Strategic approach to vocal delay

[DM1]

What's your philosophy for using delay effects on vocal tracks?

After reading Charles Dye's HDL, I started setting up every mix with 2 delay sends (a 1/4 note and an 1/8th note,) and routing tracks there to see what works. I really like this approach over my old style, which was basically just "randomly slap delay on things in the hope that something sounds good."

But it occured to me that even Dye's approach is still hit-or-miss, at least for me. While I've got a better chance of success with musically-timed delays, I still lack an overall strategy for choosing delays that suit the material I'm mixing.

So I'd appreciate any thoughts from the hive mind here about using delay on vocal tracks. How do you approach it? Do you have a structured method for setting up delay sends? How do you determine from the source material which vocal delay effects are appropriate?

[SouthSIDE Glen]

It all comes down to being able to mentally hear in your head what the production should sound like when it's done...before you even start. That'll tell you what you need to do.

It also means knowing in your head ahead of time what quarter- and eighth-note delays sound like. You gotta know the colors before you can paint the picture.

G.

[7string]

Originally Posted by SouthSIDE Glen

You gotta know the colors before you can paint the picture.

G.

If the picture has no "number = color" guide, I'm screwed.

That explains most of my mixes.

[DM1]

Originally Posted by SouthSIDE Glen

It also means knowing in your head ahead of time what quarter- and eighth-note delays sound like. You gotta know the colors before you can paint the picture.

Which is true of everything in music production.

But surely there are less esoteric elements to how you choose which delay will best suit a vocal.

As an analogy: When I choose guitar tones for a song, I do it based (obviously) on my knowledge of the the various effects available to me, and how they affect the sound. That's the stuff that, like you said, I have to know ahead of time.

But there's also some conscious, deliberate reasoning I need to do: "This is a lead part, so it has to cut through. Therefore I need more presence" or "this is one of 3 guitars, so I need a thinner tone" or "this part will be doubled, so ease off on the distortion."

That's the kind of thing I was trying to get at with the original post. Assuming you know how delays work and sound, what kind of questions do you ask yourself when deciding how to apply delay to a vocal?

[HangDawg]

Originally Posted by DM1

what kind of questions do you ask yourself when deciding how to apply delay to a vocal?

Hmmm, maybe

"Does this sound like shit?"

[ecktronic]

Originally Posted by SouthSIDE Glen

It all comes down to being able to mentally hear in your head what the production should sound like when it's done...before you even start. That'll tell you what you need to do.

It also means knowing in your head ahead of time what quarter- and eighth-note delays sound like. You gotta know the colors before you can paint the picture.

G.

Such wise words (as usual) from Glen.
If you feel you arent sure what will work in a mix, even when its in the mix then you should listen to commercial CDs that have ideas you would like to put into your mixes. I mean REALLY listen to the CDs. Listen on a good pair of headphones to hear ALL the small background details that some songs have that make them sound better.

Eck

[ecktronic]

Originally Posted by DM1

what kind of questions do you ask yourself when deciding how to apply delay to a vocal?

You ask yourself. Will adding delay to the vocal make it sound better. Is it necessary or will it just mess up my mix.
It is good to use bypass automation on the delay for vocals.
Set up your delay so its in time with the song you are mixing and then have it bypassed. Whenever you come across a part of a song that sounds a little empty. As in, there is a gap in intruments or the intruments kinda die donw or the energy dies down (even for a small amount of time) , then hit the unbypass button on your delay and see how it fits in. Try out different settings on the delay and if you cant get it to fit then maybe the mix is not asking for a delay on the vocals at that moment.

Eck

[TuoKaerf]

Originally Posted by DM1

what kind of questions do you ask yourself when deciding how to apply delay to a vocal?

Well, it all depends on the style of music. That first off dictates if I will even use any effects in my vocal chain. Next is matching the delay time to fit the music. This might mean automating if you are using a plugin if the song was not tracked very tightly.

Think about how the delay will go with the lead melody of the song. A quarter note delay might not gel well on a song in 7/8.

In any case, try something and see if it sounds good. That's the best route to go in my world.

[mixsit]

Originally Posted by DM1

That's the kind of thing I was trying to get at with the original post. Assuming you know how delays work and sound, what kind of questions do you ask yourself when deciding how to apply delay to a vocal?

How about beginning with breaking it down into it's basic chunks. Short panned for width, or centered for thickness, modulate for some movement/pitch. Mediums' centered (or spread) for tempo/rhythm or depth. Long ones.. pretty obvious.

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by ecktronic

hit the unbypass button on your delay

And that would be right next to the 'any' key --- as in 'hit any key to continue'.


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[austinm08]

Originally Posted by ssscientist

And that would be right next to the 'any' key --- as in 'hit any key to continue'.


.

Pressanykey.com!