Multi Platinum Pro Tools DVD - question re: mixing vocals

[JesseF]

I am in the process of meticulously studying the Multi Platinum Pro Tools Mixing tutorial, taught by John Merchant. This is such a good tutorial, except for the fact that when I ask it questions it doesn't reply back. Maybe some of you can answer some questions I have...

John suggests setting up the lead vocal tracks as follows:

Send lead vocal audio track to a mono aux he calls LV Mix. Add, in this order, EQ, De-Esser, and compressor to mono aux track called LV Mix. He then changes volumes by riding the lead vocal audio track, mixing into the mono aux. He says the advantage of this is: (this is basically verbatim)

The vocal track doesn’t go directly to stereo bus. It goes thru a mono aux input, which means that as I change the vocal level on the actual audio track, that’s going to change the amount of signal that is going thru the eq, th de-esser and the compressor. If I want the level to move up quite a bit I can make [the singer] sound more dynamic without the compressor doing the mixing for me. To my ear it makes it sound like she really sang with great control as opposed to processed, so that she will sit properly in the mix.

I do not understand this. If I mix into the compressor, eq, and de-esser, I am changing how hard I hit these plugins, this changing the way they react. Wouldn't this sound more processed? Doesn't this defeat the purpose of setting the input level on these plug ins as it is going to essentially change with every fader move? Why is this advantageous?

[jhamrick]

The verbiage sounds just like you described so I don’t think the correct point is being made. I think the point he was trying to make was using automation to ride the level of the vocal sounds more natural than using a compressor to dynamically ride the vocal. Writing the automation takes longer than slapping on a compressor, but the automation makes the singer sound like they sang with great control.

FWIW - That’s what I got out of it…

[albee1952]

My take is that how you ride the audio track volume will vary how you hit the compressor on the AUX track(it puts the compressor and all in POST-fader mode, which I don't like). That's NOT how I choose to do it as I prefer the compressor to be hit more evenly. First thing I do with a final vocal track is go thru it and use the AudioSuite GAIN plugin to even out any huge level differences(boost weak words/phrase or cut a few that are almost clipped). This way, the inserted compressor(s) work on a more even amount of "squash".(sounds better to me this way). My typical chain for vocals is EQ(doing hi-pass and maybe a single band dip of the worst hot frequency)>BF76 set 4:1 and gentle compression>EQ (to tame any other tonal peaks)>SMACK! on warm setting and more compression>Pultec EQ1A to add back a bit of "air" on top(like +3 at 10 or 12KHz). This works great for me, but you may need something different.

[danander11]

If I remember, watch through the video you will see that John uses the same method mentioned by Albee.. ie: using the GAIN feature in Audiosuite. (Although it may have been in the Vocal Editing video)

[JesseF]

Thanks Albee. I will be sure to experiment with your way as well.

As I was writing this reply back, I think I figured out what he meant. Albee - In a similar way that you use Audiosuite Gain to even out the gain, and then go right into the compressor, he puts the compressor post fader and rides the vocal. Sounds to me that in theory , he is essentially doing what you are doing.

In theory, it seems like his method and your method should both cause the compressor(s) to be hit at a mroe consisten level than if the compressor was just slapped on and was compressing all different gain levels.

-Jesse

(Danander: I think that must be a differnet video. John does use the Gain RTAS plugin on every audio track though. He does this so all faders live close zero, and then uses Gain to make course adjustments. Then he uses the faders to make fine adjustments. I think this this should be the topic of another thread. I wonder if anyone else does that. He then ends up bringing faders way above zero. I wonder if that causes any harm, even it nothing is visibly clipping)

[danander11]

Originally Posted by JesseF

(Danander: I think that must be a differnet video. John does use the Gain RTAS plugin on every audio track though. He does this so all faders live close zero, and then uses Gain to make course adjustments. Then he uses the faders to make fine adjustments. I think this this should be the topic of another thread. I wonder if anyone else does that. He then ends up bringing faders way above zero. I wonder if that causes any harm, even it nothing is visibly clipping)

Nope.. he uses the TRIM plug for that... GAIN is a different beast altogether and is in the audiosuite menu.

[JesseF]

O yea. TRIM. that's what i meant. It's late here...