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#1
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Vocal Process Chains and Buses
Hello,
I am getting very very confused as to all the things that I need, and am QUITE AFRAID of over-mixing my vocals. I am currently struggling with the sliders on buses, because without any effects at 0.0db gain, they make my sound louder? First off, how would I stop this from happening? I assume that I may need all the buses running quieter than the vocal track, although this would mean the effects of my vocal processes (EQ, Comp, Gates, De-Esser, Autopitch) would not have as much as an effect (is this true?). Second, I have an ideal order for my processes, but do not know how I can efficiently chain them, and in fact I have no clue how to chain outside of my own theories. In my type of mixing, I aim to have at least 2 EQ's, 2 compressors, a single gate, one de-esser, one vocal tuner, a reverb and a delay. All this begins with a volume automation to get my vocals not to be extra loud on certain words, and make the compressor's jobs easier, testing this yielded great results, HOWEVER, would it be more efficient to have the automation last as part of my dithering chain (mastering stage)? |
#2
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
It's very difficult to understand how you are working and what might be your exact problem, you need to be more precise in describing it, maybe post a screenshot, and you might be using terms wrongly also. But I'll try.
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And seriously: forget about dithering, you clearly don't understand it. Same goes for mastering. You should concentrate on mixing, read some articles, watch some youtube videos. This is where sends and busses come in. It helps to understand where this came from; in the old days you would typically have an analog mixer with a couple of sends on each track, and an outboard reverb unit connected to the bus out of one send and routed back into a track on the mixer. So every track that had a bit of its audio going from its send via the bus to the reverb would come back on the mixer reverb track and mix in. The reverb would always be set to 100% wet (no direct signal). So, create a mono aux track and set the aux track input to f.ex "Bus 1". Now insert a stereo reverb on that aux (it will become a mono-in, stereo-out. Set its output to Master 1-2 or whatever you call your main outs. Now any or all tracks can have a reverb-send on them. Delays would typically be used on one track only, ie your vocal track would have a delay as one of the last plugins on it. |
#3
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
Ben makes some very good points, so I will approach from a different angle. Remember that all of this is suggestion as rules can be bent or broken, but only experience will tell you when to do that
Balancing the level of the vocal is something to do, but NOT with automation(yet). I suggest using Clip Gain to manually "level" the vocal(even out loud and soft bits) BEFORE any plugin processing. Doing this first may allow you to use less compression and/or automation. It also will allow the vocal to "drive" plugins more evenly(why? So if you use a "character" compressor, it will be driven in a way that imparts the "character" more consistently). Break down "processing" into 2 separate categories. Those that "correct" the sound(like compressors, EQ and De-Essing) and those that "enhance" the sound(like reverb and delay). "Correction" plugins belong inserted on the track. Reverb and delay belong on separate AUX tracks and you send the vocal to those via send and bus. Once you are happy with your "corrective" plugins, that's when you use automation to balance the vocal with the music(using automation).
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works The better I drink, the more I mix BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave |
#4
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
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And, I may not be the best at explaining, but trust me, I do my research. Dithering is VERY important to me, as I have noticed it's use in many of my vocal tracks. The example being my last project, where I had a very efficient noise gate running, once I added the dithering, it was night and day, although you can BARELY tell the difference, the sound was quite more pleasant, and with my vocal range tending to stay in a higher frequency, I tend to use either Type 1 or Type 3 dithering at 20 bit, which I have SEEN the improvement in sound, where it was more pleasant to hear the very very very minute frequency noise throughout the audio. Thank you very much. This definitely helps me focus my perspective onto less things and do realize I was looking at things a little TOO holistically. Also, as for mastering, wouldn't I require some mastering if I was planning on releasing something for the public? |
#5
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
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#6
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
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Anyone can bus audio around in PT to their hearts content, but it sounds to me like you've just messed things up because of lack of knowledge, and you should just put some effort into learning the basics. |
#7
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
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As for delay issues, I am talking about sample delaying in pro tools; I get high values using reverb on the audio track but no issues using reverb on a bus (Is it not common knowledge to not put reverbs on all the tracks and bus them instead). And I haven't used any of these theories in actual mixing, BECAUSE I don't want to mess up. My last used technique (I wish to improve) is VERY basic, with only an EQ, compressor, and noise gate. I am familiar with dithering, although I have read to use it pre and post mastering. Stereo widening has also been useful to help my vocals sit in the mix. I understand your concern, and respect to you, but I am talking about things that I haven't tried yet, because it seems that that is what the professionals are doing. I take it you are a professional yourself, thus I will heed your warnings and listen to your advice. Thank you for taking the time to help me. |
#8
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
Hmmm, I've been mixing probably as long as you've been alive and have never used a noise gate plugin on a vocal. Why is this something you feel you need?
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works The better I drink, the more I mix BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave |
#9
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
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For me I'd turn the fan off and get a quieter recording space. |
#10
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Re: Vocal Process Chains and Buses
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__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works The better I drink, the more I mix BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave |
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