Vocals: slap delay settings help

[gravityspull]

Hi guys,

I wonder if anyone can help me set up a good "all-purpose" vocal delay. I'm a songwriter & not
much of an engineer....played around a bit with my delay settings but can't really find what I'm looking for.

I've got two delays set up on auxilaries - one stereo multitap one that I've been using for ambient effects, and one vocal one that I'd love to improve. The sound I'm after is a general v.short slap delay, one that I often hear making my voice sound twice as nice when in commerical studios just a really short single delay that's not noticeable in the mix, just to fatten things up.

I guess there must be some commonly used settings for this kind of sound. The delay I own besides the digi-rack plugins is the PSP 84 plugin, but I suppose most of them must have the same parameters to some extent?

Also, would a mono delay be better for vocals? I can imagine it sounding nice mixed with the ambience of a stereo reverb....

Any advice on settings much appreciated!

cheers
Ritch


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www.myspace.com/cinemaonline
www.ritchspence.co.uk

[JFreak]

PSP84 is nice delay, just use it, but remember to set the "mix" knob low enough -- 10-15% is sometimes a lot. There are nice presets programmed into that thing.

[Naagzh]

Also, would a mono delay be better for vocals? I can imagine it sounding nice mixed with the ambience of a stereo reverb....

There's no difference unless the left side differs from the right, but if you're using a tape delay setting on the PSP84, there's probably some stereo thing happening. No way to tell except to look at the knobs and buttons and listen to it isolated. No reason to waste a stereo track on a mono effect, either.

In either case, it makes sense to create an aux track and insert a delay set to 100% wet, and then send your vocals to it, rather than inserting the delay directly on the vocal track. You'll have easier control over how much delay ends up in the mix.

I love a subtle slap on vocals, usu. the Digirack. Try the LPF to tame the shrillness. You could also use a tape saturation plug before it to simulate a tape delay. Or, a distortion plug or filter. Try sending the delay to a reverb as well. Try setting the feedback to about 14% or so, and you may not want any reverb at all. Heck, you could try a tremolo pedal instead of a slap delay altogether, I'm sure someone here has done crazier stuff.

[gravityspull]

Thanks for the tips guys - I'll give them a try...and try a bit harder with the PSP this time. I like the idea of the tape emulator effect before the delay on the Aux. cheers

[Naagzh]

Thanks for the tips guys - I'll give them a try...and try a bit harder with the PSP this time. I like the idea of the tape emulator effect before the delay on the Aux. cheers

The tape emulator features on the PSP84 are essentially the same as those with VintageWarmer, I think.

[albee1952]

Try delay settings of 90 to 125ms and feedback/regeneration at 0-5%.