What are your favorite VST's for vox?

[David J Sims]

Hey I'm interested in knowing what VST's you peeps like for recording vox. I've only been singing and recording vox for a short time so I'm looking for any input I can to help me do the best job with what I have.

What compressors, eq's chainers, delays, reverbs etc. are your favorites and why?

I use Sonar 6 PE for my recording software and my computer is an AMD 64 Athlon w/ 1 gig mem (expandable to 4 gig) and a 250 gig hard drive. I use a Creative Sheet Blaster USB sound card, and SM 58 mic and a Peavy (PV8) mixer before the soundcard. I also own a couple of ART Tube MP Studio preamps I acquired recently.

I will put an MP3 up of my first vocal attempt on the "MP3 mixing clinic page" and link it here when I get a chance for feed back.

Here's the thread for the Mp3..

http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthr...10#post2764710



Dave.

[noisewreck]

My two VST faves for vox are Reaktor and and Guitar Rig. Both are great at mangling stuff beyond recognition, which is exactly what I need on my voice. Trust me.

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by David J Sims

Hey I'm interested in knowing what VST's you peeps like for recording vox..

None. Except for maybe just a smidge of outboard compression (ART Pro VLA) just to keep the signal from going nuts - especially on an inexperienced vocalist - I much prefer to track vocals clean.

Later, in mixing I might perhaps use just a bit of surgical subtractive EQ (Roger Nichols' Dynamizer) to smooth any bumps caused by the mic, the room. Then, depending upon the rest of the mix, perhaps add some quality reverb (SIR Convo verb with a nice plate or warm ambience impulse).

But for the most part most of the time, it's keep the vocals relatively clean...especially during tracking; you can't remove in mixing any processing mistakes you might make intracking

G.

[David J Sims]

Originally Posted by SouthSIDE Glen

None. Except for maybe just a smidge of outboard compression (ART Pro VLA) just to keep the signal from going nuts - especially on an inexperienced vocalist - I much prefer to track vocals clean.

Later, in mixing I might perhaps use just a bit of surgical subtractive EQ (Roger Nichols' Dynamizer) to smooth any bumps caused by the mic, the room. Then, depending upon the rest of the mix, perhaps add some quality reverb (SIR Convo verb with a nice plate or warm ambience impulse).

But for the most part most of the time, it's keep the vocals relatively clean...especially during tracking; you can't remove in mixing any processing mistakes you might make intracking

G.

I meant when mixing, I only use a bit of compression going to disc, sorry bout that

[TheTrickster]

Most important is the mic, then the preamp, then the effects. I use a Shure SM-7B which gives a pleasantly warm sound with very little sibilance for my voice, and then I like to slap on a light UAD-1 LA-2A for colour, and add (very little) reverb.

Anyway, as always there are no rules, and all depends on the style of music and your own vision. It's good to be able to hear the words in the end, though.

If the vocals/words is the focal point of the song, work on having the words audible at all time. Double-tracking vocals can give a nice result (as a starting point, tuck the second track under the first at around 6dB lower)

Another trick is to take the second take and compress it heavily, tuck it under the main vocal, almost inaudible. Adds a nice punch.

On the Røde NT1A i got a lot of sibilance (harsh "S"/"CH" sounds) and would be forced to use something like Spitfish de-esser VST, which works great.

[Trell Blaze]

I like the Waves Renaissance line - mostly the RComp and REQ. I'll use the REQ to cut out muddy or "unwanted"<--subjective-- frequenceis and perhaps a slight boost around 9 or 10k for clarity. If necessary, roll off bass.

After that it's dynamic control with the RComp. Settings vary greatly from light limiting to 1000 ton squash. As has been stated above, the heavily compressed 2nd take is a good trick too - works on some instruments as well.

[jmorris]

UAD LA-2 is the best for me!

[NL5]

I like to slap a crapload of 1176LN on it, some eventide harmonizing, a bit o' plate, and a bunch of random hall. That's my "go to" vocal mixing chain anyway........

[Mr. Antrobus]

Voxengo makes some nice plugs, some are even free.

The Voxengo Voxformer voice channel is still pretty good and has a useful array of elements. compressors, saturator, eq's, de-esser and so forth.

Does sonar come with an IR reverb? I thought some versions come with an IR verb coded by Voxengo and based on Voxengo's Pristine Space.

As far as delays go, soundfonts.it has a nice clone of the space echo that's only 14 euro till the 30th. The "GS-201".

Fabfilter Timeless is a very comprehensive delay, as is More Feedback Machine from U-he.

[noisewreck]

Originally Posted by NL5

I like to slap a crapload of 1176LN on it, some eventide harmonizing, a bit o' plate, and a bunch of random hall. That's my "go to" vocal mixing chain anyway........

Oooo... forgot the 1176LN! I put it on everything. In fact, if there was a car version of it, I'd put it on my car too, to raise the engine compression

[omtayslick]

PSP plugs are pretty good. Notably Mixpressor, Mixsaturator and Vintage Warmer.

[David J Sims]

Here's a thread I just put up with a link to an mp3 of the first vocal I did and recorded....

http://homerecording.com/bbs/showthr...10#post2764710

[David J Sims]

Originally Posted by TheTrickster

Another trick is to take the second take and compress it heavily, tuck it under the main vocal, almost inaudible. Adds a nice punch.

That's neat I did something similar to that "by accident" on my first vocal I recorded (link above to mp3)

[David J Sims]

Originally Posted by Trell Blaze

I like the Waves Renaissance line - mostly the RComp and REQ. I'll use the REQ to cut out muddy or "unwanted"<--subjective-- frequenceis and perhaps a slight boost around 9 or 10k for clarity. If necessary, roll off bass.

After that it's dynamic control with the RComp. Settings vary greatly from light limiting to 1000 ton squash. As has been stated above, the heavily compressed 2nd take is a good trick too - works on some instruments as well.

Hee hee those are my main 2 vst's for vox lol! Even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and again

[dickiefunk]

I quite like some of the freebies :-

Fish Fillets
Jeroen Breebart
Freeverb Too
Electri-Q Posihfopit edition
GVST Plugs

[David J Sims]

This is turning out to be a really great thread! I'm finding out that just by trial and error I have stumbled across some of the better vst's to use and I am taking notes on some of the others mentioned so that I can experiment with them.

I have a few of the vst's mentioned such as the PSP vintage warmer and a couple others.

You guys rock!

[noisewreck]

So you purchased the PSPs and the Waves stuff by accident?

GlaceVerb. Good free plugin and works really well on vocals if you add it in subtly.

I don't sing, but I've mixed a few songs where someone else sang, and while they did have a good voice I never touched an EQ for vocals. Just compression and volume automation. I used volume automation for dynamics control and compression to give the vocals a thicker sound. Added a little GlaceVerb and it sounded really good.