Things You'll Need:
- Digital Audio Workstation (D.A.W.)/ Audio Sequencer
- Dynamic Processing Plugins (EQ/ Compressor)
- Effect Processing Plugins (Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Doubler)
- Harmonic Distortion Processing Plugins (Tape Saturation, Exciter)
- Spatial Processing Plugins (Stereo Width Expander)
-
Step 1
High-Level Compression
High-level compression or simply known as normal compression was invented to automatically gain ride the signal – or in this case the vocal. The compressor is used to tame the vocals wide dynamics by controlling its overall gain level by applying gain reduction as set by the user.
Starting values to achieve a good vocal; fast to medium attack time with a medium release time and a ratio not exceeding 6:1. The threshold should be set to apply an overall gain reduction of about 3dB. Adjust this accordingly to tailor the vocal you're working with. -
Step 2
Low Level CompressionLow-Level Compression
Every 'normal' compressor is capable of performing low-level compression. Low-level compression is a smart and quick way to automatically gain ride the vocal (however it could be more pleasant to do this manually using the fader automation of your mixing console, controller or sequencer).
A low-level compressor will upwards compress (distress) the audio signal when it falls below the set threshold resulting in an increase in gain. The dynamic range will be compressed by pushing up the information below the set threshold, but leaving the information above the set threshold uncompressed resulting in a more controlled vocal.
Set the compressor' s ratio to a positive value and use the threshold to set the desired applied added gain, be careful to not over do this cause it will result in a vocal without no dynamics (!!!). Listen carefully to your overall vocal sound to achieve the desired effect and change the attack and release values which should be set as a starting point to fast/ medium attack and medium release time. -
Step 3
Peak Limiting
Because the compressor lets initial peaks through, it is of essence to put a peak limiter following the compressor to peak limit, as the device' name already states, these peaks. A good starting point is to achieve peak limiting of about 6-7dB, but lower the limiters output accordingly to the gain reduction, yet remaining an optimum gain structure. -
Step 4
Advanced Vocal Compression Technique
An advanced technique used by seasoned multi platinum award winning mixing engineers is the splitting of their vocal, or better known as mults or multing, and have it return on two separate faders with each a set of different compressors and limiters using both in series followed by equalizers to do the same trick, but with more control and a more human feel and sound towards it; which usually happens in pairs of two: e.g. verse and chorus. This way they can use different compression amounts for different passages of the song (as we all know a verse is sung softer than its following chorus). Mixing both together and automating it according to the vocals timbre – when the vocal sounds thin; mixing more in from one fader and vice versa. -
Step 5
Equalize the Vocals
Reduce around 100 cycles to decrease boominess of vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.0.
Increase around 200 cycles to add fullness to vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.0.
Reduce around 240 cycles to decrease muddiness of vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of 1.0.
Reduce around 300 cycles on kick drum for clarity of vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.0.
Reduce around 600 cycles on kick drum for clarity of lead vocals body. Peak equalization of 1.0.
Increase around 600 cycles to add guts/ body to lead vocal. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.3.
Increase around 3,000 cycles for more clarity and harshness of lead vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.0.
Reduce around 3,000 cycles to increase breathy, soft -sound on background vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.0.
Increase around 5,000 cycles for presence of vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.0.
Increase around 7,000 cycles for dull singer. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.3.
Reduce around 7,000 – 8,000 cycles cycles for less “S” sound on vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 2.0.
Increase around 10,000 cycles for air on vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.0.
Increase around 16,000 cycles for air on vocals. Peak equalization with a Q of about 1.0. -
Step 6
Feeding The Vocals
Another great trick, which is commonly used by the veteran mixing engineers, is the use of the build in overload compressor in the legendary Lexicon PCM42 digital delay devices. The purpose for this overload compressor, as it already says, is to prevent to unit to receive a signal which will overload its inputs. The trick exactly involves doing what the engineers of the Lexicon PCM42 try to prevent; overloading its inputs. The secret lies within the build-in prevention – the overload compressor. Creating a feedback loop to feed the Lexicon PCM42's inputs and overloading it so the overload compressor kicks in, and lowering its outputs, panning one left and the other panned right with little to no delay resulting in that extreme 'in-your-face' vocal sound as heard on countless hit records on the radio. -
Step 7
Distorting the Vocals
Welcome to the magic world surrounding analog tape.
There is some absolute noise-floor that is inherent on analog tape as with all types of recordings including digital ones, however the distortion characteristics of analog tape are different.
When the signal level recorded on an analog tape is gradually increased from a low level, there is an increase in the signal to noise ratio because the noise floor stays put and the signal comes up above it. At the same time however, the level of distortion gradually increases. This is substantially different from the situation with digital signals or op-amps because the clipping isn't immediate – it's a far more gradual process. The result of this softer, more gradual clipping of the waveform is twofold. Firstly, as was mentioned above, the increase in distortion is more gradual as the level is increased. In addition, because the change in the slope of the waveform is less abrupt, there are fewer very high frequency components resulting from the distortion. Consequently, this is the effect which many seasoned mixing engineers who actually use this distortion as an integral part of their processing. This tape compression as it is commonly known, is however most frequently used for tracking drums but will do wonders on lead vocals as well.
To create an even more solid sitting vocal in the mix; applying small amounts of this so called 'good' distortion to add harmonic content, warmth and punch (tape compression) to the vocals by using a magnetic tape saturation emulation plugins such as Digidesign's own Reel Tape Suit's Reel Tape Saturation plugin using a 'Swiss' (Studer A800) machine emulation with the higher-output formula tape emulation (Quantigy GP9 Tape) with a drive of about +2dB and a tape speed of 30 IPS (Inch-Per-Second) with a calibration level of +9dB with very little to no noise and no bias and a few dB hot on the output (great alternative is DuY DAD Tape plugin or the real thing). -
Step 8
Excite the Vocals
The main purpose of a high frequency exciter such as the Aphex Systems Aural Exciter III, is simply to bring the vocals right to the front of the mix.
The Aphex Exciters make use of adding harmonics to the signal by applying these to the attack and decay transients. Attack/ decay transients play an important role in music in the way that attack/decay transients are the most important part of the recognition of music instruments to the human ear. Therefore, the used technique will create an 'enhanced' and clearer transient response making it better recognizable for the human brain.
When it comes to setting the controls of the Exciter, you need to be a bit careful; please take note that it is of essential importance to know the root key and its harmonic series of the music you're working with. This same note is for users of tube gear. Often when used on music having odd harmonic series, people tend to say their tube gear isn't doing anything this has to do with the fact that odd harmonics don't sound brilliant but rather unhappy where even harmonics add brilliance and therefore sound happy. Harmonics are not to be mistaken, which they unfortunately often are, with overtones as even harmonics are uneven overtones (!!!). Example of even harmonics are: c, c, g, c, e, g, bflat, c - and odd harmonics: g, e, bflat, d, f#, aflat, b.
The exciter should therefore be used as a send rather than a direct insert on the channel in your sequencer. The reason for this particular setup is that the Exciter is better to handle, taking into account the vocals compression and de-essing as this will present a more consistent signal. Take note that the enhancement process can be quite fatiguing on the ear, not to mention overdoing this. Therefore I advise you not to listen loud when doing this type of processing as it will result in turning up the Exciter in the mix. This also happens when working with Exciters in extended mixing sessions leaving you unaware of the damage you're doing, its therefore advisable to take a break and return - adding another tip on top, set the controls and bypass it for about a minute then activating the Exciter again. I can guarantee you that you'll leave the settings alone, just like they were set. -
Step 9
Stir Up the Vocals
Just as a chorus group; a chorus effect can make a single instrument sound like there are actually a group being played, like a chorus group.
A chorus effect is simply a slight variable delayed and pitch variate signal in unison. It's a valuable trick to use on the lead vocal to make it sound bigger, the larger than life factor. The way to set up the chorus is as follows: Set up a send to a subtle chorus from the lead vocal track and pan the return of the feed left, then repeat the procedure and pan the return of this feed right, but invert the phase (180 degrees) of this second return resulting in a nice wide vocal effect in stereo but keep in mind that this will entirely disappear in mono(!!!) so make sure you don't blend too much in of this effect, as the vocal might become to low when collapsed to a mono mix. -
Step 10
Doubling the Vocals
A superior technique and trick to create a nice larger-than-life background textured ambiance is to make use of a so called harmonizer using its doubler effect engine. A doubler simply creates additional detuned and slight delayed (Haas effect) voices of the original feed. The best way to use this trick is to set the pitch of the voices panned to the left as sharps and the voices panned to the right as flats (between negative and positive 4 cents and 9 cents) and have it return on a stereo aux input and mix it in with the original, just as much until you hear the spread taking effect.
Alternatively you can dupe the vocal track and delay either side in time starting of with 15ms vs 30ms (this time setting won't phase-cancel the vocal when played out in mono) and decrease until it sounds the way you like it.
The trick on backing vocals for this effect is to have the original dry and unpitched signal slightly panned to one side and the pitched version panned fully over to the opposite side. Do this basically with every vocal source in the backing vocal group individually, whatever panned position you have previously and make it opposite and increasing its width creating a massive stereo background choir. -
Step 11
Larger Than Life Vocals
Spatial expansion of the vocal or vocals is a trick which has to be applied with much care. To much will make the vocal sound inhuman, but when correctly applied it will make the vocal sound big with a lot of star quality. This trick works best on backing vocals but in some occasions I find it useful to use on the lead vocal however this is a rare occasion.
This is probably the most straight-forward trick in this article; You simply route the original backing vocal feed to a send to a stereo expander width plugin such as the Waves S1 Imager. Set the amount of spread – width – you'd like to get, but listen carefully to not create a too large stereo field, and mix the aux input in with the original backing vocals subgroup so it will make them sound nice, big and wide! -
Step 12
Split Reverb Technique
Instead of just using one mono or mono-to-stereo reverb, try to set up two identical reverbs but change the decay time of one of the reverbs and pan them left and right this will result in a nice sounding stereo reverberation ambiance in the background of your vocals. -
Step 13
De-Essing Reverb Feed to Compressor
More than often your vocal will 'excite' the reverb to much and make it mesh every time a vocal sibilance hits the reverb. A smart technique to prevent this from happening rather than to pre-equalize the feed to the reverb to roll off the high frequencies is via the use of a de-esser like Sonnox Oxford Plugins' SuprEsser in the send signal-path to the reverb. This will duck the specific frequency making the reverb 'mesh' but will at the same time maintain the clarity of the vocal itself. -
Step 14
Compressor Pre-Reverb
Another great reverb related trick is to insert a compressor on the send feed but before the reverb. Set the compressor to work on the loud passages but to leave the quieter passages uncompressed. This way the loud passages will sound dryer (as the compressor gets to work) and the quieter passages will sound the opposite, wetter (as there's no compression going). -
Step 15
Vocal Delays
Using a different delay on each side of the stereo spectrum for your vocals will make them sound more interesting, think in terms of setting an eight note delay with no feedback and pan this to the left side, and set a quarter note delay with a little feedback and pan this to the right side. Try different variations depending on the rhythmic value of the vocal line. -
Step 16
Vocal Effect Tails Ducking
All these effects can easily create a mess for your vocals, and in especially the lead vocal, to cut through the mix rather than to get eaten and drowned by its own effect tails as delays and reverbs tend to mash out the vocals sound when it becomes almost inaudible. A great technique to handle the effect tails from getting the clarity of your vocal lines is to duck the delay effects with the vocal itself. The trick is to place the compressor after the delay or reverb. You set-up another stereo Aux Input track and send the dry vocal group track to the Aux Input track, and do another send from the dry vocal group track to the compressor's external side-chain input. It's a great trick but take in account it will only work on dedicated individual effects rather than global effects. -
Step 17
Vocal Brightener
To gain a yet brighter vocal instead of using conventional equalization, use dynamic-equalization via a mult (without the inserts) of the vocal track by routing both vocal tracks to an aux input track – this will become your group track so move all the plugins used on the original track to this aux track. Insert the Waves C1sc (side-chain) plugin on the mult vocal track and set it to run as a side-chain compressor, while set to listen only to the side-chain. Set the frequency to around 7,000 cycles to 10,000 cycles and squeeze the **** out of it and blend it in gently with the original vocal track. This will result in a much brighter vocal. -
Step 18
Vocal Phase Scrambling
Phase scrambling has to do with the calculation of phase angles (phase difference) from time delays (time of arrival ITD) and frequencies or in more understandable words: to scramble the relative phases of different frequency components of audio signals without any affect on amplitude response. I won't dig to deep into it, but if you're interested in reading the full insight; more information can be found on my website. Phase scrambling can be used to make asymmetric audio waveforms such as vocals, having signal peaks in one polarity much bigger than in the other polarity, more symmetrical, and can also reduce the peak signal levels of some unprocessed audio signals without affecting their average levels (RMS). Phase scrambling can thus be used to make the vocals better behaved and should only be used pre limiting (!!!) than post limiting (!!!) as when used post limiting it will do the opposite and instead of decrease peaks, increase peaks by substantial amounts (!!!).
Phase scrambling can be achieved using Waves PS22 (TDM only) by using my following start up settings: width equal to 1, rotation equal to 0, spread equal to 0, and with LFspread set to x1 making the stereo output identical to the stereo input, except for any gain alterations and phase scrambling. To get an idea of the way phase is being scrambled as a function of frequency by looking at the spread graph when Spread is reset to 1.2, returning to 0 for the actual processing. Sweeps controls adjust the order of actual phase scrambling from just 1 to 21 pole/zeros as Sweeps is set from 2 to 22 respectively, to gain complete control as to how much phase scrambling you want to be applied. FCenter and FDensity controls are used to adjust the frequency range to which the most and least scrambling will be applied with the greatest degree of scrambling occurring in frequency ranges where the display graph states 'Spread 1.2' (most wiggles to-and-from per octave). Using less Sweeps (< 8) will provide sufficient phase scrambling to improve asymmetry of peaks and has less potentially audible effect on the phase response of the vocals as both channels are affected equally, so that there should be virtually no audible effect in use on stereo imaging. Take note that a phase scrambler has no effect on the relative phase between stereo channels, only on the absolute phase of frequency components.
Comments
rizion said
on 6/29/2009 Great article... I will begin using these steps asap!
RiZion
mirrormixing said
on 6/15/2009 Much appreciate! If any one reading this has questions or would like to see another subject explained; please comment or send me a personal message.
reflect said
on 6/14/2009 A very technical article, using technical jargon, aimed at a very minority niche group. What I appreciate is the crafting of your sentence structure and the sequencing of the steps . Thanks for taking the time to share your wealth of knowledge for those who will benefit.
5*+R