JBr33zyMusic
New member
Hey, I'm pretty new to Cubase. Could anyone recommend me some effects for vocals? Or a vocal chain I could follow?
EX: Compression
Delay
Reverb
Thank you!
EX: Compression
Delay
Reverb
Thank you!
Cubase Mixing Vocals Help!
- Thread starter JBr33zyMusic
- Start date
Guitargodgt
New member
The vocal chain you listed is actually great, just some tips:
Use the compressor as an insert effect.
Use the delay and reverb as a send effect (through a group bus).
Set the delay to fallow the tempo of the song. The delay should only be wet up to like 3%.
Other than that have at it. You can ad some eq to it as well, some of the low end (under 100hz) might not be needed for vocals depending on what your doing, or you can do a presence bump if needed.
Mostly, just use your ears.
Use the compressor as an insert effect.
Use the delay and reverb as a send effect (through a group bus).
Set the delay to fallow the tempo of the song. The delay should only be wet up to like 3%.
Other than that have at it. You can ad some eq to it as well, some of the low end (under 100hz) might not be needed for vocals depending on what your doing, or you can do a presence bump if needed.
Mostly, just use your ears.
My classic chain is:
1) Compression
2) Eq
3) De esser
Then i use reverb and delay as a send effect like Guitargodgt said.
I use API plug ins from WAVES, they work great... also they have great presets for vocals and other instruments.
Use your ears but the presets will get you started.
Regards.
1) Compression
2) Eq
3) De esser
Then i use reverb and delay as a send effect like Guitargodgt said.
I use API plug ins from WAVES, they work great... also they have great presets for vocals and other instruments.
Use your ears but the presets will get you started.
Regards.
ecktronic
Mixing and Mastering.
My typical vocal chain would be compressor, EQ, De-esser, reverb send.
I like to add delays sometimes also to thicken up the vocals, but I ten to use just a little amount of delay.
Sometimes I will use a stereo delay with 2 different delay times on L and R to create a stereo field.
G
I like to add delays sometimes also to thicken up the vocals, but I ten to use just a little amount of delay.
Sometimes I will use a stereo delay with 2 different delay times on L and R to create a stereo field.
G
Mo Facta
Farts of Nature
I don't wanna be devil's advocate here but how you process your vocals should depend on the material. I know it's a boring mantra that doesn't really offer a quick solution but it's the truth and the only way to really make a part "better" in a mix.
There are several flaws (and no offense to the previous posters) in telling you what plugins or processing to use on your own vocal recordings, especially when we haven't heard the recording or the mix.
For instance, if it's a dry sounding production, delay and reverb may be too outlandish and sound out of place.
If compression was used on input (while recording) you may not need compression.
If you have a good mic and you have good mic technique, you may not need any compression or EQ whatsoever.
The truth of the matter is that you will only ever get mediocre results with presets or blanket processing. There's no way around it. Granted, if you're a novice and you're just getting going, a little bit of preset or recommended processing may indeed help the situation. However, over time you'll find out that if you use this kind of approach your mixes will begin to sound benign and all-too-similar.
SO, what I can offer is to explain what tools (processes) are usually applied to vocals and why:
EQ: Equalization is used to either correct a spectral (frequency) inconsistency or to sweeten a recording that already sounds pretty good but might need an extra something in a certain frequency range. Knowing the fundamental frequencies of a particular song and also knowing how the respective frequency ranges affect what you're processing is key. This is a huge part of the art of recording/production and is a result of EQ being the oldest processor type we have.
Compression: Compression's simplest definition is usually termed as a process that increases the average level of a given recording or decreases its dynamic range. What this essentially means is that it is an automatic fader that reacts to the incoming audio and applies a mathematical ratio to the signal to decrease it within a specific time-base and over a specified threshold. This sounds complicated but it really isn't once you get the hang of it. An example of when you might need a compressor is when the performance is very soft in some parts and unnaturally loud in others. A tip for vocal compression is to start with a pretty fast attack along with an auto release (if the compressor has it). Starting at a 4:1 ratio couldn't hurt. The threshold will be dependent on your recording so that can not be specified here.
Reverb: Reverb is short for reverberation and is an effect applied to certain elements in a mix (or sometimes the whole mix, depending) to emulate space around the source. It's probably one of the most complicated, overused and misunderstood of all the processes but used properly it can greatly enhance a recording - if that is your goal and it fits the production. But don't think that just because you have reverb at your disposal you have to use it. There are many professional albums that never even saw a reverb unit during their entire production. As always, reverb should be chosen on a case by case basis. However, that being said, in modern pop/rock you'll find many flavours and combinations of reverb effects on vocals including short, reflective ambiance and longer plate/hall-type reverbs. The only guideline I can offer here is to use short stereo reverbs to give "air" and space to the vocal and use longer reverbs like a hall or a plate to enhance sustain. The rest is experimentation. And to echo what was said earlier, use reverb on an FX Channel and not as an insert. It saves processing power and you can send multiple sources to it.
Delay: Delay can be used in a million ways often with reverb and often without. It's purely an effect which is usually time-synced to the song in some way and offers diminishing repeats which is termed "feedback". The higher the feedback setting, the more repeats you get. Luckily now that we have DAWs it is easier than ever to sync delays to the song and a wide variety of beat divisions are offered so mess around with them and you'll find something you like. One thing about delay, or any effect for that matter, is that if it's on all the time it begins to become ineffective. For that reason you may want to use it sparingly in healthy doses to spice up your recordings. Automation comes in handy here or you could simply cut and paste the part you want to effect to a new track and send to the delay from there. Delay is also generally inserted as a send effect in an FX channel. Remember to set it to 100% wet!
Hope that helps.
Cheers
There are several flaws (and no offense to the previous posters) in telling you what plugins or processing to use on your own vocal recordings, especially when we haven't heard the recording or the mix.
For instance, if it's a dry sounding production, delay and reverb may be too outlandish and sound out of place.
If compression was used on input (while recording) you may not need compression.
If you have a good mic and you have good mic technique, you may not need any compression or EQ whatsoever.
The truth of the matter is that you will only ever get mediocre results with presets or blanket processing. There's no way around it. Granted, if you're a novice and you're just getting going, a little bit of preset or recommended processing may indeed help the situation. However, over time you'll find out that if you use this kind of approach your mixes will begin to sound benign and all-too-similar.
SO, what I can offer is to explain what tools (processes) are usually applied to vocals and why:
EQ: Equalization is used to either correct a spectral (frequency) inconsistency or to sweeten a recording that already sounds pretty good but might need an extra something in a certain frequency range. Knowing the fundamental frequencies of a particular song and also knowing how the respective frequency ranges affect what you're processing is key. This is a huge part of the art of recording/production and is a result of EQ being the oldest processor type we have.
Compression: Compression's simplest definition is usually termed as a process that increases the average level of a given recording or decreases its dynamic range. What this essentially means is that it is an automatic fader that reacts to the incoming audio and applies a mathematical ratio to the signal to decrease it within a specific time-base and over a specified threshold. This sounds complicated but it really isn't once you get the hang of it. An example of when you might need a compressor is when the performance is very soft in some parts and unnaturally loud in others. A tip for vocal compression is to start with a pretty fast attack along with an auto release (if the compressor has it). Starting at a 4:1 ratio couldn't hurt. The threshold will be dependent on your recording so that can not be specified here.
Reverb: Reverb is short for reverberation and is an effect applied to certain elements in a mix (or sometimes the whole mix, depending) to emulate space around the source. It's probably one of the most complicated, overused and misunderstood of all the processes but used properly it can greatly enhance a recording - if that is your goal and it fits the production. But don't think that just because you have reverb at your disposal you have to use it. There are many professional albums that never even saw a reverb unit during their entire production. As always, reverb should be chosen on a case by case basis. However, that being said, in modern pop/rock you'll find many flavours and combinations of reverb effects on vocals including short, reflective ambiance and longer plate/hall-type reverbs. The only guideline I can offer here is to use short stereo reverbs to give "air" and space to the vocal and use longer reverbs like a hall or a plate to enhance sustain. The rest is experimentation. And to echo what was said earlier, use reverb on an FX Channel and not as an insert. It saves processing power and you can send multiple sources to it.
Delay: Delay can be used in a million ways often with reverb and often without. It's purely an effect which is usually time-synced to the song in some way and offers diminishing repeats which is termed "feedback". The higher the feedback setting, the more repeats you get. Luckily now that we have DAWs it is easier than ever to sync delays to the song and a wide variety of beat divisions are offered so mess around with them and you'll find something you like. One thing about delay, or any effect for that matter, is that if it's on all the time it begins to become ineffective. For that reason you may want to use it sparingly in healthy doses to spice up your recordings. Automation comes in handy here or you could simply cut and paste the part you want to effect to a new track and send to the delay from there. Delay is also generally inserted as a send effect in an FX channel. Remember to set it to 100% wet!
Hope that helps.
Cheers