How to make vocals sound more full?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Garak
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Garak

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I just started mixing a few tracks of a CD I'm working on and I'm having trouble makeing the vocals and full and warm.

I'm using a Studio Projects C1 mic and a Beheringer 2004a mixer as a preamp takeing the signel right from the insert feeding my Delta 44 soundcard.

I've been messing around with this all day trying diffrent reverb settings, delays, compression eqing, etc... in CEP, but the vocals still sound steril and sometime harsh and they are either buried in the mix or out front sticking out like a sore thumb.

The song I'm having the most problem with is a fairly heavy song with lots low end chomping gtr. I can't really describe it very well but the vocals are not sitting in it at all, when I turn them up in the mix they don't fit, when I turn them down they don't cut through the mix and make me want to turn up the monitors.

Any ideas on how to make the vocals sound bigger, fuller, smoother using the effects in CEP?
 
Some compression might help. You could also try doubling the vocal by singing it again as close as you can to the original.
 
Yea, recording layers of vocals works well for some songs but its not working in this one :D. On some of the songs I have been able to use the delay to get the same effect, but in this one I'm getting canceling in the low end when I try to use delays and it sounds worse.
 
If you dont mind having a more unatural vocal sound you could add a little bit of distortion, flanger and filtering to have it sound like its coming from a guitar amp or something. U2 seems to do that a lot for Bono when they have songs with heavy distortion. Maybe they were having the same problem as you?
 
record the vocal track (track 1)

copy this same vocal track on track 2 (track 2)

put a 15-20ms delay on the second track

then pan vocal track 1 75%left

and vocal track 2 75% right




Tukkis
 
I've also use a "tube" plug-in to add....something....to a vocal track. It spices things up a little bit but, of course, doesn't always work.
 
tukkis,
since thats the same treatment guitars usually get, wouldnt it clash with the vocals?
 
And even if the frequency ranges overlap, there's a couple things you can do: pan them different amounts. For example, pan the vocal track 1 100% right and vocal track 2 center. Guitar track 2 goes 100% left and center. Then you get the separation of the two vocal tracks, the separation of the two guitar tracks, but they're not in the space position in the stereo field. Also, find out where the power frequencies of the vocal are, and then cut small narrow bands from the guitar EQ at those frequencies.
 
Yea thats what I have been playing around with. A better way todo that is to convert the track to stereo and use the stereo delay, quicker, simpler, cleaner.

What our vocals need is a good reverb, I don't mean reverb that sounds like I'm in a gym, I want something warmer and smoother.

Anyone come up with some settings to get this?
 
I would never describe the CEP reverbs as warm and smooth. They are ok for some room ambience and the 3D Echo Chamber is good for adding some room sound to snare and other stuff.

You probably need a good reverb plug in if you want killer reverb. Cant recomend one though, sorry.
 
vocal mixing

I find that if I have heavy guitars, and the vocal won't cut through, I need to eq the guitars a bit. I cut a little bit (around 3db) out of the guitars at about 1kh (for my voice. You may need to cut a little different freq.) This works wonders for me. Let me know if it helps you.
 
TexRoadkill said:
I would never describe the CEP reverbs as warm and smooth. They are ok for some room ambience and the 3D Echo Chamber is good for adding some room sound to snare and other stuff.

You probably need a good reverb plug in if you want killer reverb. Cant recomend one though, sorry.
Click to expand...

CEPs reverbs are not the problem. You just have to know how to use them. They require tweaking as does most else in CEP.
BTW, I have never once found the 3D echo chamber useful.

I would lose the behringer pre. I think thats the weakest link in your chain.

Check out waves' trueverb for solid reverb if youre CEPs isnt making you happy.

Also, using CEPs compressor for vocals is not going to get you a warm full vocal and the expander can do frightening things if youre not careful. Get waves RCL or the waves vox comp or ultrafunk for vocals.

The bottom line is your problem more like an EQ issue than anything else.
 
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