question about stacking vocals

  • Thread starter Thread starter fanito
  • Start date Start date
I do love this site as it answers questions that I have that know one in my world can relate to or ever imagine to care for. For the past two weeks I have been thinking about vocal chorusing, stacking, whatever you want to call it. I am neither a recording artist , recording engineer, or a "has been" spandex rocker, but I love music and recording it; even if it sucks quite violently. So tonight I think I am going to log on and ask a stupid question to the "recording gurus" about making vocals sound better but low and behold there is a thread started by someone with the same question. Now I have some ideas that will lead to experiments that will lead to experience. Thanks to those dedicated to answer whether in a smart ass tone or very serious it is all trial and error to share.
 
when necessary, i triple track my vocals.

the true lead goes center, #2 goes to the left (how far depends on how sparse the instrumentation is ) and #3 goes to the right.

then i compress the snot out of #2 and #3 and sit them down low in the mix.

UNLESS,

I'm doing hip-hop. in which case, i allow the thickening tracks to be more sloppy, and i leave them a little higher in the mix. since most hip-hop has sparser instrumentation, i also widen the panning a bit.
 
they do this a lot in hip hop tracks.
The guy will just say random words over the main lyrics, to articulate and accentuate certain words. If its the ending word in a sentance, or one that they want to stand out, or be more powerful, they say it twice. Kinda like a chorus but only in certain spots where they want it, and they have a different tone of voice. Sometimes talking, or sometimes someone else will do it.

Same thing for vocals i guess, just in vocals they usually sing over all of it, this is more like a whisper track i think.
 
Michael Jones said:
Given that, you're left with 2 tracks that don't quite match and when played together sound like... well, like 2 tracks that don't quite match.
Click to expand...

Thats the idea mike. They don't quite match, there are small differences. THAT is what gives it a fuller and more intresting sound.
 
..and if you guys do it in digital way (...lets say SONAR or CEP), take one track, make two copy so you have three identivcal tracks. Pan the first to center, second leftish, third rightist. Use pitchshift on track two and three. -0.1 cent on track two, +0.1 cent on track three (1/100 pitch down and up). Keep 'em dry. Now play 'em all... :eek: :D it just sound full and great. Just an alternative way you might wanna give it a shoot.
 
I've found that non-linear reverb can help beef up a weak vocal. I've got this as a D-verb plug-in from ProTools LE. Being a newbie, I don't know if this is a widely available effect.
I agree that singing a second pass usually works best - but sometimes when the first pass had highly improvisational phrasing or just "pegged it", the non-linear reverb is a better way to go.
 
James Argo said:
..and if you guys do it in digital way (...lets say SONAR or CEP), take one track, make two copy so you have three identivcal tracks. Pan the first to center, second leftish, third rightist. Use pitchshift on track two and three. -0.1 cent on track two, +0.1 cent on track three (1/100 pitch down and up). Keep 'em dry. Now play 'em all... :eek: :D it just sound full and great. Just an alternative way you might wanna give it a shoot.
Click to expand...
That is a really good way of doing it James.
I was thinking about doing that but didn't know how many cents to + or -. Before I read this I was going to try +- ten cents. Now I see it'd be way to much.

I have Sonar XL, do they a way to adjust the cents or do I need to get a plugin of some kind.

I have a song in mind for it.
Thanks for the insight.
 
Sennheiser,

In regards to "Bouncing", you mentioned that you try to avoid that procedure like the plague. If you don't mind, please tell me why. I am just trying to get as much understanding, as I can, on this digital recording thing. As I mentioned elsewhere, I know the problems that 'bouncing' caused when working in an analog environment. But I honestly thought that such problems would be non-existant in the digital realm; that tracks would always be clear & crisp regardless of how many times a passage was copied, bounced, or whatever.

Blessings,

Nate
 
If a singer used vibrato, wouldn't that really screw up stacking vocals (at least by recording true multiple tracks)?

I can tell that on many Bobby McFerrin songs his vocals are stacked, but really... how many people can control their voice as well as he does to perfectly (nearly) match vibrato?
 
James.

I was wondering about your numbers on the use of the pitchshift. Are you sure you mean .1 cent? Wouldn't 1.0 cent work better?

Seems like the .1 wouldn't be noticable since it's pretty small.
Just wondering before I delve into it.
 
listen to some mid 60s beatles stuff, norwegian wood, another girl, i need you - they all have double tracked vocals - i do it ALL the time on my tunes, it can make a slightly out of tune vocal sound rich and thick, but dont overdo it, pan one of the tracks hard left or right and the other dead centre. its too easy for words!!!! it works great on harmonies too where you have a strong (single track) lead ocal and harmonies double tracked - you'll sound like boyzone in ten minutes!!!! good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top