Compressin' and Reverbib' vocals.
- Thread starter StressWon
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Formant024
Digital Smokerings
ill o.g.
Use send channels for reverbs n delays, eq them on the send channels ( take out the lows, also make sure you send in a 100% wet channel or else you're just amplifying the signal), no compressing whatsoever, you could layer some fx but imo I rather assign another effect to another send channel.
Compres on insert, result depends on what plug you've used and dont really bother to much about settings and look for a good vocal preset and slightly tweak that (A-B comparing).
and its all mono!
Compres on insert, result depends on what plug you've used and dont really bother to much about settings and look for a good vocal preset and slightly tweak that (A-B comparing).
and its all mono!
Formant024
Digital Smokerings
ill o.g.
Actualy, im not into recording acoustics and know jack shit about mics lol!
5th Sequence
Hip Hop Head, Certified
What platform are you using to mix?
I usually add slight compression, roll off some of the bass and send the vocal to 3 auxilary (send) busses. One is a heavily compressed buss, one is 100% wet reverb and the other is 100% wet chorus. I'd use some type of chorus plug-in obviously, but it's mixed ever so slightly to give it a slightly fuller sound. Same thing with the reverb. The heavily compressed buss is there so all of the low parts and high peaks are evened out and mixed back in with the main vocal, but the main vocal still has it's character.
I usually add slight compression, roll off some of the bass and send the vocal to 3 auxilary (send) busses. One is a heavily compressed buss, one is 100% wet reverb and the other is 100% wet chorus. I'd use some type of chorus plug-in obviously, but it's mixed ever so slightly to give it a slightly fuller sound. Same thing with the reverb. The heavily compressed buss is there so all of the low parts and high peaks are evened out and mixed back in with the main vocal, but the main vocal still has it's character.
Hypnotist
Ear Manipulator
ill o.g.
Okay this is how it works in a real in-line console, or "mixer", to clarify what Formant meant:
Each channel has sends or "aux" (auxillary) sends (sometimes up to 6, sometimes only 1 or 2 sends per channel). In the back of the board, there are send outputs that you plug into your reverb units. Your reverb units are then plugged back into the board, either in "aux returns" or a "parallel" channel next to your actual vocal track channel.
Now you can turn up "send 1 and 2" on the vocal track, which goes into your reverb, which is set at 100% wet (tell you why later) and comes back on another channel. The reason why it's 100% wet is because now you have 1) your "dry" vocal track, and a "wet" reverb only mix, that you can adjust accordingly.
This is a key setup because in pro tools, you can emulate this "parallel effects" setup, and keep your vocal track dry so that you can do a number of other options. Now you can automate your reverb to only send it on certain words, or every 4 bars, or turn down the reverb without affecting your dry vocal track.
In Adobe Audition, I don't believe you have sends. This makes it so that you can't differentiate between dry and wet, except for in the actual track. (I remember Cool Edit was like that, anyway). So the amount of effects you put on your vocals are only adjusted by "reverb level" or "dry/wet mix".
Now... compression is the only thing that's "serial", as opposed to "parallel". This means it actually breaks your audio signal, goes to the compressor, then comes back into the same channel. This means it's a "thru" patch, instead of sending it somewhere and doubling it up.
Now... as for your question... If it does sound good the way you're doing it, then do it that way.
As for the pro's... they usually compress moderately, and ride the faders so that it sounds more natural. Most vocals that you hear nowadays are over-compressed anyway, so don't worry about it. It's not like a kick drum that will take your punch out of your mix, so do it until it sounds good.
Most vocals are compressed at least three times. 1) while it's being recorded, or "going to tape" 2) During mixdown each vocal track has its own compression, or there's a vocal sub-mix with all the vocals, and compression on that. 3) During mixdown there is usually compression on the stereo bus (Mix L/R) to limit, maximize, finalize, slam, etc your mix. The last stage isn't just for vocals, but it's another stage of compression that does effect it. If moderate compression is used along the way, it won't sound unnatural by the last step.
Hope this helped.
Hypno
Each channel has sends or "aux" (auxillary) sends (sometimes up to 6, sometimes only 1 or 2 sends per channel). In the back of the board, there are send outputs that you plug into your reverb units. Your reverb units are then plugged back into the board, either in "aux returns" or a "parallel" channel next to your actual vocal track channel.
Now you can turn up "send 1 and 2" on the vocal track, which goes into your reverb, which is set at 100% wet (tell you why later) and comes back on another channel. The reason why it's 100% wet is because now you have 1) your "dry" vocal track, and a "wet" reverb only mix, that you can adjust accordingly.
This is a key setup because in pro tools, you can emulate this "parallel effects" setup, and keep your vocal track dry so that you can do a number of other options. Now you can automate your reverb to only send it on certain words, or every 4 bars, or turn down the reverb without affecting your dry vocal track.
In Adobe Audition, I don't believe you have sends. This makes it so that you can't differentiate between dry and wet, except for in the actual track. (I remember Cool Edit was like that, anyway). So the amount of effects you put on your vocals are only adjusted by "reverb level" or "dry/wet mix".
Now... compression is the only thing that's "serial", as opposed to "parallel". This means it actually breaks your audio signal, goes to the compressor, then comes back into the same channel. This means it's a "thru" patch, instead of sending it somewhere and doubling it up.
Now... as for your question... If it does sound good the way you're doing it, then do it that way.
As for the pro's... they usually compress moderately, and ride the faders so that it sounds more natural. Most vocals that you hear nowadays are over-compressed anyway, so don't worry about it. It's not like a kick drum that will take your punch out of your mix, so do it until it sounds good.
Most vocals are compressed at least three times. 1) while it's being recorded, or "going to tape" 2) During mixdown each vocal track has its own compression, or there's a vocal sub-mix with all the vocals, and compression on that. 3) During mixdown there is usually compression on the stereo bus (Mix L/R) to limit, maximize, finalize, slam, etc your mix. The last stage isn't just for vocals, but it's another stage of compression that does effect it. If moderate compression is used along the way, it won't sound unnatural by the last step.
Hope this helped.
Hypno
E
Equality 7-2521
Guest
hypnotist knows what hes talking about.
a couple of things to add...
its better to compress twice lightly rather than once heavily. there will be less audible artifacts from the compression (pumping / breathing). generally. vocal compression will have a fast attack and the release will depend on the style of vocal. (slower for smoother vocals)
vocals are generally placed at the front of the mix i.e. "on top" of the rest of the music. there are a few factors which determine where a sound will be percieved in the mix. sounds that are further back in the mix are duller (less high frequencies.....filtered) and they have shorter pre delay and longer decay on the reverb and the level of the reverb is higher (more wet compared to dry). therefor, if you were going make a standard vocal reverb, you would make opposite settings to these (because you want the vox to sit at the front of the mix). so, set the pre delay for the vox reverb to a longer setting like 60ms and make the reverb decay short and andjust the send level so you can just hear a bit of the reverb. and dont roll off too much of the high frequencies of the reverb (although some should be rolled of to make it sound realistic because in a normal acoustic space the high frequencies are absorbed the fastest).
oh and plate reverb is probably the most widely used kind of reverb for vocals. so pull up a good plate reverb preset and tweak it from there.
hoe that helps.
a couple of things to add...
its better to compress twice lightly rather than once heavily. there will be less audible artifacts from the compression (pumping / breathing). generally. vocal compression will have a fast attack and the release will depend on the style of vocal. (slower for smoother vocals)
vocals are generally placed at the front of the mix i.e. "on top" of the rest of the music. there are a few factors which determine where a sound will be percieved in the mix. sounds that are further back in the mix are duller (less high frequencies.....filtered) and they have shorter pre delay and longer decay on the reverb and the level of the reverb is higher (more wet compared to dry). therefor, if you were going make a standard vocal reverb, you would make opposite settings to these (because you want the vox to sit at the front of the mix). so, set the pre delay for the vox reverb to a longer setting like 60ms and make the reverb decay short and andjust the send level so you can just hear a bit of the reverb. and dont roll off too much of the high frequencies of the reverb (although some should be rolled of to make it sound realistic because in a normal acoustic space the high frequencies are absorbed the fastest).
oh and plate reverb is probably the most widely used kind of reverb for vocals. so pull up a good plate reverb preset and tweak it from there.
hoe that helps.
5th Sequence
Hip Hop Head, Certified
Equality, thanks for the insight. Real good stuff.
Hypnotist
Ear Manipulator
ill o.g.
Yea, good stuff Equality. Most people forget to cut off the highs at all, so I wanted to point that out, but good clarification.
Also... decay times... Your decay time shouldn't be longer than a 1/4 note at absolute most, although that seems to be a little long depending on the beat and how much is filled in (how busy the music is). When I want something wet, I'll go between 600ms and 1 sec, but that's for hooks and dramatic snares. Oh, and to find out how many ms in 1/4 note, (1 beat) just take 60 divided by your tempo. (60 secs/96 bpm=625ms per beat) Divide this in two to get 1/8 note and so on...
Also... decay times... Your decay time shouldn't be longer than a 1/4 note at absolute most, although that seems to be a little long depending on the beat and how much is filled in (how busy the music is). When I want something wet, I'll go between 600ms and 1 sec, but that's for hooks and dramatic snares. Oh, and to find out how many ms in 1/4 note, (1 beat) just take 60 divided by your tempo. (60 secs/96 bpm=625ms per beat) Divide this in two to get 1/8 note and so on...
O
open mind
Guest
man this is great stuff helps a lot.
New Dynasty
Beatmaker
ill o.g.
wow, you all are amazing... lol