BEST VOCAL TREATMENT

[ThatHitSound]

Besides using a distressor on vocals
what are some other effects/tricks
people use to get that creamy vocal tracks?

I'll just list a few ideas here and
would love to hear comments on any of them
of how to actually use these or your own
tricks.


(note: assumed tricks here) [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]


- Aural Exciter / BBE on vocal track
- Duplicating Vocals, eq'ing then different panning to thicken it
- Auto-Tune for an effect, not really correction
- Sansamp
- AM RADIO EFFECT

[soundsurfr]

I use all of the above (with the exception of the Autotune effect, which I hate) plus a few others.

1. Open up the preamps really wide (turn up the input level almost all the way) and bring down your record level to compensate so you don't get too much clipping. Allows you to close-mike the vocalist and have him/her sing at a lower volume level, giving it a very airy, breathy effect. Zappa used to do it alot. You could hear his tongue smack against the roof of his mouth when he spoke.

2. Compression/limiting. Use sparingly for a subtle smooth-out of the lead vocal, or squash the crap out of it for a more pronounced effect. I sometimes double and triple multi-part background vocals, then heavily compress them. Gives you sort of a wall of sound, almost like a lush keyboard pad.

[craiz730]

Whats a "distressor"? A compressor?

[Chris Cavell]

I hope your joking, but just in case you aren't, here are some links to help explain:

the distressor

A basic article on analog audio compression by Ken Lanyon

[craiz730]

umm....yeh i was kidding. :x [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[jodyjfk]

What's a link?

[jodyjfk]

Actually, to get a good creamy vocal, you need a good creamy vocalist. I have to do very little to a track when an excellent singer comes in. Try a few mic's, add a little compression. Bingo.

[marbez]

Originally posted by soundsurfr:
Zappa used to do it alot. You could hear his tongue smack against the roof of his mouth when he spoke.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hey soundsurf, I have noticed this vocal sound in some zappa stuff. Great to know how it can be acomplished.

Thanks for the tip.

But what about the noise? If you pull up the gain knob in a preamp the noise will be also increased. But well, I think that there is when it's useful to have low-noise equipment.

mario

[j20056]

insert a noise gate with fast attack (10ms or less), and slower release (200ms or more)