Smoothing a lead vocal - Suggestions? Share your process?

[Fandango]

As I gain more experience mixing, I'm noticing something about lead vocals in mixes when compared to commercial releases. The lead vocal tracks on most commercial releases do not seem to fluctuate much at all. In fact, when turning the volume way up or way down that lead vocal is steady and present on top. Smooth. I just worked with a great female vocalist who sang with a good amount of dynamics. The performances were dynamite, but I'm having a lot of trouble sitting her in the mix with the band because of the dynamic range on the track (no compression on input). Compression is one obvious answer and that's where I started. But the extremes tend to get over-compressed and If I automate track volumes down to the syllable it starts to sound weird and it hits the compressor differently. So I'm wondering how others are preparing their lead vocals in the mix.

Maybe I should reduce volume spikes, normalize, then compress? Generally I like to stay away from destructive editing like this, but if it works...

Any thoughts or suggestions on this topic would be appreciated!

[craig9045]

hey man, not sure how much it will help but i am also getting as much experience as i can at the moment

Been looking for into the 'Ducking' techniques on cubase. For vocals that seem to get lost it really helps with a subtle difference

[Fandango]

Do you mean that you are ducking the rest of the mix behind the vocal track?

[timlloyd]

Automation, then serial compression can result in very smooth vocal dynamics. Ride the channel volume pre-fader/pre-insert, followed by a levelling compressor, and then a faster attack comp to catch any stray peaks. Or catch the peaks first, then use a levelling comp.

You can often get much smoother gain reduction from two stages of low-ratio compression rather than one with a higher ratio, because you'll get a different knee shape.

Also, automation+parallel compression can help to get an up front sound without squashing the life out of the voice.

Start with automation is my advice thumbsup

[craig9045]

Originally Posted by Fandango

Do you mean that you are ducking the rest of the mix behind the vocal track?

no not the rest of the mix

just the rythym guitar in the track i was playing with

[kingocounty]

Originally Posted by timlloyd

Automation, then serial compression can result in very smooth vocal dynamics. Ride the channel volume pre-fader/pre-insert, followed by a levelling compressor, and then a faster attack comp to catch any stray peaks. Or catch the peaks first, then use a levelling comp.

You can often get much smoother gain reduction from two stages of low-ratio compression rather than one with a higher ratio, because you'll get a different knee shape.

What he said!

[Fandango]

Thanks for the tips. I did go through and automate the track as is my usual procedure, but still wasn't thrilled with the results. Staging compression as suggested might be just the thing. In fact, I've been trying out the Voxengo Voxformer plugin this afternoon and getting some better results. This plug has two compressors that can be used in sequence. So far so good...

[timlloyd]

Don't hesitate to try 2 different compressors though! Having completely different knee, attack and release shapes for each can produce some really nice effects. A pretty classic combo would be a FET (1176) and Opto(La-2a).

[Slikjmuzik]

I use 2 la2a's back to back. Evens out the vocal and if you've mixed the track well and control all the other instruments and not had them doing crazy dynamic things to take away from the vocal, then your vocal should sit well. I find many times that after setting the vocal in the first verse, if I've done things right, I don't have issues later as the vocalist naturally sang a little louder for the choruses.

[rcb4t2]

Originally Posted by Fandango

Thanks for the tips. I did go through and automate the track as is my usual procedure, but still wasn't thrilled with the results. Staging compression as suggested might be just the thing. In fact, I've been trying out the Voxengo Voxformer plugin this afternoon and getting some better results. This plug has two compressors that can be used in sequence. So far so good...

To me it sounds as though you might be "micro managing" your automation... maybe try using broader strokes to get the average level fairly even. I agree with timlloyd on all points. I think the idea of reaching for a compressor to do what a fader should be doing (or an automated gain plug, as the case may be) is a big problem among AEs. Not to say that I don't do it too, but it's something that comes out of wanting to save time / effort, not for sonic reasons, and I'm trying to reform! lol I know it's not "news" anymore, but that vocal rider plugin from waves looks like a real time-saver. Everybody whines that it's the dawn of the new age of automatic computerized mixing, but I dunno about all that... to the degree that you can assign it high and low thresholds and time (attack release more or less) parameters I don't see the problem with it.

Anyway, I'd also mention that you could use an EQ to find and reduce resonant peaks in the vocal that make it sharp-sounding. Sometimes I like to have two EQ plugs, one to tame harshness and then one for broad-stroke artistic things (opening up the high-end and the like).

[rcb4t2]

And of course in the interest of "getting it right at the source", you can work with your vocalist to minimize these problems in the first place by improving their mic technique.

[u b k]

To add to all the goodness, don't be afraid to mult (duplicate) your vocal and use one treatment for the verses and something totally different for the choruses.

Verses tend to be sung quieter and in lower registers so what works for them doesn't always work for the part where the singer is pushing it in both volume and pitch.


Gregory Scott - ubk

[timlloyd]

Something which I intend to do is purchase a single-fader control surface for DAW automation (faderport/alphatrack).

In my somewhat limited experience with automating on a console, is is just so utterly and completely more efficient to get the results you want than using a mouse. It's difficult to get it sounding right when drawing in points one-by-one or riding a virtual fader with the mouse.

I'm anticipating that a nice, motorised fader will be just the ticket for more effective vocal riding!

In addition to serial and parallel, there is "two-stage compression" to consider. It's similar to serial, but incorporates a parallel stage. Here is a video of Mike Caffrey explaining how to set it up.

It's really useful for songs where you want to retain/enhance the macro-dynamics of the performance, while not needing to automate compression settings to avoid squashing transients too much during louder sections.

Using parallel comp is imho, really key to getting "thick" but "open" sounding mixes (sorry for the silly words).....I think you know what I'm getting at keep the transients alive!

[evangelista]

For the "in your face pop vocal sound", I usually run a parallel track that is limited to essentially zero dynamic range, blended in with the main track.

The main track is lightly compressed, mostly for tone, and heavily automated.

That gives me a good starting point, and then I add the appropriate cheezy pop effects, whatever they may be for that track.

[DaVinci]

I spend more time on this than anything else, but it pays off.

I have horribly dynamic singing, and no compressor on input, so I've tried every ITB trick in the book to smooth the vocals out. Since I am going for an upfront vocal sound in pop music, it's critical that the vocal be smoothed as much as possible.

That being said, I can't stand vocals that SOUND compressed... so I've really had to work hard to find a good solution.

Best I've found:

VERY intense automation. This is step one... and it generally goes down to the syllable. I'm talking about a level of detail here that is not even possible with a fader. It REQUIRES a DAW. I have the music playing, and drop the vocal down to where it is just able to be understood. This is important. It's harder to level correctly when it's clearer... but when you have to strain to hear each word, you can really zero in on getting it JUST to the point where everything is clear.

I then take it a step further. I run a brickwall limiter... something like waves L1... and I set it so it only catches a few peaks in each section... then I zoom way in on those few peaks and massage them down with automation until they no longer trigger the limiter.

Now the automation part is done, and it's time for processing. There are different theories on this, but if you want a very SMOOTH sound, you want nice even action from a compressor with a relatively slow attack. For me, that means hitting it as evenly as possible, so I want to smooth out the peaks FIRST. Yes, it makes a difference.

Now, something like the L1 will have an adverse effect on the sound if you push those peaks down 3 db or so. I want something middle of the road in terms of speed, ratio, etc... I find something like waves 1176 does the trick... although I'd certainly go hardware at this stage if I had it. I'm not a big believer in hitting compression or limiting hard at any given stage if you want a sound that's even remotely organic. I personally don't hit it so it does any more than 3db of GR... often less.

Now it's able to feed a compressor more evenly. My goal here is to do as little as possible with a very soft knee. Since I'm ITB, I generally go to Sonalksis with the knee all the way over... and generally never go over 1.5db of GR. With the knee dipping down 30db, and the ratio all the way down at 1.5/1, the entire vocal is now getting a very even, very smooth treatment from the compressor... and it definitely makes a difference doing the work to get it to that point.

Is it a lot of work? Yes, but the results are much better than if I tried to do it all in one step, or just hit one of the steps much harder.

Now, mind you, this is going for a nice, smooth, natural sounding vocal. If I wanted to smash it for a rock chorus or something, that would be different.

Oh, and... I do this for the verses... then start all over for the choruses. There's a verse buss and a chorus buss... treated separately. Often the chorus ends up being squashed a bit more, different level of delay sends, etc.

[dream]

One word. Limiter

[TRJanuary]

Originally Posted by Slikjmuzik

I use 2 la2a's back to back. Evens out the vocal and if you've mixed the track well and control all the other instruments and not had them doing crazy dynamic things to take away from the vocal, then your vocal should sit well. I find many times that after setting the vocal in the first verse, if I've done things right, I don't have issues later as the vocalist naturally sang a little louder for the choruses.

THIS IS THE ANSWER. (except I use an LA-3A)

Track thru it with moderate limiting on the meter. Mix back thru it again with moderate to "severe" limiting or compression. (based on the meter and your ears) Dial in "hit record vocal sound" to taste.

Now, this of course is not appropriate for all vocalists or styles of music or production asthetics, but it is a way to get THAT SOUND all day everyday with a single piece of gear.

When I use this technique I rarely need any automation whatsoever. Makes a long day very short. (if you are charging by the hour, ignore this advice)

[Unclenny]

Automation is a huge tool for this........work it hard until you are smiling.

But....when I have a vox that just sounds too.....up front and harsh........I sometimes bounce it to a stereo track and pan it around 20/20, or whatever sounds right.

I'm not shy about doing whatever sounds good.

[jsway]

Yeah I'm having the same problem! I'm coming to find that multiband compression really helps tame the high end's resonant spikes that occur when you EQ some air into your vocals. The way I see it, a regular compression plug in is strictly listening for volume... even if the volume is completely on one frequency, it will exit the compressor more or less at your output level. Now say your EQ'ing pre-compressor, that little boost you put at 3khz is just making the problem worse. Multiband compression: its worth a try!

[NoamLavi]

compression can sound more natural when it's done in several stages.
thats why on recordings that count i ALWAYS compress the input.
if u compress right (shaving off 3-5 db's) u should be getting a sound thats close to mixing even when it's dry.
then all u need to do is put another compressor on the mixing moderetly. in my experience an LA2A does magic!.

if the transients get to sharp use a peak limiter or saturation... i use sonnox inflator it compresses the sound even more and rounds up the transients.

i recommend dbx 160a or 166 which i just got.
the over easy rounds up the transients nicely and the sound comes up very close to mixing. although i didnt' mix the project yet.

[MikeMiller]

Hi, everybody!

Who can give proper settings to get that old-fashioned smooth "chorused" vocals? (like on early Kylie's records or almost every record that time). I know that actually there're two major ways: double-track and chorus effect. But which is more preferable? Maybe a "false double-track" technique takes its place (time shifting with detuning).

So, I'd like to explore different approaches of vocal processing to get this effect. Thanks!