vocal doubling on foo fighters album, how?

WildCowboys · 15th July 2005, 11:17 AM

Spent the last days listening to the great new foo fighters album. i really like the pretty obvious doubling on grohl´s voice. it does not sound as if it has been double tracked too much, the basic sound seems to be electronically doubled. does anyone know which fx unit has this signature sound or how i can build such a sound with a bunch of plugins (delaytimes/filtered/pitch offset/ etc/ etc)?
the coolest way would be an impulse file for convolution of course, anyone?

rock on!
pat

drew · 15th July 2005, 03:00 PM

taking the time to DBL vox well (and a singer that can do it well) will give you that almost fake DBL sound. that's the point IMO. now a days of course with Autotune and Vocalign you can do "wonders".

Blast9 · 15th July 2005, 03:33 PM

To me, it sounds like carefully-sung dbl track vox which are panned to the middle, which is always a nice effect

Billster · 15th July 2005, 04:03 PM

Yup, that´s what it sounds like. IMO you get the best voc doubling results by doubling the vocal

. Sing it twice ! With a good singer it´ll also be much faster than fiddeling your fx machine until it sounds almost as if the singer sung it twice...makes no sense to me, does it ?

Drumsound · 15th July 2005, 09:09 PM

I don't have any of their records, but it seems like all of the hits, at least, have doubled vox done my DG himself. I believe that doubled vox is a major part of their sound.

WildCowboys · 16th July 2005, 05:18 PM

hmmm, am I really the only one who thinks it does NOT sound like a real doubled performance? it does sound electronic to me, everything follows so precisely.....I am not saying this sound is the best doubling sound, I know most peolpe here favour the real doubling, but I just feel it is not and this gives the sound a certain character which I would like to add to my palette.....

Rock on!
Pat

Ahellam · 16th July 2005, 07:04 PM

On colour and shape at least I know he did a normal double and then a lower octave double most of the time.

Drumsound · 16th July 2005, 09:39 PM

The reason I think it's Dave Grohl is because it seems to be present on all of the records (the singles anyway). I don't believe that the same producer and mixer did each record, but DG was there for them all.

I've also read that he's very fast in the studio, so doubles probably just roll off the guy.

mixermarkb · 16th July 2005, 09:56 PM

I have chased that sound myself, and after meeting some of the folks involved, was told that Dave sings his doubles. He is a drummer, and sings with a VERY good sense of time, so it would make sense that he would be able to double himself EXTREMLY tight. Mere mortals can get close using Vocaligin and cutting the double and dragging it to match the main vocal. There are also lots of harmony vocal lines tucked in there tightly too... makes his voice big enough to compete with the wall o guitars and drums. Clever boy Dave is...

N.E.R.D · 17th July 2005, 03:46 AM

Yeah, he does actually do the doubling himself. I spoke to an engineer who worked on The Colour and the Shape about it, apparently Dave is a little bit insecure about his voice and generally likes to dbl it. Don't know why, his voice seems fine to me.

5down1up · 17th July 2005, 03:53 AM

@ the cowboy ...

everybodys using the " tools " today , which doesnt mean that the artists shouldnt be prepared to do their stuff right.

more fun for everyone ...

the only thing i wonder about the foofighters is why daves teeth are so white in their new video ? i guess they have " cheated " their as well

LongWave · 17th July 2005, 05:10 AM

you could maybe get a similar sound maybe with the micropitch patch on the eventides.

Billster · 17th July 2005, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildCowboys

hmmm, am I really the only one who thinks it does NOT sound like a real doubled performance? it does sound electronic to me, everything follows so precisely.....

I know of singers, who sing one take. Then the other WITHOUT hearing the first take. The end result is just astonishing, perfect, Idontknowwhattosay. What I mean is : if you have talent in the studio anything is possible.

Cheers,
Bill

djavid15 · 17th July 2005, 10:30 PM

I have someone who does the same. It amazes me everytime!

wwittman · 18th July 2005, 01:00 AM

it used to be quite common and so singers got USED to doubling themselves...
it only takes a bit of practise.
most singers tend to hear the vocal a certain way and so can sing it again that same way, or awfully close, again.

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15th July 2005, 11:17 AM	#1
WildCowboys Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: VIE Posts: 983	vocal doubling on foo fighters album, how? Spent the last days listening to the great new foo fighters album. i really like the pretty obvious doubling on grohl´s voice. it does not sound as if it has been double tracked too much, the basic sound seems to be electronically doubled. does anyone know which fx unit has this signature sound or how i can build such a sound with a bunch of plugins (delaytimes/filtered/pitch offset/ etc/ etc)? the coolest way would be an impulse file for convolution of course, anyone? rock on! pat

15th July 2005, 03:00 PM	#2
drew Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Maryland,USA Posts: 2,264	taking the time to DBL vox well (and a singer that can do it well) will give you that almost fake DBL sound. that's the point IMO. now a days of course with Autotune and Vocalign you can do "wonders". __________________ Drew Mazurek Artist Direct Page Mixing ITB? Just because you're not good at it, doesn't mean it sucks.

15th July 2005, 03:33 PM	#3
Blast9 Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: London Posts: 2,742	To me, it sounds like carefully-sung dbl track vox which are panned to the middle, which is always a nice effect __________________ :: my band is called protoangel My guitars: Atkin OM (sitka spruce top walnut back: sweet mids):: Atkin Small Jumbo (cedar top, rosewood back: big bottom, sparkly top):: Jap Tele with fat frets (rude and fat):: . My amps: 1973 Hiwatt DR504::Framus Dragon ... Latest purchases Kel Audio HM-2d TC Electronic Nova System, Chameleon Labs 7602 Digi 002 + PTLE, Addictive Drums

15th July 2005, 04:03 PM	#4
Billster Gear addict Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hamburg / Old Europe Posts: 441	Sing it twice Yup, that´s what it sounds like. IMO you get the best voc doubling results by doubling the vocal . Sing it twice ! With a good singer it´ll also be much faster than fiddeling your fx machine until it sounds almost as if the singer sung it twice...makes no sense to me, does it ? __________________ www.forcesense.com www.fs-mastering.com

15th July 2005, 09:09 PM	#5
Drumsound Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bloomington Il Posts: 3,565	I don't have any of their records, but it seems like all of the hits, at least, have doubled vox done my DG himself. I believe that doubled vox is a major part of their sound. __________________ Tony Oxide Lounge Recording See the Oxide Lounge! WWJMD? Come see me on the Tape Op boards! "If I have to flip flop more than three times in an A/B test to figure out what the difference is, I lose interest in that difference.'--Tchad Blake

16th July 2005, 05:18 PM	#6
WildCowboys Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: VIE Posts: 983	hmmm, am I really the only one who thinks it does NOT sound like a real doubled performance? it does sound electronic to me, everything follows so precisely.....I am not saying this sound is the best doubling sound, I know most peolpe here favour the real doubling, but I just feel it is not and this gives the sound a certain character which I would like to add to my palette..... Rock on! Pat

16th July 2005, 07:04 PM	#7
Ahellam Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 419	On colour and shape at least I know he did a normal double and then a lower octave double most of the time. __________________ One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.

16th July 2005, 09:39 PM	#8
Drumsound Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bloomington Il Posts: 3,565	The reason I think it's Dave Grohl is because it seems to be present on all of the records (the singles anyway). I don't believe that the same producer and mixer did each record, but DG was there for them all. I've also read that he's very fast in the studio, so doubles probably just roll off the guy. __________________ Tony Oxide Lounge Recording See the Oxide Lounge! WWJMD? Come see me on the Tape Op boards! "If I have to flip flop more than three times in an A/B test to figure out what the difference is, I lose interest in that difference.'--Tchad Blake

16th July 2005, 09:56 PM	#9
mixermarkb Gear Head Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: st. louis Posts: 48	sung doubles... I have chased that sound myself, and after meeting some of the folks involved, was told that Dave sings his doubles. He is a drummer, and sings with a VERY good sense of time, so it would make sense that he would be able to double himself EXTREMLY tight. Mere mortals can get close using Vocaligin and cutting the double and dragging it to match the main vocal. There are also lots of harmony vocal lines tucked in there tightly too... makes his voice big enough to compete with the wall o guitars and drums. Clever boy Dave is...

17th July 2005, 03:46 AM	#10
N.E.R.D Gear Head Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 37	Yeah, he does actually do the doubling himself. I spoke to an engineer who worked on The Colour and the Shape about it, apparently Dave is a little bit insecure about his voice and generally likes to dbl it. Don't know why, his voice seems fine to me.

17th July 2005, 03:53 AM	#11
5down1up Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 1,356	@ the cowboy ... everybodys using the " tools " today , which doesnt mean that the artists shouldnt be prepared to do their stuff right. more fun for everyone ... the only thing i wonder about the foofighters is why daves teeth are so white in their new video ? i guess they have " cheated " their as well

17th July 2005, 05:10 AM	#12
LongWave Gear addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 400	you could maybe get a similar sound maybe with the micropitch patch on the eventides.

17th July 2005, 10:30 PM	#14
djavid15 Gear maniac Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 223	I have someone who does the same. It amazes me everytime! __________________ Dance my minions! DANCE!!!!

18th July 2005, 01:00 AM	#15
wwittman Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New York Posts: 1,598	it used to be quite common and so singers got USED to doubling themselves... it only takes a bit of practise. most singers tend to hear the vocal a certain way and so can sing it again that same way, or awfully close, again. __________________ William Wittman Producer/Engineer (Cyndi Lauper, Joan Osborne, The Fixx, The Outfield...)

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