Any tips on making vocals more "aggressive"?

[analogboy]

Hey all

Just wanted to know if anyone had any tips on how to add the aggressiveness to lead vocals that a lot of new modern rock recordings have. I know bottom line you need the right mic and a good singer, but I am wondering about things like compression and other effects. Thanks for your time.

[RedWallStudio]

Reading your post instantly made me think of Trent Reznor / NIN "I wanna Fstikeck you like an animal". It sounds like everything is redlining, but its done in a way where it doesn't sound like a horrid mistake. Hence the fine line but broad chasm between the total genius and vanilla amateur.

[Eric Greedy]

distortion and filtering can help

[gregohb]

Originally Posted by Robomatic

Have you tryed the EL8, Empirical Labs Distressor? It should do the trick.

How do you set the Distressor? I usually put it at 4:1, the knobs roughly 5 5 5 5, and then the "three light" settings seem subtle.

[Watersound]

Originally Posted by Robomatic

Have you tryed the EL8, Empirical Labs Distressor? It should do the trick.

Absolutely EL8! If you really want to fatten and get that awesome harmonic distortion add the Fatso to the mix. I usually have my distressor settings at 6:1 ratio with attack between 3-4/ release 2-3/ detector on with HP as well as dist2 engaged with HP. I find these settings to be extremely aggressive but I'm also feeding the distressor from the Fatso driven pretty hard.

[kenjkelly]

When you say "aggressiveness to lead vocals" one thing that comes to mind is to avoid setting a super-fast attack (like a limiter) on the whole vocal which will squash the initial attack of the words (and loose aggressiveness). Instead allow a compressor attack of about 5ms to 10ms (or maybe even 3-4 as suggested above) on the vocals to let the initial attack to come through, but cap the amount of initial attack with a limiter. In other words, if you have about a -6db average gain-reduction then the initial attack could be 6db louder, which could be too loud, so put a limiter or fast compressor higher to keep the attacks reasonable while still allowing them through.

The 1600hz range has a lot of hard-c sound, so a small boost there can give some edge.

[thethrillfactor]

One of these 3 usually works:

1.Serial compression

2. Parallel compression

3. Parallel balancing with a Flanger/phaser.

All Eq'd bringing out 6K-8K.

[Trell Blaze]

You could also try an ultra high ratio compressor setting. Maybe like 10:1 or more. I've gone 20+ a few times with excellent results but the attack and release are VERY important when going that far.

Not very experienced on rock so I'd only be guessing at attack and release speeds. Maybe 12ms attack...mid-slow release?

[Chaellus]

usually i go at a ratio of 4:1 no more than -10db threshold normally ill go -5db make sure you dont have the release and attack to fast like pumping because then your vocal track will be mush.. i tend to avoid really high ratios...i think after 6:1 ratio its overkill for a lead vocal at least...if its a specal vocal track thats used as an effect you can probably get away with heavy compression and some distortion...maybe a bullet mic? or have a vocal go thru a small amp like a squier or something... for as far distorting sounds go....as for the aggressive but still sounding like itself than the first tip above will be the most useful.

[AMIEL]

Originally Posted by Robomatic

Have you tryed the EL8, Empirical Labs Distressor? It should do the trick.

Yep! amazing tool for that!!thumbsupthumbsupthumbsup

[raal]

don't kill me but a distortion box, even in waves plugin form can do wonders. depends on what you're trying to do like anything else, but just a little can do the trick.

[picksail]

In terms of achieving an aggressive vocal track, are you referring to the recording or the mix?

[JamesMcp]

One word: Dynamics
leave them in, try parallel compression but you dont have to red line, you just gotta create contrast.

[r.staettler]

1176 with all buttons in ?

[tuRnitUpsuM]

agree with the parallel compression...

dry signal - leave well enough alone (is the foundation)
wet signal (s) - compress the hell outta 'em and a dash of effects ( usually use a "chain" of efx here - delay+chorus+reverb+whatever else in the toolbox).

mix both to taste until u find that "sweet spot" balance where the vocals take on more agression yet still retain the detail of the original recorded take.

no matter how aggressive the vocals is wanted/needed to be...still gotta hear what is being said??

cheers

just me 2 cents

[vernier]

Get Miley Cyrus to sing it.

[Timur Born]

How do you add distortion to live vocals without serious feedback problems? Most live vocals suffer from feedback even clean, so I'm really interested in that. Also I've found that most distortion effects just don't sound good on vocals (muddy, inintelligible, harsh). I'd like to add distortion to my vocals for live applications but feel a bit lost in this department.

[SteveE9C6]

Any tips on making vocals more "aggressive

Starve the singer for several days and then taunt him with food.

[Clayphish]

If you want aggressive vocals, stick the singer right up against a large diaphragm condenser mic (with wind screen between) while in omni. This will give you a lot more aggression then trying to attain it with compression alone. You'll be surprised.

[Kalite Marka]

Originally Posted by Timur

...Also I've found that most distortion effects just don't sound good on vocals (muddy, inintelligible, harsh). I'd like to add distortion to my vocals for live applications but feel a bit lost in this department.

the whole idea of adding distortion to vocals is actually to make it sound more “muddy, in intelligible and harsh” (in most cases), especially in live applications.

but for tracking always split processed and dry vox and record them on separate channels, makes it a lot easier if you want to tweak further in the mix

[u b k]

Originally Posted by gregohb

How do you set the Distressor? I usually put it at 4:1, the knobs roughly 5 5 5 5, and then the "three light" settings seem subtle.

if you want aggressive:

10:1

attack between 2-4

release between 1-3

detector on the mid bump (the yellow light)

dist 2 for fat or 3 for gnarly


dig in. no, really, DIG IN. 12-17db on a vocal that was tracked without compression is not unreasonable, the meter is way faster than a VU so it always reads more GR than other comps (except the elysia stuff).

other people say to keep the attack open, and that's good for intelligibility, but slam that sucker. there's a point where the syllables that the singer is pushing will actually duck slightly as the comp pushes back; this is the magic zone for creating aggro. going slightly too far will kill it, you won't be able to understand a damn thing. find that line, ride it for all it's worth.

there's also a lot to be said for cranking the snot out of the magical formant between 800hz and 1.5k with a narrow q. mids are aggressive, don't be shy. do this pre-compressor, to make the comp sweat.

distorting the snot out of a doubled vocal and tucking that in is also helpful. judicious bandpassing may be in order.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

[Sqye]

...

tips on making the vox more aggressive:

1. hire lemmy...

2. or an alpaca during mating season...

[The MPCist]

+1 Distressor.

[vernier]

I don't think distortion is the answer. In the old days, 60's, on some R&B recordings they'd accidentally run levels too hot and get some distortion, you can hear it on the vocals. But that was tubes and analog and somehow worked. The kind I've heard since sounds like clipping diodes, heard it added to Ann Wilson of heart and Joan Osbourne.

[raal]

Originally Posted by Kalite Marka

the whole idea of adding distortion to vocals is actually to make it sound more “muddy, in intelligible and harsh” (in most cases), <snip>

i think using distortion on vocals and drums in parallel can sometimes help them cut through a mix. acts as a hi/lo pass of sorts.

Originally Posted by Kalite Marka

but for tracking always split processed and dry vox and record them on separate channels, makes it a lot easier if you want to tweak further in the mix

never had the guts to track a distorted vocal. i figure you can always do it later but maybe i'll try multing. thanks Kalite.

Originally Posted by vernier

The kind I've heard since sounds like clipping diodes, heard it added to Ann Wilson of heart and Joan Osbourne.

i hear you but i'm just saying, a little waves stomp box in parallel can do wonders. and so can a V72 if you push it just a little over the top on bass and synth. and 312s or neves don't sound too shabby pushed either.

[Jack Ruston]

Firstly it's all in the performance of course. If the singer can do these things with their voice then you have no worries.

Secondly you can try anything from a little saturation to full on distortion or a distorted mult *but watch your phase because some devices use phase shift and or randomisation to create their sound*

One thing I quite often do is to track the vocal with two mics (diaphragms lined up)...One doing the natural thing, and one heavily compressed and pushing really hard.

J

[robot gigante]

Yeah, I would push that singer into getting the best performance he/she can possibly do. Pay close attention to proximity with the mic and how the singer works the mic. Maybe just spend some extra time during the tracking process helping the vocalist get into the right zone. It helps a lot.

I like nailing a vocal with an 1176, and messing with the output gain to dial in the right amount of distortion. What ubk says about using a lot of gain reduction with a distressor applies to an 1176 as well imho. Personally I think that an 1176 brings out what I want a bit more than a distressor will, but that's just me. I also like overdriving a 1073.