Tracking vocals

[Idgeit]

hey all, Just wondering to see what do you guys all put on the vocals, leave them plain, or stick any effects in their apart from reverb?

- Idgeit

[Nakatira]

I usually use compressors on them and lots of it.
some eq, when its needed, distrotion in some cases.

delay is cool on screamers, just a tad though, or some slapback.

[jonnyc]

It really depends on the vocalist. There's been a few times I've just used the raw vocal track with no doubling reverb or anything. Alot of times I'll double up vocal tracks and nudge one a bit to get a thicker sound. Other times I add a shit load of reverb. And for the more talented singers we'll record all kinds of harmony backing tracks. Vibrato, chorus, flanger, distortion almost anything can be used to some degree just depends on what the vocalist wants.

[Idgeit]

i never tryed chorus, but would be curious to try it, ive been working with adding a second track of the same vocals today, sounds good.

- Idgeit

[MrBoogie]

Originally Posted by jonnyc

... Alot of times I'll double up vocal tracks and nudge one a bit to get a thicker sound...

jonnyc, are you talking about actually getting the singer to sing again for the other track, or just copying and pasting from the original track into a new track in your DAW?

[matt rascal]

I like to clone the track, compress the hell out of one of them, and slowly bring up the clean track until you get powerful vocals while maintaining some dynamics. I forgot where I read about this, but it has become my favorite trick with vocals.

[7string]

Originally Posted by matt rascal

I like to clone the track, compress the hell out of one of them, and slowly bring up the clean track until you get powerful vocals while maintaining some dynamics. I forgot where I read about this, but it has become my favorite trick with vocals.

I'd be interested in seeing your compression settings. I'd like to try this!

Thanks!

[RAMI]

THIS HERE article refers to what Matt Rascal is talking about. The whole article is interesting, but a little bit of the way down, there's a paragraph entitled "The Motown 1960's Exciting Compressor".

[COOLCAT]

great post...i'd give out points or stars or whatever the fhk it is.

but great post on vocal recording technique, can't wait to try that one.
sounds simple too!

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by Idgeit

hey all, Just wondering to see what do you guys all put on the vocals, leave them plain, or stick any effects in their apart from reverb?

There are as many answers to that question as there are vocalists, music genres and song arrangements.

Might as well ask, "What color do you use when you paint?"

G.

[Atterion]

Originally Posted by COOLCAT

great post...i'd give out points or stars or whatever the fhk it is.

but great post on vocal recording technique, can't wait to try that one.
sounds simple too!

I agree. I will try this.

I usually run a mild compressor (4:1 with a quick attack, med release with the threshold set just over the average RMS level for the track, and de-essing if needed). A little EQ, but usually close to flat. A hint of medium depth chorus on a lead vocal (maybe 15% wet with a 40ms delay). Background Vox=No rules. I'll use every FX I can get my hands on for BG Vox. And usually a lush warm sounding vocal hall type reverb over the whole lot.

Favorite plugins for vox:
SonitusFX-Modulator
SonitusFX-Reverb
SonitusFX-Delay
Prosoniq-PI Warp
GRM Tools-Reson
Native Instruments-Vokator
Native Instruments-Spektral Delay
AnalogX-AudioArpeg
Smart Electronix-Cyanide 2

[Atterion]

Originally Posted by SouthSIDE Glen

There are as many answers to that question as there are vocalists, music genres and song arrangements.

Might as well ask, "What color do you use when you paint?"

G.

I mostly use black, but I guess that isn't a color, and so creates yet another variable