Vocal Effects 101 - I need advice :)

S

SilverSurfer

New member
Ok, got 16 tracks of vocals recorded, compressed and now I that I have edited out the junk (noise, deep breaths etc) what is the typical 90's ROCK vocal settings?

IE:

Reverb
Delay
Chorus

In other words, what is the tyical mix like so I can use that for a baseline?

Also, what about for guitar, bass and drums?

I have a lead vocal, plus 3 backing tracks for each main vocal of which I have 4. So I am really trying to figure out:

Volume for the lead
Volume for secondary
Volume/pan for third
Volume/pan for fourth

Effects on each one.

Since I am new to home recording, this is my first time going in depth on a recording and I really want it to come out well.

Any experts (or non) care to chime in?
 
What kind of rock, name a band...give me some sort of clue.
In general most vocals lately are pretty dry, small verbs and little vocal spreading pitch shifters and such. It is very genre specific and has as much to do with the type of voice and arrangement as it does with the style of music.
Just do what you think is best, there is no set way to do it.
 
Farview said:
What kind of rock, name a band...give me some sort of clue.
In general most vocals lately are pretty dry, small verbs and little vocal spreading pitch shifters and such. It is very genre specific and has as much to do with the type of voice and arrangement as it does with the style of music.
Just do what you think is best, there is no set way to do it.
Click to expand...

Early 90's Seattle Rock ala: Alice in Chains, Soundgarden.

Thanks!
 
SilverSurfer said:
Early 90's Seattle Rock ala: Alice in Chains, Soundgarden.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
A lot of doubling and short reverbs. The effects that are on these albums are really subtle. Instead of using chorus, use a pitch shifter set to -10 cents on one side and +10 cents on the other. Use the pre delay to make the 2 sides sound even. (the higher pitch will stick out further in the mix, the longer delay will stick out in the mix. Therefore put a longer delay on the lower pitched side, adjust until iit seems even) The idea of this is to get the chorus effect with out the wishy-washy sweeping.
 
Gracias. I've got 4 tracks of each vocal so the chorus effect I have without using any. So not much delay or anything?

Do you have expertise in Adobe Audition? When all 16 tracks of vocals are going the volume goes off the scale and I'm trying to figure out how much to bring each one down to keep the volume even throughout the entire song. Other than getting the volume even and a bit more trimming, it's sounding pretty good.

I've got it set this way:

Main Voc: -5
Backing Voc1: -10
Backing Voc2: -20 Pan left 60
Backing Voc3: -20 Pan right 60

That way I thicken up the main voc with Voc 1 and then have voc 2/3 pan to each side so there's a good effect there.

I've done this on all the vocals. I just need to corral the volume when all four main vocals hit at one time which is in the middle of the song. Otherwise it's just the main voc for most of the song.

Thoughts?!
 
I use Nuendo, but they all work the same more or less. I normally create a buss and send all the vocals to it. Then I put a compressor on the buss (2/1 at -15 ymmv) you will have to adjust the vocals against each other to get the right mix in the compressor.
 
That is what I was talking about. Sometimes it's called a group channel, you have to set one up and route all the vocals to it. Use an insert in the group channel for the compressor. I might not be explaining this very well, what I am trying to get you to do is compress all the vocals together in the same compressor, not individually on their own separate tracks.
This kind of thing comes in handy for drums as well.
 
Farview said:
That is what I was talking about. Sometimes it's called a group channel, you have to set one up and route all the vocals to it. Use an insert in the group channel for the compressor. I might not be explaining this very well, what I am trying to get you to do is compress all the vocals together in the same compressor, not individually on their own separate tracks.
This kind of thing comes in handy for drums as well.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I'll mess around with Audition and see how to do that. I know what you're saying, I just don't know if Audition will do it and if so.. how :D

Thanks!
 
I don't know about anyone else but chorus on vocals doesn't work for me. It just sounds nasty.

The big trick to having a "Soundgarden" or "AIC" type vocal is the VOCALIST. There's nothing you can do if the singer doesn't rock and have a good voice. 99% of their performance is THEM.

Good singers don't need effects, or even that great of a recording chain. Chris Cornell sounds like Chris Cornell on the first Soundgarden singles that were tracked at Recipricol Sound in 1986 on a measly Otari MX5050 8 track with a crap mixer.
 
Ok well we're talking about my voice here and though I don't sound like Layne Staley, I might be ok without effects. I noticed he has a bit of reverb/delay. I am wondering if I do add reverb or delay, do I do it just on the main vocal tracks?

Also, what would you recommend on the guitars/drums/bass tracks?
 
I don't know if this will help, but I use a digitech vocalist VR when I track, and I turn off the reverb. Remember that if you record the effects you can't take them off, so it's best to get it as dry as possible when you record, and add your effects in when you mix. Check out the VR. Not only does it enhance your vocal, but it also can do 4-part harmony. That was my biggest killer. I can distinguish harmony, but I couldn't sing the 5th or octaves without going falsetto. Not a problem anymore. As long as you can stay in key, the harmony is done by the machine. It sounds realistic as hell, too!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top