Effects on vocals - please help

[India001]

I am not getting good results with nedium delay and D-Verb .Can anyone suggest me how to use effects on vocal tracks.
I use EQ, delay and then d-verb.
May be I am doing something wrong.

I am a beginner in mixing.
Please help.

[ReniuR]

My best advice is to use the bussing for your effects. Also, don't be affraid of the compressor, it's really a must in a lot of situations.

In bussing, I recommend to run a compressor on the track (if needed), then bus it to an aux input (stereo if you like), then put the effect on the aux track, and in the plugin window, turn mix up to 100% wet (if applicable). This way, you have a fader right there for your effect level. You can also bus it to as many aux inputs as you need to.

If you need to get audio to somewhere internally, take a bus.

[This message has been edited by ReniuR (edited June 07, 2001).]

[Morningstar]

This is one whopper of a question, India, and will take more than one post to answer. Probobly even more than one lifetime (lol)..
First, are you referring to a single vocal track? Remember, mixing is all about establishing a 'hierarchy' within a number of events. Usually the vocal is the most important thing, so it takes precedence over all others. Use a compressor on your first insert to boost the overall level and massage the peaks down a little. Try a doubling effect, this can be interesting. Take a short delay, mono to stereo, the left side delay at 0.05 ms, the right a bit longer, say .10-.75 ms, feedback at 0, mix to taste. I usually set up a completely seperate reverb for vox on an aux. input and buss to it. Be careful with that eq. More eq boosting=less headroom. Experiment. I just did a mix for an acoustic quartet and used no reverb at all on the vox, just a light chorus.. If you can get it to sound good dry, it will sound good whatever you, or the artist, decide to do to it...

RM

[jsmooth226]

i prefer a little compression and just a little delay mixed low against the dry signal
mostly a delay set for dotted eight notes

[India001]

Thanks everyone for your replies.
I have been using compressor on vocals, but with diferent and -ve results.Then I copied the pre sets of the demo "Be there" and it seems good and I am convinced that I need to read a good book on effects.
Please suggest me one.

The compressor needs to be put in first before EQ and delay, verbs.Am I correct?

And ReniuR, as you suggested , use as my aux inputs, if I get it correctly by this you mean I will be able to get different levels of effects (Wet ) signal.

Thanks Morningstar for you detailed answer.Yes I was referring to single vocal track.
I have read on some other post that EQ should be used to eliminate the frequencies not to boost them.I tried to boost the high frequecies beyond the normal levels and it sounds good to me.May be I personally like to give more air to vocals.(I record Indian Punjabi music and folk punjabi music sounds good with high pitch harmonics of vocals)
My question is is it a good idea to boost high frequencies to the tone of 8 to 11 db.And what will happen if ater this EQ verb is applied.Maybe my problem has something to do with my settings of EQ.
Can I give good air to my vocals without boosting too much with EQ.

I will be thankful if anyone could suggest me online articles on effects.

[ReniuR]

Yes, the compressor should usually be added before other effects.

In reference to the aux input tracks, you can send through an output and into an external effects processor and back in on an aux in track, or just bus it to the aux track. This gives you your dry signal (with compression if you add that to the main track) then if you don't select pre-fader for the send, it will still come through from the original track, as well as the aux tracks, so you can have the aux tracks with your effects set at 100% wet and then you can mix the effect level yourself and automate them like another audio track. This can really help get that bigger sound out of your effects, especially reverb. And in your mix, it's better to go a little light on the effects, they always come out a little stronger when you bounce it and play it on a regular stereo.

As far as what you heard about only using the EQ to reduce frequencies, what they mean is that you shouldn't boost the frequencies you want, and instead, reduce the ones you don't want. Boosting single frequencies can cause clipping very easily, and can play hell with your effects. For instance, if you want to lighten up your vocals, don't boost the highs, cut the lows a bit, it makes a difference.

Good luck. You're asking the right questions.

[This message has been edited by ReniuR (edited June 08, 2001).]

[India001]

ReniuR, Thanks a lot.I will try to do what you have suggested.

I am still looking for some links to articles on effects.Can anyone give me an idea where to find one.

[Increddibelly]

interesting topic you could write a book on (if not an entire library)

A while ago, I recorded a punk band in two sessions: first take all instruments, second take vocals. I placed the vocal mics on a different place in the room, which made the vocals sound out of place. (different reverberations)
It was solved by routing the vocals to an aux track and putting a reverb on it, with approx. the same reverb time as the instruments. Worked pretty well...

just a thought : )

[ReniuR]

Originally posted by Morningstar:
Try a doubling effect, this can be interesting. Take a short delay, mono to stereo, the left side delay at 0.05 ms, the right a bit longer, say .10-.75 ms, feedback at 0, mix to taste

(ReniuR gathers an evil grin) If you like the doubling effect, try this on... If you listen to David Bowie (countless other artists have used this technique as well, but Bowie's are usually more apperent).
You record a vocal take, lead vocal, usually... Then you record a completely seperate take on a different track, this way you have twice the voice, and you get more random and natural differences in timing and such that a delay just can't do. Then, to finish the effect, hard pan each one to one side, opposite from eachother. This gives a really cool effect, especially thru headphones. And to lighten the effect, if needed, just loosen the pan, and bring them towards center a bit.

Have Fun

[acabass]

One place to look for an good explanation of effects (and other topics related to recording) is www.artistpro.com. They have pro recording courses online for free. Check it out.

A real easy way of making something sound cool is to boost the EQ's on the vocals with presence frequencies. Meaning that everything at 8kHz - 10 kHz and up is boosted. Those frequencies are beyond what the human ear can truly hear. THEN you put in the mix a really smooth reverb, say a Long Hall verb or a really nice Plate reverb, and the effect you get is really nice. That trick will definitely give you a different sound than what you are used to. What it does is projects the airy qualities of the voice so that it appears to be smoother than it actually is.

Most of the great sounding effects you hear in good recordings started out as justlittle bitty things that are experiments to begin with. Just tinker around with stuff and you'll find some cool things.

------------------
Josh <><

[This message has been edited by acabass (edited June 11, 2001).]