents mixing techniques, etc. Thanks!
Backing Vocals
- Thread starter tsl92802
- Start date
tsl92802 said:
Depends on the song I guess. I like to do Backups just as I would do Lead. Have the backup singer sing just as he/she would be if it was lead so that the it still sounds as strong.
If your aren't getting 'smooth' sounding backups, try compressing the *** out of it and hitting a lot of reverb with it. Maybe even running it through a Tube pre-amp (if you have one) or a plug-in that can mimick it.
Hope that helps,
Timmy J
scrubs
Not of sound mind
Most pop and country harmonies are AutoTune'd to all hell so they don't waver at all from the desired pitch. Personally, I prefer to record harmonies while sitting at the piano, so I can practice the notes prior to singing. I compress them heavily so they are a consistent volume, but I don't like pitch correction.
Harvey Gerst
New member
A lot of good producers roll off the bottom end on backup singers, which makes the lead vocal sound fuller. It's an old country trick.
Man, am I glad I looked at this thread. These are great suggestions. Can I toss in a related question about panning?
I'm wondering how most mixing engineers make their decisions about where to pan background vocals. I suppose if it's a Motown-style song or a do-wop song, you'd want to pan the lead vocal to one side and the background vocals to the other, in imitation of a Motown stage act. And if you're looking for a fuller and wider sound you might pan the background vocals to the left and right of a centered lead vocal.
Am I right about these assumptions? If not, please correct me, and if so, please add any other considerations engineers take into account when panning background vocals. Thanks.
I'm wondering how most mixing engineers make their decisions about where to pan background vocals. I suppose if it's a Motown-style song or a do-wop song, you'd want to pan the lead vocal to one side and the background vocals to the other, in imitation of a Motown stage act. And if you're looking for a fuller and wider sound you might pan the background vocals to the left and right of a centered lead vocal.
Am I right about these assumptions? If not, please correct me, and if so, please add any other considerations engineers take into account when panning background vocals. Thanks.
Multiple takes can help smooth out BU vocals by hiding the little nuances of each take, kind of the same process as layering guitars. If im going for thick and smooth BU vocals id do at least 4 or 6if not many more and pan half hard left and half hard right.
Pan wide if you want a really wide sound like a choir and not so wide if you want it to sound like a small group standing right next to each other.
Pan wide if you want a really wide sound like a choir and not so wide if you want it to sound like a small group standing right next to each other.
I agree that rolling off the lows on the harmony vocals works well. I did not know that was an "old country trick" I stumbled on it on my own, but I suspect I was infuenced by other recordings.
Regardng panning, I personally always pan the lead vocal center (not saying that is the only correct way - but it is a relatively normal way to pan). If the harmony is a single voice (say on a line in the verse), I tend to pan pretty tight, opposite the lead instrument (say the lead guitar is panned slightly right - I'll pan the single harmony slightly left).
If there are two or more harmony voices (say on the chorus of a song) I tend to pan that almost far right/left. I've never recorded doo-woo/Motown, but I doubt if I would choose to pan the lead to one side and the harmonies to the other - I would likely pan lead voice to the middle, the bass slightly to one side, the high voice slightly to the other die and the other voices wider right & left.
Regardng panning, I personally always pan the lead vocal center (not saying that is the only correct way - but it is a relatively normal way to pan). If the harmony is a single voice (say on a line in the verse), I tend to pan pretty tight, opposite the lead instrument (say the lead guitar is panned slightly right - I'll pan the single harmony slightly left).
If there are two or more harmony voices (say on the chorus of a song) I tend to pan that almost far right/left. I've never recorded doo-woo/Motown, but I doubt if I would choose to pan the lead to one side and the harmonies to the other - I would likely pan lead voice to the middle, the bass slightly to one side, the high voice slightly to the other die and the other voices wider right & left.
Bartman
I count on me
Oooh's & Aaaah's
To get a good sense of depth for background harmonies like "oooh's & aaah's" I like to physically double or triple rather than clone & time stagger the original track.
- Try singing the individual parts from different mic distances (remember to adjust the pre for levels and compressor if applicable).
- Try using different mics, different compression settings and/or different verbs/(slight)delays. I'll also second Mr. Gerst's tip of rolling off the bottom on the backgrounds. If you try to layer too many background vocal parts that are chock full 'o lows.....you'll create a mud pie real quick.
Bart
To get a good sense of depth for background harmonies like "oooh's & aaah's" I like to physically double or triple rather than clone & time stagger the original track.
- Try singing the individual parts from different mic distances (remember to adjust the pre for levels and compressor if applicable).
- Try using different mics, different compression settings and/or different verbs/(slight)delays. I'll also second Mr. Gerst's tip of rolling off the bottom on the backgrounds. If you try to layer too many background vocal parts that are chock full 'o lows.....you'll create a mud pie real quick.
Bart
dachay2tnr
One Hit Wonder
Intersting about the roll-off on BG vox. Where do you normally start the roll-off? 300 Hz? Higher?
RedFrogAudio
New member
When panning background vocals I like to imagine it like spreading a deck of cards across a table. If I have 6 backs I'll pan them something like 9:00,10,11,1,2,3. Maybe wider if it needs it. I'll also use a stereo aux send into a stereo reverb and cross pan the send. So if a vocal's dry signal was panned to 3:00 it's stereo aux send would at 9:00. This will keep the dry and wet slightly seperated. I'll also set the predelay of the back vocals' reverb slightly sooner that the verb for the lead so that the lead pops more and the backs smooth out.
M. Tristan
M. Tristan