Compressing Vocals before editing?

[word_play]

im i supposed to compress my vocal track before i edit or add any effects? if so, what should i compress it to mp3? wav? thanks.

if i shouldnt compress it in those formats how do i go about compressing?

thanks

[FattMusiek]

You have terms mixed up. You're asking about mixing tracks down, no? That's referred to as "mixdown". Compressing, compression, or dynamics processing raises lower signals and reduces the higher ones. As for that, you don't need to mix anything down until you're done mixing or unless you want to bounce tracks. For easy effects, click the "FX" button under the "arm for record" button.

Hope I helped.

[chrisharris]

Well, you've got your terms KINDA' messed up, but not totally. MP3 conversions use a type of audio compression, but that's a totally different deal than "compression" in the recording context. Compression on a vocal is what Fatt described, and I usually compress the vocal track before I do anything else to it (as a .wav file, just like all the audio tracks I work with in CEP).

The reason I think compressing first is a good idea is because if you EQ before you compress, the compression is going to undo a lot of whatever you EQ'd. Some people like to EQ first, which is probably correct, lol. NOBODY should add FX before you compress, because if you do, you're going to turn your light, tasteful reverb into some kind of missile silo/empty barn sound, and the sibilance will suck, and about a billion other reasons.

To do it, btw...just leave the file as it is (which SHOULD be a 32 bit .wav file in the multitrack or edit session)...then do "EFFECTS-->AMPLITUDE-->DYNAMIC PROCESSING" and try a few of the presets out to get started. I won't recommend any settings now, b/c I'm in the midst of a recording awakening that is changing some of my tried and true methods, lol.

Good luck man.

[word_play]

thanks a lot guys.

by the way, i dont think my vocals are 32 bit...can my soundcard handle that, its just a regular basic soundcard for now till i upgrade it.

how would i change it to 32bit if i could.

thanks.

[chrisharris]

Okay, I won't go into detail, just trust me on this. No matter what kind of soundcard you have, you need to do everything in 32bit in CEP. There's actually no such thing as a 32bit soundcard, but 32 bit processing is how CEP works, and if you don't use it, you're creating a bunch of extra noise without even realizing it, so go into "options" and look at every tab in there, and EVERYWHERE it gives you an option between 16bit and 32 bit, select 32 bit.

The only extra step you'll have is after you finish a mix, you'll have to "convert sample type" back to 16bit so you can burn it to CD, but this way, you're only making that noise inducing conversion once instead of 50 times, lol.

Just trust me....

[scottboyher]

Originally posted by chrisharris
Okay, I won't go into detail, just trust me on this. No matter what kind of soundcard you have, you need to do everything in 32bit in CEP. There's actually no such thing as a 32bit soundcard, but 32 bit processing is how CEP works, and if you don't use it, you're creating a bunch of extra noise without even realizing it, so go into "options" and look at every tab in there, and EVERYWHERE it gives you an option between 16bit and 32 bit, select 32 bit.

The only extra step you'll have is after you finish a mix, you'll have to "convert sample type" back to 16bit so you can burn it to CD, but this way, you're only making that noise inducing conversion once instead of 50 times, lol.

Just trust me....

I learn something everyday..

[dobro]

What? You mean you've learned to trust Chris?

[scottboyher]

Originally posted by dobro
What? You mean you've learned to trust Chris?

Oh my! No! I learned that 32 is better than 16.

[word_play]

Originally posted by chrisharris
Okay, I won't go into detail, just trust me on this. No matter what kind of soundcard you have, you need to do everything in 32bit in CEP. There's actually no such thing as a 32bit soundcard, but 32 bit processing is how CEP works, and if you don't use it, you're creating a bunch of extra noise without even realizing it, so go into "options" and look at every tab in there, and EVERYWHERE it gives you an option between 16bit and 32 bit, select 32 bit.

The only extra step you'll have is after you finish a mix, you'll have to "convert sample type" back to 16bit so you can burn it to CD, but this way, you're only making that noise inducing conversion once instead of 50 times, lol.

Just trust me....

thanks, so after ive layed down the vocals and everythings fine and im ready to mixdown as a wav or mp3 how do i convert it to 16bit,

thanks again

[FattMusiek]

Yeah, I just followed your advice too. How DO you change it back to 16bit?

[chrisharris]

Originally posted by FattMusiek
Yeah, I just followed your advice too. How DO you change it back to 16bit?

It's the last option under "EDIT" tab. "Convert Sample Type"

Just click the 41000, and the 16BIT button, and the "stereo" button.

Burn it...be a rock star, lol.

[chrisharris]

Originally posted by word_play
thanks, so after ive layed down the vocals and everythings fine and im ready to mixdown as a wav or mp3 how do i convert it to 16bit,

thanks again

Oh, and if you're not burning directly to CD...you can take that 32 bit file and convert it directly to an mp3 file in CEP. For the web, I use 192kbps, and I'm using CEP's converter again. Most of the mp3's on the web are 128, but I think it makes the cymbal crashes and high hat kinda' phasey sounding....160's okay...so I go one extra step, lol.

Just hit "save as" instead of "save" (assuming you've already saved the file as a 32 bit file), then in the second white box (the one below where you enter the name of the file, click on that drop down menu, and change the file extension to ".mp3" instead of ".wav"...Yet one more box pops up, and it has an "OPTIONS" box. Click on that options box, select 192 (the 2nd 192, not the first one), that'll take you back to the save menu, just hit "Okay" or "Save" or whatever it is...Presto..instant conversion.

You can burn that mp3 to disc also, but again, I think it's best to go back to your original 32 bit file, and "convert file type"...then "save as" and call it something to let you know which file is which. For example, if the 32 bit tune is called "I ROCK.wav", then I'd hit "save as" (after the 16 bit conversion) and I'd call it "I ROCK-16BIT".wav"...if you decide to go back and jack with the file again, be sure to open the 32 bit file instead of the 16 bit file and do all your conversions with it instead of the 16 bit file for the reasons set out above.

bater litch

[scottboyher]

Originally posted by chrisharris
For example, if the 32 bit tune is called "I ROCK.wav", then I'd hit "save as" (after the 16 bit conversion) and I'd call it "I ROCK-16BIT".wav

This is pure genius..