The VOCAL plugin chain - thread..

[Enzo]

Right.. I'm intrigued to know --- once you have the rap vocals in the box; what y'all using for the mix on 'em....?

At the moment, I dabble with a PSP Vintage Warmer, BBE Sonic Maximizer, and a dash of Waves reverb.. sometime I'll stick a slight Waves EQ in there depending on what's popping beat wise.. The BBE is incredible in making vocals stand out and shine, I've seen many of the hardware units used on everything from heavy metal guitars to Michael Jackson's vocals, both live and in the studio.. I don't use it for volume but rather the effect it has. Anyone else use that?

So what do you use to beef up them vocals.. ?? I'm talking about the main take; disregard the overdubs and double tracked vox.

[cynic]

de-esser, uad-ex1, uad 1176, uad dreamverb

[HDGuru]

Pretty much using Phoenix followed by the SSL E plug on every channel now. Then grouping, and bussing to stereo aux's with either the Fairchild, 1176, C4, or a combination of those, followed by the SSL G EQ plug for sweetening.

[A Fak]

Compress (Sonalksis SV-315 , Waves Rcomp, Uad)
EQ (Sonalksis SV-517, Waves SSL, URS all, Elemental Audio Equim)

[Compresser and EQ can get switched around]

Also maybe some Dessing (Waves RenDesser)

Buss in some:

Reverb (Waves IR1, Logic SpaceD, ArtsAcoustic )
and
Delay (Logic Tape Delay, Audio Damage Ronin, Ohm Force OhmBoyz, PSP Lexi)

Now which of those plugins I use, it varys on the voice and song. But The Sonalksis Comp, to the URS EQ, to the Waves RenDesser is my go to.

[Enzo]

Waves Rcomp; how does that rank for the compression.. I just got that but I feel stuck in my ways putting on the PSP Vintage first.. I may dabble with that..

As for reverbs, I love the Waves verb but I find myself messing with it for hours as it so many variables can still sound good.. I try keep the verb tails short and sweet but sometimes a long tail and tad wet makes vox sit real nice in mix... even though everyone around me says not to

[DivineMusic]

i've been keeping it simple and dynamic as of late, have a great sound too

been sticking with:
Colortone
Waves C4
Waves RenDeEsser
and a little eq if needed comes from waves ren or eqium

then usually buss wizooverb or arts acoustic when working in nuendo, along with some delay usually coming from waves 2tap.

when working with the Hd system i work with i use the same but i use pheonix and Tlspace reverb

[jlotto]

mind u i am more producer than engineer but when i do ruff mixes I use:

ren vox to urs fulltec
throw in waves 2tap on da aux (custom chr setting)

no verb.

tried waves doubler w/ the basic -6 left +6 right setting but it sounds to hall like for me- pushes vocals in back

[JHOOKS]

as of late, i've been using the uad 1176ln on my vox and sometimes double the 1176ln with a la2a. for my voice it does magic. i also like the rvox from waves.

[s-boogie]

if ITB
i leave the first insert open for "maybe" notchings and fine adjustments
with an waves or urs ssl / or tc dynamic eq.
the second insert remains unused for the waves rennaissance deeser,
i use it almost every time after equalization,when the vocals already
vibe with the mix,but i insert it before equalization.

so, the setup is:

(urs/waves/tc dynamic eq)
r-de-esser
tc / noveltech character
uad 1176
pultec
uad la 2-a

reverbs as sends or outboard fx
final setttings on stereo bus with red 2 and emt compressor
final settings on mono main track would be k+h ue 1000 and distressor

[jlotto]

what r good waves de-esser settings fro male rappers? female rappers? singers?

[DivineMusic]

Originally Posted by jlotto

what r good waves de-esser settings fro male rappers? female rappers? singers?

no such thing. you gotta mess with it. find the freq... use the side chain monitor and listen

[MACHINE]

Nice thread

[Enzo]

Yea - I also leave the first insert empty just in case but I usually put deesser after my EQ's compressors before the reverb.. maybe a mistake on my part??

[defjamm]

waves c4. load the pop vocal preset, but i DON'T leave it as it is, i change the gain on the bands according to the vocal, room, mic, in my case i bring the lows and mids down, leave the gain on the high-mids, and bring the gain a little down on the highs. what i basically do with this is to change the relation between the lows, mids, high-mids and highs. in my case less mids and lows and more high-mids and highs.

the c4 is a comp and eq in one, so after the c4 i don't need more compression(maybe with music-styles where the vocal has to be more distorted or to compete with heavy electric guitar-walls but not in rap imho).

then the basic old waves de-esser(8-10db reduction) BUT imho if u have the time do it by hand, i like the results much more, when i just lower the esses. the de-essers i know affect the whole signal in a negative way.

after that something to lose that empty 'mono-touch', can be delays, harmonizers but i don't like reverb on the lead-vocals.

the c4 is 'the shit'

[Methlab]

yeah..C4 is the shit..it just evens out the vocal and makes it sit in the mix.

I also like Rvox if want the vocal "in your face" (good for rap). I noticed that rvox doesn't really work well unless the mic chain is great though.

I like the Ren EQ too, it may not be the best EQ, but it has worked for me. What really can kick ass is the Hydratone EQ..it can color the vocal up a little with the Phase knob..I acutally prefer this EQ the most right now. Once I buy the SSL plugs, I will probably use them the most because once instance of the E will take care of my EQ, gating and compression needs..sounding kickass and saving CPU. so then my chain will be this:

C4
(Rdesser...only if needed)
SSL E channel
lexicon 960 IR reverb bussed in.

I have used the L1 on vocals too at times. Sometimes it rules, sometimes it sounds like ass. depends.

[blayz2002]

Originally Posted by HDGuru

Pretty much using Phoenix followed by the SSL E plug on every channel now. Then grouping, and bussing to stereo aux's with either the Fairchild, 1176, C4, or a combination of those, followed by the SSL G EQ plug for sweetening.

Got any tracks to post up as an example?...co's that SSL on everychanel and output gotta sound good from what I'm hearing about theses plugs.

[Igotsoul4u]

R-desser, Sony Oxford GML EQ, Fairchild or McDsp Compressor bank3. I also love the pultec plug from URS on vocals.

[jlotto]

Originally Posted by Igotsoul4u

I also love the pultec plug from URS on vocals.

urs fulltec is that one on vocals

[BigArt]

Nice Thred

[Enzo]

Originally Posted by defjamm

waves c4. load the pop vocal preset, but i DON'T leave it as it is, i change the gain on the bands according to the vocal, room, mic,

the c4 is 'the shit'

I tried this the other daY and you are right.. C4 helps sit in mix - I bussed all the vcals: lead, dubs, drops all of em through the C$ and they instantly sat nicer in mix, then I just messed with the bands to flavour as I pleased.. C4 definely nice shit

[defjamm]

Originally Posted by Enzo

I tried this the other daY and you are right.. C4 helps sit in mix - I bussed all the vcals: lead, dubs, drops all of em through the C$ and they instantly sat nicer in mix, then I just messed with the bands to flavour as I pleased.. C4 definely nice shit

you could also try the rvox after the c4(you'll know if it's too much when it gets too harsh. like methlab said, it's great for in your face-stuff) and after that an eq if you still have too much going on in one area of the spectrum or need a lil boost(but that you have to find on your own because it really depends on the voice, mic, room, pre-amp, arrangement etc.)

[macleodgrant]

yeah, loving the C4 for starters on the vox track.
i may now however start using the dynamic eq which i haven't even tried yet but i imagine it should yield better results.

i love the RVOX comp but lately i've been using the Powercore CL1b plug and it's really transparent compression wise while also adding it's own vibe

DEESSER is always after all the compression and EQ otherwise the compressor just brings it all back up again

[Marogru]

For me the basic setup is

SSL channel (using lpf, gate and eq)
Uad 1176
Uad Deesser
UAD Pultec (for air ometimes)
Sometimes LA2a

Usually I do vocals dry but when it comes to add some ambience, there are 3 my favs.

1. TC VSS3 (crazy verb)
2. UAD 140 (another nuts gizmo)
3. TC standard PC verb, don't remember the name (nothing wow but has nice and clear early)

But I often go otb (not this thread:))

[macleodgrant]

Originally Posted by Marogru

Usually I do vocals dry but when it comes to add some ambience, there are 3 my favs.

1. TC VSS3 (crazy verb)
2. UAD 140 (another nuts gizmo)
3. TC standard PC verb, don't remember the name (nothing wow but has nice and clear early)

But I often go otb (not this thread:))

yeah, VSS3 absolutely rocks, the best native reverb i've ever heard.
sometimes i prefer to reach for classicverb though cos it can be quicker to get the result i'm looking for

[e-are]

Originally Posted by jlotto

what r good waves de-esser settings fro male rappers? female rappers? singers?

run the vox through a paz frequency plug to find the frequency to be de essed.

[rickrock305]

my chain of plugins usually goes like this


EQ (just doing HPF and maybe a slight boost or cut here and there)

Desser (if it needs it, usually do use it to some extent)

Compressor (for rap, its usually an 1176)

EQ (this is where i do the majority of EQing)

sometimes the EQ and compressor are swapped so that the EQ comes first

then possibly an L1 or RVox, or maybe some other sweetening plugin.




didn't list specific plugins as i tend to change it up a lot, just trying different stuff. sometimes its just an EQ and compressor. depends on the song/performance and how it was recorded.

[brian_delizza]

The I/O plug-in is my best friend, we play everyday.


Oh we are talking about processing plug-ins?

RVox
and/or
C4
and/or
RCompressor
and/or
REQ

But since I started using outboard compressors for all my mixes I can't go back to plug-ins, to me its a night and day difference. I will use software EQs all day long but when it comes to my dynamic range its a different story..

[Barznbeats1]

rvox
eq-7
ssl4k eq
api 560b(sometimes)
tl space for verb

[mdjice]

Compressor : RVox
Eq: Wave VeQ 4
De-esser: Rde-esser
sometime a limiter.
Lexicon 480L or Rverb

[Alxi]

I see alot of people are liking C4... i think i'm gonnna try it

Usually i'll use something like this

For Lead Vox

URS 1970 or R VOX
DDMF IIEQ PRO
Wave De-Esser or Spitfish
URS API serie or A-10 or URS Fulltec
L-1

I'll usually bus all my back Vocals and put the VC-64 ( Repack kearjhus GAC for sonar) in multi mono.

I often put PSP Mixsaturator on Vox buss

Classic delay and ArtAccoustique Reverb are usually the go to. I also use Doubbler qui a lot or Super Tap 2 with modulation

-Alxi-