Trying to tell what effects are on this singer's voice?

[SWBoatman25]

Hello, I am trying to break down vocals and effects used on them in songs. Particularly on the band:

Cage The Elephant

Example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu2rCQnNPGE

at the 50 second mark and most of the song

I am new, so that is why I ask. A lot of their songs choruses are similar, is it doubled live or in post? does he use a harmonizer ? thoughts?

Thanks,

Spencer

[musicman691]

It could be anything from ADT (see the Waves plugin Reel ADT) to a harmonizer to the crappy room acoustics with that slap echo going on.

[nst7]

From what I can tell, it's simply two people singing at the same time. It may also be the lead singer double tracking himself. If so, he's deliberately not trying to exactly match himself because it's very sloppy. I think this is a deliberate choice for effect.

However, you can see the keyboardist singing into a microphone as well, so it may just be the two of them singing at the same time.

Regardless, it's just two vocals at the same time, whether it's the lead singer doubling himself or someone else with him. I don't hear anything that sounds like a harmonizer or any other effect. Just some reverb and that's it.

I'm also unclear on whether this is a live recording of what they're doing in that room, or more like them pantomiming to a pre-recorded track (not uncommon even in this type of video).

[SWBoatman25]

Thank you guys so much!
Very helpful info for me

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by nst7

From what I can tell, it's simply two people singing at the same time. It may also be the lead singer double tracking himself. If so, he's deliberately not trying to exactly match himself because it's very sloppy. I think this is a deliberate choice for effect.

However, you can see the keyboardist singing into a microphone as well, so it may just be the two of them singing at the same time.

Regardless, it's just two vocals at the same time, whether it's the lead singer doubling himself or someone else with him. I don't hear anything that sounds like a harmonizer or any other effect. Just some reverb and that's it.

I'm also unclear on whether this is a live recording of what they're doing in that room, or more like them pantomiming to a pre-recorded track (not uncommon even in this type of video).

If the effect is coming from the lead singer and keyboardist singing at the same time they must have identical voices. I'm thinking this is some kind of real time ADT which the Waves plugin can do (or they're doing it the old fashioned way with two tape machines).

[nst7]

It could very well be the lead singer double tracking himself. As mentioned, I didn't know if this was really "live", or they are faking it to a recording (since he obviously can't double track himself live).

It may be ADT, but to me it sounds too uneven and random to be an effect like that.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by nst7

It could very well be the lead singer double tracking himself. As mentioned, I didn't know if this was really "live", or they are faking it to a recording (since he obviously can't double track himself live).

It may be ADT, but to me it sounds too uneven and random to be an effect like that.

The Waves plugin can do what is happening in the video and do it live as well. But the thing is as you say we don't know if this was done live or lip-syncing.

[NealMiskin]

Sounds like a doubled vocal, there is also a little bit of reverb.

Could be a doubler/ADT plugin of some sort, or it could be the singer doubling themselves, or it could be two singers singing together.