Plug-in advice Vocals

[barstool719]

i work out of a few different places all with different pro tools rigs - some HD, some LE, some with awesome mic/pre front ends and some that aren't all that. there is nothing better than having a nice mic and pre to work with (neumann TLM43 + Avalon 737 comes to mind) because i can get just enough compression to smooth things out a tad, and maybe dial in a high pass - just enough to get a great sound going in to get it tracked. makes mixing vocals worlds easier, and often with better results. everything else - a little more eq and comp to make it sit, delay and reverb for fx, autotune if asked for/needed - all plugins at mix time.

i understand the pocketbook too. mine is not my biggest fan. LOL but i have gotten lots of great results tracking using a rode nt4 and just going direct into an mbox 2 pro, believe it or not. takes more sweetening in the mix process, but still good results. the nt4 is a pretty good mic, and if i remember right, can be had for about $350-$400. the presonus studio channel isnt a bad strip at all, and sweetwater sells it at about $300. of course, sky is the limit with gear.

[rudarel]

Hey guys, I have a question....? I’m using (Fast track ultra 8 and M-Powered Pro Tools 8) I’m new to vocal recording industry and I always wondered: what is the order of applying effects to a vocal recording or is there any order. First EQ and then compressor + effects, or first compressor, effects and then EQ?
Also what effects are a must for vocals, delay, echo or what? I can't find echo in proTools8 but I tried delay that comes with it and sounds very bad, sounds like a recording from 1940 loose sounds and deep underground even after tweaking - no much tweaking options there.
If anyone can please help, I’m just interested in vocal effects, I hear commercial recordings and the vocals sound like they belong, mine either sticks out to much or is flooded in there.. I can’t seem to find a happy medium.
Do commercial recordings “ vocals” have delay + echo applied to them, if so how come they sound so nice and crisp and you can hardly tell there is any effect being used but yet voice carries along, everything is so tight everything blends in there like it belongs.
How can I accomplish that and what kind of vocal effect or plugins you recommend I use...?

[Shatzer]

Theres different ways to do different things. Sometimes i put the compressor before the eq and vise versa, just depends on the application. As for effects, there are plenty of tweaking options. You just really need to research things. I suggest reading "the recording engineer's handbook" and "the mixing engineer's handbook" both by Bobby Owsinski.

Instead of applying the effect directly on the track you should try using a send to an aux track to get the desired effect.

The type of effect on a vocal or mix will differ from song to song and genre so its impossible to say what anyone uses. Sometimes there may not be anything on it, sometimes a lot. Don't try to get the commerical sound before you know what you're doing. No offense, but it sounds like you have a lot to learn. 50% is reading and research, the other 50% is experience and experimenting. Just read and gain as much knowledge as possible and try different things and eventually you'll get the hang of it.

[TOM@METRO]

You would be shocked at how much echo/delay is used, but the trick is to set in the track in a less than obvious way. Experimenting and practicing is the best way to develop a style and a feel for these things. Use your ears and your instincts and read books and articles, you will get there, if there's such a thing as getting there.

[rudarel]

ok thanks buddy that sounds good but give me just a little example of how you set this effects in the track in a less than obvious way because that’s exactly what I’m trying to learn.....I knew commercial recordings use a lot of echo+dely but i don’t know how they hide it in the track.

[rudarel]

Please tell me, how do you send to an aux track to get the desired effect, do i need external hardware effects or how do you set that up? what do you mean by that?

[Shatzer]

not trying to be an ass but you might want to try looking at the manual.

[Dan-Jay]

I like the R-Comp.

[rudarel]

Originally Posted by Shatzer

not trying to be an ass but you might want to try looking at the manual.

Ok buddy, sorry I got confused, obviously I missed understood the purpose of this forum. When I called digidesighn they suggested I register with this forum to learn more, is there a different forum with users more liniant towards beginners?
PS: I know about the manual and I’m reading it but sometimes people that are willing to share some prior experience really help saving time.

[Shatzer]

Originally Posted by rudarel

Ok buddy, sorry I got confused, obviously I missed understood the purpose of this forum. When I called digidesighn they suggested I register with this forum to learn more, is there a different forum with users more liniant towards beginners?
PS: I know about the manual and I’m reading it but sometimes people that are willing to share some prior experience really help saving time.

Don't take it personally I didn't mean to offend you but you can save forum members time by reading the manual and then asking questions to things that aren't covered in there or other things that you might not understand. Buddy.