How Do YOU Get A Sweet Vocal Sound?

  • Thread starter Thread starter BigEZ
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Olijanovi said:
Doesn't double tracking gives you a chorusy sound? Or does double tracking means two mics on the same vocal take?
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No it depends on how you mix them. One take could have little to zero compression while the other has much more (think parallel compression). The lead is set how you want it to sound then the doubled track you can eq out some highs & mids possibly so that it sits right with the 1st take. So its there...you just wont hear it. & if you do it right it wont be "chorusy. No you can use the same mic to double track. Track one time, then a 2nd time.
 
use a sweet singer and a sweet vocal mic and preamp, into a sweet compressor and a sweet reverb...with a touch of sweet EQ if necessary
 
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to RAMI again.


I usually quad track everything, it still doesn't help. All the Avalon's and million dollar mics and wave plug-ins in the world wouldn't give me a sweet vocal sound. That's why I am a database programmer and not a rock star :p
 
There are no "tricks".

Use doubling if that's the sound you're looking for.

Find a mic that works for you and spend some time getting to know it.

I can tell you what works for me, but it might not float your boat.
 
RokZtaR said:
Hi All,

Considering you've recorded the best vocal track possible, what do you do in the mix to get that sweet larger than life vocal sound? I.e. effects, EQ, etc.

Just looking for some different ideas to try.

Thanks,
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If I recorded THE BEST VOCAL SOUND POSSIBLE I would :
1. Not touch it with one damn bit of post production, and stone any one who got close to it with an EQ.
2. take the perfect mic I just recorded the perfect vocal with and put it back in the highly secure Swiss Saftey Desposit box that I would undoubtedly have it stored in.
3. Send the Audio file to Neumann and tell them to kiss my A**

Lol, but seriously, If you record your best vocal sound possible and you put anymore than a little reverb and compression your hinking in wrong terms.

Doubling should be used to add emphasis to certain parts of the song. Think liek a live background singer. The Nirvanna tracks mentioned are good examples but I think they overdue it a little. At leas tfor my taste they do. I use doubling (and a doubling plug-in) all the time, but never on a WHOLE section. Just the accent words or the hook phrase.

Eq should be used to fix a harsh or muddy sound or help a vocal sit in a mix better. If your using EQ to get the vocal sound you want (talkign about the main vocal) than you need to re-evaluate your post production thought process.

This is how I get my Vocal sound (Though I rarely love it, unless I don't here it for a few months. I think if you think you mix is perfect, you need better monitors. especially if you tracked the song.)

I start off by using the biggest room I have (Which is small) with some absorbtion behind the vocalist.

It's important to do numerous takes and keep all of them, you'll never know what sounds good when you sit down to mix.

I place the mic at forehead level facing down at the mouth, I use a pop filter, and I hope to God this vocalist and sing and has a modicum of Mic technique.

I Record it dry, mabey with a little reverb going into the vocalists headphones.

After recording, I comp the track (Cheating I know)

Then I do some volyume automation ont he compd track

Then I throw my compression on, depends on what genre, but I like light compression.

When that's sounding good I add just little plate reverb (I'll come back to the ambience later)

Next I'll add a sonic enhancer (BBE makes my fave)

If I like it at this point I bring the rest of the mix up and IF neccesary I add some EQ, always cutting where possible, I hate boosted EQ on a vocal/

Then I pull up a pitch corrector with Fornant correction. I had Melodyne at the Studio I interned at but now I use Logic Pitch Crrecttor (Which sucks.)

Whne that vocal is DEAD on I play with the reverb till that baby is sparkling and the Vocal sounds like it's sitting on a chair about ten feet in front of the rest of the band and 10 feet higher elevated than the rest of the band.

Then I pull up parts from the other takes and use them to duplicate the hooks and emphasise some other lines. I usually EQ to get a kind of breathy sound and soak that puupy in a different reverb than the main vocal has. Then I add what effects if any I want to the backing tracks.

Next I'll sleep. take a day off. then come back and mentally repeat the process while listening to the track Until I am completely satisfied.
 
RAMI said:
Jesus, man. You get paid by the word?
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Nope, just a guy with a boring Night shift Job and a serious pet peeve with lightly answered questions :)

There is a scroll bar rrrrrrriiiigggghhhhtttttt over ther >>>>>>>

I would also suggest buying a mouse with a scroll wheel on it ;)
 
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