Techniques in Making the VOX gel with the mix.....

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Teacher

Teacher

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what i'll do usually is compress gently while tracking with rnc then compress again with ren vox eq to taste,..by this time the vox is cutting thru the mix well, volume adjust...usually seems too fwd, but lowering the seems to bury it, so then i add the timeworks reverbx and adjust it till i think the vox is sitting good in the mix...

how do yall do it?
 
Sounds like too much compression to me. I try to track without compression if possible. If I use it on tracking that's it, no more. A bit of verb helps but if the vocal is not sitting right first you will be adding too much to get it to blend usually. I try to monitor at widely vairant volumes to get the vocal volume right. I will mix for a bit, fiddle with EQ and then turn the whole song down to barely audible. The vocal should still be very centered in the mix. Then I turn it up to ear splitting volume and leave the room...if it sounds like teh vocal is overbearing in the mix from the other room I turn it down a bit. That's my trick...volumes. Then I add verb last and adjust the vocal down a bit if needed.
 
Doesn't sound like too much compression to me. Depends on the music Genre and what is the desired result. if you have an inconsistent vocalist (dynamic wise) You very well may end up using a few stages of compression to "even" out their performance.

And Yes the right verb does allow the vocal to sit nicely in the mix. So it is up to you the mixer and the genre of music to determine how to approach making the vocal sit right.

Now as for me......

Over all, I will use a nice conservative amount of compression during tracking. IF, andf I repeat IF I have a nice compressor to do so.

2ndly, when mixing I get started and quickly get the lead vocal up so I am listening to it and it's relationship toeverything in the mix. Slowly building, eq'n compress'n, verbing, etc. whilst keeping in mind the relationship with this vocal and the track.

HOWEVER, IF..... IF the track dictates that the vocal is ancillary and for those doubters, some songs the vocal is Ancilliary to the song, then I approach the mix from a different perspective.

Example: Sometimes I'll start with Kick snare and hat, get them groovin' pretty nice, then add the lead. (dry, no eq), then i'll bring in the bass, get it grooving weith the drum and lead pretty nice then add a verb and some eq to the lead. See where I am at and move forward with the mix. Not all the time, but depending on what the song is saying that is one approach.

Bryan Giles
 
I track with very little or non compression, if the vocal jumps in and out of the mix, I use automation or compression. If the vocal can't be heard too well when being played at low volume, I try lowcutting it or sometimes boosting a little mid highs.

After the dynamic is taken care of and still sounds like a kareokie (?) mix, I add a little delay or reverb to the vocal or send the vocal AND the rhythm instruments to the same aux so they appear to be in the same room.

Al
 


lemme know if this is overly compressed this is one of my artist whose very dynamic so this is the most compression i'll usually do..i do rap primarily...so the vocal do need a good spanking now and then, but the compressors i use RNC, and ren vox are very transparent and smooth
 
Teacher said:


lemme know if this is overly compressed this is one of my artist whose very dynamic so this is the most compression i'll usually do..i do rap primarily...so the vocal do need a good spanking now and then, but the compressors i use RNC, and ren vox are very transparent and smooth
Click to expand...


I listened

What kinda mic was used?
It seems to me like the Vox are fighting the samples freq wise.
I would pan the samples a little more L/R.
It all seems to be coming straight up the middle except for the applause going L to R

Nice track though. I do proll 80% Hip Hop


Malcolm
 
Ld is nice and even like it should be in Hip Hop.

I can't hear the compression working so that means you got it right IMO.

Bryan
 
i usually do pan the melodies...i don't know y i didn't on this...

I used a Shure SM7 into a RNP

malcolm123 said:
I listened

What kinda mic was used?
It seems to me like the Vox are fighting the samples freq wise.
I would pan the samples a little more L/R.
It all seems to be coming straight up the middle except for the applause going L to R

Nice track though. I do proll 80% Hip Hop


Malcolm
Click to expand...
 
Something I do a lot for most of the mix that helps the vocals sit better is to open up a rather quick almost slap backish type of reverb (maybe even a plate) in the aux bus, then send the signals through that and back off the aux send on each track until I cant really notice the reverb on any particular track in the mix, and then maybe bring it up .2db or so. If you do this with the guitars, snare and vocals (leave the bass alone or add less into the aux buss that the others) it will help things stick together better like they are all in the same space. Often times if you do it right, there doesnt appear to be any reverb on it until you press stop and catch the reverb tail or solo a track. Then its obvious, but not so much so during the mix. I generally send individual tracks through the verb at about -10 or -11 or so, and thats keeping things from being washed out in verb, which you dont want, and keeps things from soudning too amatuerish. I dont like a bright reverb at all. If you have to, open an EQ after the reverb and set the EQ's dark/brightness where you see fit. Many EQ's have a high freq rolloff, though.
This works pretty well.
I compress the shit out of vocals. I do mostly rock so I have to, but nothing wrong with it, thats really what it takes and dont be afraid to do it til it sits. Compression is your best buddy, really.
 
Actually, I did that reverb thing for a band on the track called End Of Times at www.nowhereradio.com/transpire/singles

The vocals need some more work on them level and compression wise, but I think if you listen during the 1st verse part, you will see that there is reverb but its not washing the mix out in a bad way. Just making it sound more full, IMO, and almost hidden, but there at the same time. Its a very short slapback from RenVerb I adjusted slightly from the preset. The little mumble vocal in the background of the verse had no verb because I wanted it to sound harder and more intimate, if that makes sense. To stick out a little more without sticking out too much.
I dunno, I'm buzzing prob not making sense.
Later.
 
Tubedude....

I just noticed something about your post, Tubedude...

I saw that exact site get posted a couple days ago on Outspoken's website. I see you're from L-ville. Is that your band?

Just wondering, and thought it was cool and small world-ish to see that page posted twice in 2 days.

Are you one of the members on Outspoken's site, or just happen to have recorded someone else that has posted there?

If you know the music at all, let me know, I've got some questions about how Outspoken did some things on their record, and you'd be a great person to ask!
 
Cool thread, TD.

It's definitely no suprise to me to see that it was Frank that posted. Those guys are a great band, and they're really down to earth, and into their fans.

I encourage everyone to buy the album Bitter Shovel.
 
Suprised it didnt get a little more life... he would have stayed around longer if more people were interested. No one ever asked about the drums setup or for pictures or anything. Kinda disapointed in the response.
I think I am going to record a Kinghorse cover song for those guys thats going on a Kinghorse tribute CD thats been in the works for a long time. Will be VERY cool if that comes through.
 
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