Ed,
When you say they don't sit in the mix, it's possibly both a compression and EQ issue. Adding compression to the vocal may help. The compression will even out the dynamics so that the softer parts don't get lost. Instead of EQing the vocal heavily, try to make frequency space for the vocal track in the other parts. If you know where the bulk of the vocal falls, frequency-wise (you can ballpark this, or use a spectrum analyzer to "see" it -- I use
the Voxengo SPAN, which is free), you can carve out a space for the vocal to sit. For example, if the bulk of your lead vocal on a particular song is between 2000-4000Hz, then you could decrease those frequencies in the other tracks (guitar, drums, etc.) by a couple of dB to make room for the vocal.
Again, mic position is critical. The closer you are to the mic, the more "intimate," "up-front," and "breathy" your vocals will sound. As you move further away, the vocals become more distant and the quality of the room you are recording in becomes more of a factor. Also, I hang heavy blankets on my walls and drape them over mic stands around where I am recording to kill early reverb flutter from my room.
As for my specific vocal processing:
You mixed the collab that we did (Done With You), right? That vocal was a single line tracked with the NT1 through The Brick pre. There was a touch of compression from a crappy dbx (mc-6) outboard compressor during tracking (but not enough to seriously alter the sound -- just for peak control; I now have an RNC that is much better than the dbx). I applied no other effects, other than silencing some breaths before submitting it for the collab. I use a Tascam US-122 interface and record into Cubase SE at 24/44.1.
I
rarely double vocal tracks. When I do, I'll often severely compress the second part (10:1 or more) and bring the level up under the main vocal (both panned to the center). I don't want to really "hear" the second vocal. I just want it to add some beef to the main vocal. Alternately, track two vocals as close as you can in volume, pitch, enunciation/phrasing, etc. Then pan them l/r for a cool modern sound. This is harder because the two takes have to be so close. Doubling can certainly beef up a weak vocal, so don't be afraid to try it out.
Typically, I use a few plugin effects that are all FREE (read - I'm a cheap bastard). I like
the SpitFish de-esser from digitalfishphones. For compression, I use either the Blockfish from digitalfishphones, or, more often, the Classic compressor from Kjaerhus. I use one of the vocal presets for each.
For reverb, I use the Classic reverb from Kjaerhus a lot. I'll set it up as a send effect (using a preset -- but I may adjust the predelay (start with about 50ms)). I also use the SIR convolution reverb quite a bit. Again, I don't use lots of reverb, just enough to add some space. Maybe 10-15% send in Cubase (sometimes less). I typically run my backing tracks through the same reverb (to varying degrees) as the vocal. To me, that gives the impression that the music was all recorded in the same sonic space.
I'll often use the "Da Tube" plugin that comes with Cubase. It is a distortion/tube emulator that adds a bit of presence and dirtiness to the track. Again, a little goes a long way (as a send effect with 5-20% send). There is a free plugin called
RubyTube that you could try if you don't have Cubase.
For EQ, I low cut everything below 100Hz. Here's a tip that I read somewhere: set up a parametric with a low cut at 80Hz on the soloed track. Then, sweep the frequency up until it is noticeably affecting the tone of the track, then back it down a little. That way, you eliminate any low-end clutter while still retaining the sound of the vocal. Other EQ
may include a slight (1-2 dB) boost in the 3000-4000Hz range, and another slight boost in the 14000Hz range. The midrange boost will add presence. Too much and it sounds like a telephone.
That's about all I can think of. I certainly don't have any magic bullets to fix vocal tracks.
