best software to tweak/polish vocals

[videodrone]

Hi,

Im looking for software to polish my vocals, something really flexible, (im into styles like marilyn manson-tool-mindless self indulgence and so on)

can anyone recommend good software for this? i heard Vegas audio pro was great,

also the more user freindly the better, but ill take the more complicaated stuff always if the quality is better

thanx ahead of time

[knightfly]

I don't use Vegas, but was looking at it for Video editing. What I discovered is that they apparently have discontinued Vegas Audio, and are now concentrating on Vegas VIDEO. The only difference is that video offers much more video capability while allowing all the same audio features.

Your choice of software might depend on what you're doing for backing tracks. Do you use MIDI instruments and sequencing? Are you into loops/resampling? What do you have for sound sources? Recording with mics, or direct from electronic instruments?

If you're doing little or no MIDI, Samplitude is a hard program to beat. It comes with several EFX, lots of processing tools, and although it is VERY deep it is also pretty friendly to get started. The more you learn, the deeper you can go. The sound quality of their mixing algorithm beats Pro Tools according to comments by many people who use both.

One of the more popular all-in-one programs, at least for PC, is Sonar 2.0 - if you get the XL version, it comes with a few soft-synths and a couple of 64-bit mastering plug-ins.

If you decide on Vegas, spend the $30 extra and get Vegas Video 3.0 instead of Vegas Audio 2.0 - you get a full version newer and complete video editing with nothing lost in the Audio department. Here is one link for pricing:

http://soundstore.holdit.com/cgi-bin...ategory=13&x=2

If you really only want the audio (with ONE video track) you can get Vegas Audio 2.0 for about $199 here

http://www.cdbm.com/shop/start.cgi

search on "vegas" (don't use the quotes in your search)

Hope this helps get you started, I'm pretty sure you'll have more questions - bring 'em on... Steve

[NeuzGrouper]

I just wanna put this comment in here. This whole bbs is great! Questions I didn't even know I was gonna ask are answered here, and everyone is so helpful. Man, we should have a convention or something, just so I can thank everyone in person. Friggin awesome, I tell ya.

[Gidge]

what type of "polishing" do you wanna do?....editing?effects?.....

the best polish comes from a nice mic and preamp and compressor......

dammit, i sound like Bruce....

[littledog]

Originally posted by Gidge


dammit, i sound like Bruce....

nahhh... you didn't say "give me a fuckin' break" even once!

[heylow]

Originally posted by littledog



nahhh... you didn't say "give me a fuckin' break" even once!

Seriously....I think he wants more like editing/effect type stuff by what he said.

Video...you should also mention how you generally record for someone to figure out what would best integrate with how you do things currently. Or are you looking for something to record into as well? Something like Vegas is more for recording and vid production that adding effects to already recorded stuff. I think more info is in order here, bro.


heylow

[darrin_h2000]

Gidge is right for a change The best way to achive the vocal you want is to get it on the track that way.

[videodrone]

Im into adding effects to the vocals and making them sound more "on key"(?)

my freind went to a studio and they used vegas on there vocals, to make them sound more on key, and the results were phenominal i though,

I think im gonna look into samplitude though, can I download this online somewere for free on like kazaa?

[Track Rat]

If you already have an editor, Anteres Auto Tune (used surgically) is very powerful tool.

[knightfly]

Antares Auto-tune would probably be one of your best bets -

Samplitude has some pitch-shifting capabilities, but I'm not very familiar with them. I generally limit my time to things I need, and pitch shifting isn't one of them since I have perfect pitch, and singing out of key hurts my ears (almost literally) - There's no better incentive to practice singing in key than pain...

You can download a DEMO of Samplitude Producer at

http://europe.magix.com/index.php?id=411

- This is a 90 day FULL-WORKING version, that reverts to a no-save, otherwise time-limited version. It puts a hidden file on your drive that keeps you from just re-installing after 90 days, the only reasonable way to get around that is to format the drive and start over.

The purchase price of Samplitude Producer is about $600 mail order, it is an industry secret of sorts - Several people with access to Protools claim Samplitude beats it hands down for sound quality. Point is, this is NOT a toy, but will spoil you for anything else I've tried.

There is another version of Samplitude, called Samplitude Studio, that has most of the functionality of Producer except for surround and multi-band compression, and I think it only goes to 48k sampling rate but not sure. It's only about half the price of Producer, with 90% of the goodies.

My advice, not to try and hurt anyone's feelings, would be to spend the money FIRST on VOCAL LESSONS - Singing out of key only makes people want to leave the room or throw something... Steve

[videodrone]

im more or less into adding marilyn manson/mindless self indulgence/ween and so on type of effects. not just to correct pitch and so on. I like to add intresting sounds to the voice.
so far Im thinking Sampiltude. Do you guys have any other shout outs?

[Seanmorse79]

A lot of that comes from creative recording/micing techniques.

- try recording through something freaky like a large tin can behind the mic, or recording through your home ventilation system (it's cool, I've done it).

Most decent multi-track programs have a nice array of effects built-in - there's a lot of stuff you can do, right out of the box.

Here's a few other quick ideas:

- Izotope Vinyl - free, but awesome vinyl simulator
- AnalogX Arpeggiator - cool stuttering, heavy techno, BT type thing (also free)
- check out vocoders - there's a lot you can do with them other than the Cher/Kid-rock variety.

[James Argo]

Two rules to record vocals by:

1. If the singer is having problems with intonation (being in tune), use different headphones volumes - usually turn down the volume and turn down the bass.

2. Use the minimum amount of reverb possible when doing vocal recordings.


I've done this...
If the singer sings flat, reduce the headphone volume and reduce the amount of bass-frequencies in the headphones. This may require a little “training” for the singer to get used to lower volumes and with less bass than they want in the headphones.

When singers insist on loud bassy headphones and always sing flat, I will suggest an experiment:

1. Have the singer sing a verse with the headphones loud and bassy.

2. Have the singer sing the same verse on with the headphones much lower and with less bass. Record this second performance on a different track.

3. Without telling the singer which track is which, play each track with the music and ask which one the singer likes best. They will always choose the track done with the lower-volume, reduced bass headphone mix.

[James Argo]

Get practise to sing on tune with your ears closed. You did fine with open ears. Singing almost every cents on your tune. Never get glitched. But how about closed ears ? Use your hands -or better yet- big headphones while you practise singing. I saw many good singers drop in studio just because they don't get used to sing with closed ears (headphone monitor). Wasting studio hours. So before you book the studio, make sure you sing good on closed ears... you'll be amazed on faster and better you'll be on tracks...

[Skysaw]

Singing in tune is one thing, and pretty well covered here. But since you also seemed interested in effects, one that I use quite a bit is running my vocals through a guitar amp simulator. You can drive it quite hard, and get some gutsy sounds that way.

But don't be afraid to just experiment. Try using plugins for chorusing, flanging, tremelo, vibrato, pitch-shift, wah-wah, etc. Try EQing vox in unusual ways. These sort of effects are nice if you used them on a doubled track, with the main vox clean as well. I've tried some very strange combinations to good effect.