Double Tracking Vocals

  • Thread starter Thread starter TelePaul
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It usually takes me many multiple tries to get the 'keeper' lead vocal and along the way I usually have one or two 'almost there' takes that I keep around especially for double-tracking when necessary. They usually line up pretty well for me except for the odd stray consonant. I don't mind if it's not quite exact.
 
AutoTune!!!!
That could help smooth out the minor conflicts in wrong notes.

Eck
 
Paul--

GOOD double tracking of vocals requires a vocalist who can sing takes that sound identical (or close to it). Usually this translates to a good singer--and when you're talking about the Mutt Lange "wall of vocals" (think Shania or Tim McGraw, etc), you need to have a great singer.

Otherwise, it'll sound JUST like you're describing.

Needless to say, doubletracking vocals is difficult, and I can't manage to do it with my vocals worth a damn. then again, it's hard for me to sing in pitch to begin with. :p


cheers,
wade
 
mrface2112 said:
Paul--

GOOD double tracking of vocals requires a vocalist who can sing takes that sound identical (or close to it). Usually this translates to a good singer--
wade
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There's the rub - the singers who can really dbl track well are the singers who least need to. :)
 
mrface2112 said:
when you're talking about the Mutt Lange "wall of vocals" (think Shania or Tim McGraw, etc), you need to have a great singer.
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Ha!!! That's a good one. :rolleyes:
 
Try compressing the crap out of one then mix the 2 tracks together.
 
I have found double tracking to be a two edged sword. Like someone mentioned earlier, the ones that seem to be able to do it the best are the ones who least need it. Timing is critical in getting a unified sounding double track. If you really want it to sound like one voive only then you have to either start with an incredible singer ( as far as timing and consistent enunciation) or you have to resolve to use many takes and do a lot of editing. Most of the tightest sounding layered voices out there are pretty heavily edited in order to acheive that transparency of timing and enunciation. Typically when I double track it is to get a little bit of that random human chorused effect. Unless of course an artist really wants a tight double track and is willing to commit to extra tracking time and extra editing time.
 
A good way of "fake" doubling would be to copy and paste the vocal track, nudge it, then pitch shift a few % of a semi tone and or add very mild chorus or flange or phaser.
Its a way of trying to make a duplicate track sound different so it sounds more like the vocals have been recorded twice.

Eck
 
ez_willis said:
For me, double tracking imperfections make my voice tolerable. It thickens it up. The second part is kept at a lower volume. Much lower.
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Amen to that. :)

In my experience, practice and precision is the key, really. Nudging time can help some, and eating consonants on all but the first take is also an excellent trick.

One other that's cool is to track an octave up, and have that sit really low in the mix; it ass so much body and definition.

Hey, we guys tha thave to use every trick in the book to not make people screaming from the room need all the help we can get! :)

I loved Brian Wilson's Beach Boys double track inconsistencies; they had such personality.
 
I'm glad that you asked this, Paul. I have the same issues. You definitely elicited some useful advice. Thanks all,

JD
 
scrubs said:
Ha!!! That's a good one. :rolleyes:
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hey, you might not like their material (lord knows i sure don't), but there's no denying that shania, tim, faith and any number of your "country superstars" (and add celine dion to that list too) can duplicate take after take after take and make them sound identical.

mind you lots of "country singers" (*cough* kenny, dierks) can't sing their way out of a bag without autotune or many, many takes. but i'm not talking about kenny chesney right now. :p

anyway--don't mistake "cheese" (or "crap") for "talent". some of those folks just plain have it. mutt's on record as saying he'll use as many as 100 tracks of vocals to get those vocal sounds on the shania albums. that's insane to you and me....but in the world of "whatever it takes at any budget", anything goes.


cheers,
wade
 
I have enough trouble getting one vocal track right, and if I try to double it I really screw it up. Maybe that's why i stick to guitar most of the time.
 
I like to think our singer is pretty damn good for her age/experience, and we don't double track at all. One vocal track, recorded with a '58, panned centre. Usually backed up by our guitarist double tracked and panned 75% to each side, seems to work for us.

www.myspace.com/funkconjunction

What do you guys think?
 
ez_willis said:
For the record, I have no idea what I'm doing, other than flailing about in a room in my garage, but wtf, it's only rock and roll, even if it's mp3 format. :o :D
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Descend turned out really well man...just 2 vocals on this? It has a nice chorus effect. Pretty smooth.

I only do one vocal track....I suck ass at singing, so just use some chorus and verb on mine. It's the best I can do. :o
 
Hmmm

I don't like copying the initial take and pitchshifting or nudging it back and forth in time, etc. to create the illusion that it's a doubled vocal -- I think a lot of folks here are spot on in acknowledging that it's a very difficult skill to acquire and is the hallmark of a professional -- I certainly don't do it well. Listen to any of Elliott Smith's first three albums: Rob Schnapf (who produced Either/Or) said he sat down, played guitar and sang the song once through, then played the guitar part again while singing the song through a second time. On his records they sound nearly identical but with the right kind of very minute variations, to achieve a very dramatic effect with no special studio wizardry. I know it sound corny but the way to get that good is practice, practice, practice (oh and be born with the gifts of a songwriting god like Elliott was).
 
Dogman said:
...I suck ass at singing, so just use some chorus and verb on mine. It's the best I can do. :o
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You should try double tracking a vocal. It makes it better, somehow?? :confused:
 
zen_arcade said:
I don't like copying the initial take and pitchshifting or nudging it back and forth in time, etc. to create the illusion that it's a doubled vocal -- I think a lot of folks here are spot on in acknowledging that it's a very difficult skill to acquire and is the hallmark of a professional -- I certainly don't do it well. Listen to any of Elliott Smith's first three albums: Rob Schnapf (who produced Either/Or) said he sat down, played guitar and sang the song once through, then played the guitar part again while singing the song through a second time. On his records they sound nearly identical but with the right kind of very minute variations, to achieve a very dramatic effect with no special studio wizardry. I know it sound corny but the way to get that good is practice, practice, practice (oh and be born with the gifts of a songwriting god like Elliott was).
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There are naturally gifted singers, and those that must work at being mediocre.
 
ez_willis said:
There are naturally gifted singers, and those that must work at being mediocre.
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In case you're wondering, there is no particular point to this post.
 
I keep hearing people rave about something called vocalign(?). They keep calling it a miracle worker, but I don't know of such things.
 
ez_willis - Heh. I definitely hear ya. And I'm definitely in the latter category.

jonnyc - Are you thinking of Melodyne?
 
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