Vocal compression on mixdown - what do you do?

[waterside]

For a while now I've been mixing vocals by adding a healthy dose of high frequency EQ an then compressing it in a dbx160. Is this the best way to go, or would I get better results from an 1176 or LA-2A plug-in on a UAD-1 card? Or something else entirely? What do you do?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by waterside

For a while now I've been mixing vocals by adding a healthy dose of high frequency EQ an then compressing it in a dbx160. Is this the best way to go, or would I get better results from an 1176 or LA-2A plug-in on a UAD-1 card? Or something else entirely? What do you do?

Yes.

[Jay Kahrs]

I use my ears and process accordingly...going by what the rest of the track sounds like and figuring out what's needed to make the vocal sit in the mix or pop out of the mix.

Sometimes I'll compress and EQ the hell out of it, sometimes I use mild compression and no EQ and yet other times I'll use lots of EQ and little to no compression. Once in a while I'll need a de-esser in there (usually pre-compression) and sometimes I'll parallel compress the lead vocal. So 'ya see...it all depends...

You'll get different results by using different gear and you'll also get different results by using what you have now in a different way. Either set of results might be good or might be bad for the project and only you can decide what's right...that's why I always say YMMV.

[84K]

Slam it till you draw blood, then add one more compressor! EQ the vocal till it sounds great pre compressors and then EQ again post compression to clean up artifacts added by the compressors. Start with 2 compressors, be ready to use 4. IN YOUR FACE

[GPl]

You are scaring me. This is not for the faint of heart

[steins]

Originally Posted by waterside

For a while now I've been mixing vocals by adding a healthy dose of high frequency EQ an then compressing it in a dbx160. Is this the best way to go, or would I get better results from an 1176 or LA-2A plug-in on a UAD-1 card? Or something else entirely? What do you do?

It all depends on the style of the music and the vocalist. I almost always seem to end up using a STC-8 for level control when tracking, and a HW 1176 or LA2A at mixdown, depening on how we want the track to sound.

If I had more HW compressors to choose from, I guess the answer would be different. I'd like to try the dbx160 sometime.

BTW, I always find HW compressors to be better than plugins. After the HW comps, the Waves RenComp is rather nice.

Stein Tore

[84K]

Pendulum Vari-mu > 1176 or Distressor > Atomic Squeezebox = my nice chain ( in most cases ). Knowing the boxes first is important. Gain structure is very important. That is the key... If you do it right, you will have a very in-your-face vocal sound without sounding over compressed. And that seems to be the sound of today for most popular music styles.

it hard, but don't dfegad on it. That is the key.

[jonnyclueless]

Try the global thermonuclear nibnob.