Vocal Pocket

[Newbie dude]

Ok, I know you've all answered this question before, but I've already tried the search function and found nothing.
Sometimes, in my songs, my vocals get covered up by the instruments. Even When I turn the fader up on my vocals, they still aren't distinguished enough from my guitars. I've heard there's a way to Use EQ to make a "Pocket" for the vocals. How do I do that? Of course, I'm assuming your answer will be "Depends on the voice and song." If thats your answer, then just answe this? How can I roll off frequencies from my guitar that my vocals need without making my guitar part sound screwy?

[LemonTree]

use very small cuts ........... and boosts if you have to.

I tend to pan out everything then shave off the more offending overlaping frequencies to make space

[scrubs]

Analyze your vocal track using something like Voxengo SPAN. That will give you some idea of where the fundamental frequencies lie for that tune. Then, make small 1-2 dB scoops in the other tracks that are prominent in the same frequency range.

[fweyd]

how would u know which frequencies are overlapping ?

[scrubs]

Well, you can "look" at your other tracks with SPAN, as well.

[Newbie dude]

If I just looked at my digital graphic EQ, wouldn't that be the same?

[dmc777]

You need a frequency analyzer so you can see which frequency are being occupied. Try the inspector from elemental audio it's free and I believe it has spectrum analysis on it. Also theres another called bs-spectrum i believe that's free.

[ido1957]

Originally Posted by Newbie dude

Ok, I know you've all answered this question before, but I've already tried the search function and found nothing.
Sometimes, in my songs, my vocals get covered up by the instruments. Even When I turn the fader up on my vocals, they still aren't distinguished enough from my guitars. I've heard there's a way to Use EQ to make a "Pocket" for the vocals. How do I do that? Of course, I'm assuming your answer will be "Depends on the voice and song." If thats your answer, then just answe this? How can I roll off frequencies from my guitar that my vocals need without making my guitar part sound screwy?

Try this link - it describes some eq cuts/carving.
http://www.homerecordingconnection.c...w_story&id=154

[bigj]

I'm betting that you gusy are gonna tell me it's more difficult but...here it goes

I usually deal with tracks that are already mixed and mastered in a way...reggae tracks were all the instruments are already in one track..im just adding vocals....would i have at least some kind of results in this...i've been trying and it seems to get a little bit better (vox) but i loose some aspects of the instrumental...I guess i'll have to deal with it that way...


and do you do the lowest amount of whatever it is that tells how wide your cut is?...i don't really know the name of the setting...but it is like this...my voice is prominet from around 250 to 1.5k do i just make a thin cut of -1-2 at between this freq's and make it wide so it cover a lil bit of the other freq's left and right...and just scann ? or do i want to make more focused cuts at the freq???


i don't know if you are going to understand what i mean...but if you don't just let me know...don't know how to explain it!

[Nick98338]

The primary frequencies of most voices, and many instruments, are between about 100hz to 500hz. approx. If it seems that the primary notes of your singing are being covered up, try that range. If you can hear the notes being sung but the pronunciation of words is getting covered there are a few other areas to check. Hard consonant sounds are in the 3k to 5k range. "S" sounds are around 7k to 10k. Then, there are usually two harmonic ranges to listen to. Like you said.. reduce as little as possible to get what you want.