Hey Ross! This is Alex from Rustbelt Studios in MI. Learned a lot from you while assisting but have a question I'm hoping you can answer.

I know many different ways to De-ess a vocal track, wether it be with a plugin, manually clip-gaining each note, or even subtractive EQ methods.
Sometimes one of these (or a combination of) will work beautifully, other times it just never sounds right to me.

What is your go-to method for De-essing a vocal? Or, are there specific things you do while tracking to reduce sibilance?

Thanks, hope to see you again soon.

- Alex

alex .. how goes buddy ? ..see you in October !!
you actually kind of answered the question with all your examples ...
these are all things I do ..
as few specifics might be
in the box my go to plugs are the old Eiosis de-esser and the fab filter de-esser that I just started using
the 500 series derresser is great out of the box
and also doing clip gain helps smooth it out or even automated eq before the de-esser to help the de-esser not to have to work as hard
the thing to watch in recording is too fast an attack on your compressor and then over compression .. this will grab the ess and then over accentuate it ..
and of course the cheap chinese capsules on a lot of mics today are just too bright

Good to see the FabFilter de-esser getting some use. I really like it.

Ross, have use used de-essers on aux sends prior to a reverb? I've found it useful to keep hats out of a snare verb and the slpat out of a vocal verb. I both cases I don't find the de-esser needed on the source material. What ways would/have you applied that technique when mixing/tracking?

Hello Ross, thanks for your support here.

Are there any budget mics that you could recommend on the basis of this?The mics I´m using for vocals recording at the moment are (in no particular order):

- EV RE320
- Sennheiser MD421
- Shure SM7B
- Rode NT2A

Maybe you could recommend something in the lower price segment that you may even have experience with?

Thanks
Matt

I don't often use de-essers for the reverb send but it definitely works when needed
I use eq for that more often .. but its basically the same
I do use de-essers often for crushed room or overheads where the cymbals or hi hats are just terrible overbearing

I do not use de-essers ever in tracking
its just not my style or recording

On Vocals alone, DO you Desss often? Every time? Do you Dess when you cut the vocals yourself? Or only on "poorly recorded" tracks?
Thanks

I de-ess when needed when mixing regardless of who recorded
If its needed
I do it
my motto has always been

Whatever works

like said tho
NEVER ON TRACKING

Great tips Ross!

Deessing on crushed room mic sounds interesting. I've always used LPF in the past.

Will try that.

I guess where I was going with that, Is are there any 'Esss prevention" tricks to share. Any tips or insights to the Esss problem, so as to not need a Deesser on mix.

if your singer is essssey and bright ... are going to use your nice bright mic ?

also .. teach your singer not to EAT the mic if they are sssing or popping
also sometimes singing across the mic on hard sss's
and over compression will bring out the ssss's

and then after that
we de-esss