Subject:Good Vocal Effects

Posted by: southyankee

Date:10/9/2009 4:56:14 AM

Anyone got a good effects setting that gets you a good vocal sound?

I am using Acid Music 7.0

Subject:RE: Good Vocal Effects

Reply by: Bremen Cole

Date:10/9/2009 8:42:26 PM

You are asking for the holy grail of music production. I would suggest checking out music production sites, and messing around with eq, compression, reverb and just about everything else to get YOUR vocal to sound right. Each vocalist is unique and demands a unique chain of effects and settings.....

Subject:RE: Good Vocal Effects

Reply by: abnerman

Date:10/13/2009 7:02:57 AM

I'm still in the process of learning what works the best for me. I don't expect anyone to have some magical, universal answer for achieving good vocals. Along with researching, I just find it interesting to hear what others find works for them.

Bremen is right. The messing around with EQ, Reverb, etc etc is the key. I use Izotope Ozone for that stuff right on vocals right now (I originally wanted to get Ozone just for mastering, but it's pretty diverse in it's applications. I find it to be quite an intuitive way to 'mess around' with that stuff.)

Subject:RE: Good Vocal Effects

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:10/13/2009 7:29:28 AM

Singing in tune would be the first requirement. If your vocalist can't do that then you can use a tool like Melodyne Uno to correct the pitch. Once the vocals are in tune, a bit of Reverb always helps (gives you that great "singing in the shower" sound and we all know that we sound better in the shower). ;-) Some people like to a tight slap-back Delay instead or in addition to reverb (it's all about what you like).

What we did in the old days (I haven't been in a recording studio in quite some time and I don't think any are even left standing anymore but...) doubling your vocals is always a good approach to "thicken" a vocal and was used extensively by groups like the Beatles to beef up vocals. You'd be surprised how hard it can be to sing a song exactly the same way twice but with a little practice, it is a great technique to make your voice sound fatter. (i.e., two tracks are better than one)

Bumping the EQ around the vocal range is also a good way to bring the vocals out of the mix a bit. As previous posters have said, it's an art to process vocals because each person's voice is different but singing in tune, doubling, adding some reverb and eq, and you should have something better than the original dry track that you started with. Experiment!

~jr

Subject:RE: Good Vocal Effects

Reply by: runman

Date:10/13/2009 9:37:31 PM

Just enough reverb to give the vocal some presence, then as much delay as you dare.
Of coarse this depends on a host of variables, it's just my starting point.

Good advice from JohnnyRoy