Mixing a single vocal track

[Canobliss]

People always ask to make there their track sound thicker. Does anybody have any tips or tricks you like to use thicken up single vocal tracks?

I'm not a big fan of the copying and nudging tricks due to all the phase issues, does anybody use this successfully?

 

[Dogman]

I don't do that. I use chorus, or delay on just the single track myself. Depends on what you want, but try using some chorus, or delay, and some reverb to start. What equipement do you use? I do it on pc with plugins. You can try and sing the part twice, but you need to keep it tight, or it sounds like 2 people.

 

[pipelineaudio]

I constantly copy and nudge tracks. Wont have a phase issue if you use your mono button while setting it. I also pitch shift one up and one down as well

The main trick is to do it in mono. It BETTER sound bigger in mono or you are only getting the effect half right

 

[Dogman]

I constantly copy and nudge tracks. Wont have a phase issue if you use your mono button while setting it. I also pitch shift one up and one down as well

The main trick is to do it in mono. It BETTER sound bigger in mono or you are only getting the effect half right

Pipeline, when you do this, do you hard pan them also? or leave them in the center?
Ed

 

[jmorris]

I constantly copy and nudge tracks. Wont have a phase issue if you use your mono button while setting it. I also pitch shift one up and one down as well

The main trick is to do it in mono. It BETTER sound bigger in mono or you are only getting the effect half right

Do you mean copy a, say, guitar track and then paist it to another track only with a very slight time difference? Shit, I thought that was my trick It just goes to show you if 'ya got a good idea chances are someone else had it first! I do the same kind of thing, hard left and hard right mono tracks,works very well. I love it with horns!

 

[dpreed1]

Recently tried waves doubler on a vocal, seemed to thicken and add a Nevermind-esq quality to the singer. Doubler's somewhat like a chorus, but with eq sidechains. and panning capability.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Pipeline, when you do this, do you hard pan them also? or leave them in the center?
Ed

Not too hard, 50 percent left and right, and a lot lower than the center main vocal

 

[RAMI]

I personally think it sounds better if you sing the track twice instead of copying it and moving it. But there's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[dpreed1]

Ya...,in the end double-tracking a vocal hands-down really thickens the performance up, especially if you take time to align the 2 together. I would sing it twice, comp 2 good vocal tracks, align them, and then put the best one 5-6 db above the other. Carve out around 5khz 3-4 db on the "backing" track with a moderate bandwidth, and boost around this area on the track up front. You could also go a step further by cutting 3khz 1 -3db on the up front track and simultaneously boosting 3khz slightly on the backing track with a small bandwidth, (Q of 2.0 - 2.8).

 

[pipelineaudio]

depends, in many situations, if you can even get ONE somewhat usable half almost sort of decent track out of an idiot douchebag singer youre doing good.

In these cases I resort to this:

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?MessageID=427061

 

[faderjockey]

I don't have to many clients ask for that. I think what helps is a thick preamp. I use either LTD-1 or TG2 somtimes 1272. Mic's Blue Bottle, U48, 4047sv.

Comp's help too.. I get guy to double their parts. If they suck...I make them do it over and over till it's right. They end up very happy.