How do you process vocals for hip hop?

[mikedavid00]

Hi,

I need help with vocals. I realize I need the sound to sit in the mix.

My issue is that most online resources are for rock and pop. Where they talk about using very little compression and re-verb.

I'm sure Rap has it's own specific requirements when recording vocals and having it sit in the mix. I don't want organic sounding roots hip hop, I want hot, commercial style sound.

I need to know compression ratio's, eq, and generally how to process vocals when recording hip hop.

Thanks for any help.

 

[jlewis]

Vocals for hip-hop are going to be similar to rock and pop in that you just have to use your ear, and maybe a little extra compression. There is no magic compression ratio or EQ setting that will give you a commercial sound. You just have to listen and do what sounds good.

 

[TooHotRecords]

Hey There,
this Video MAY help
really depends on what your after.

 

[jlewis]

^ I don't think this guy knows what he's doing. How could he possibly know what the vocal track needs if he isn't listening to it with the other tracks? The goal is to get the vocals to fit in the mix.

 

[MAYHEM1]

Agreed with Jlewis....without audioning anything how can you be really sure.....however i guess if you have recorded your self a hundred times in the same setting with the same room characteristics, mic, pre e.t.c then you will probably have some cookie cutter like way of doing things.

 

[pharelljordan]

good vocals start with a good mic,ensure that u a have nice little condensor mic first, behringer c1u or a samson co1u will do at this stage they are less than 200 bux come with a stand and a pop filter ... now that is done get heaphones so no sound is captured of ur music than after that record a bit without any thing just silent record... if ur using audition capture the sound profile... record ur vocals and apply the noise reduction... now u will see that u have good enough dry track now for the compression... since its rap... open up parametric eq ... cut of the frequencies below 60hz mind you this is only for ur vocals ...and after that cut off frequencies above atleast 18khz apply after u have done that.. ull see a good enough underground rap track add a bit of reverb.. put it into ur instrumental mix it down to a wave file open it again in edit mode.. get electic q free vst plugin and then go to preset and select quick master ur first okay track ready.. if u want a pro sound go to a recording studio..

 

[jlewis]

good vocals start with a good mic,ensure that u a have nice little condensor mic first, behringer c1u or a samson co1u will do at this stage they are less than 200 bux come with a stand and a pop filter

These are not good mics by any means, even for the price.

apply the noise reduction..

If you are recording properly to begin with, then you shouldn't have any noise to remove.

open up parametric eq ... cut of the frequencies below 60hz mind you this is only for ur vocals ...and after that cut off frequencies above atleast 18khz apply after u have done that.. ull see a good enough underground rap track add a bit of reverb.. put it into ur instrumental mix it down to a wave file open it again in edit mode.. get electic q free vst plugin and then go to preset and select quick master ur first okay track ready.. if u want a pro sound go to a recording studio..

Unless you have a really great recording then you'll probably need to do more than just cut the highs and lows (if you even need to do that). And don't use plugin presets, it's a quick way to a bad mix. Listen, like I said before, just listen to what it needs. If the vocals are too trebley, then use eq to bring down the highs a little. If they're not, then don't.

Again, there are no magic settings to a good mix. Unless you are working like Mayhem suggested, and always recording the same song, with the same performance, in the same position, with the same gear, then maybe you could always use the same mixing settings, but that's unlikely.

 

[pharelljordan]

look man i was just explaining to him how to do a good enough job at home, i mean he cant get commercial sound with that but hey at home they are all right thats what i said if he wanted a commercial sound go to a recording studio....

 

[jlewis]

Pharell, sorry, I wasn't trying to come at you, but some of the things you said are just not good practices, even for a novice home recorder. The OP had a question about getting the vocals to sit in the mix, and none of what you suggested would have helped him do that. I thought you and the OP might benefit from the correction. I am not a professional and what I was suggesting is not above the standards of good home recording. It's true that you're probably not going to get that commercial sound at home, but if you do things right, there's really no reason why you can't get close.

mikedavid, if you want to post a clip, maybe we can give you some more specific suggestions.

 

[pharelljordan]

Pharell, sorry, I wasn't trying to come at you, but some of the things you said are just not good practices, even for a novice home recorder. The OP had a question about getting the vocals to sit in the mix, and none of what you suggested would have helped him do that. I thought you and the OP might benefit from the correction. I am not a professional and what I was suggesting is not above the standards of good home recording. It's true that you're probably not going to get that commercial sound at home, but if you do things right, there's really no reason why you can't get close.

mikedavid, if you want to post a clip, maybe we can give you some more specific suggestions.

i understand man but when i used to do home recording i used these methods they worked fine with me so naturally i would give the same advise i used

 

[madfresh]

I don't know about ratios but generally for compression you don't wanna go to hard, but not too soft either. Kind of in between so the vocals are more punchy. For eq, I usually lower the bass frequencies and maybe increase the higher frequencies a bit. Try to listen to the vocals in some of the most popular hip hop tracks and do the mixing according to what you hear.