Lock these f****** vocals

Discussion in 'Mixing and Mastering' started by Swg Itsyo, Sep 4, 2023.

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  1. Swg Itsyo

    Swg Itsyo Member

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    Today i got an important job, a (very) famous artist in my country offered to me the opportunity to mix his next album. The genre is hip-hop / pop (basically the classic top 50 music :hillbilly:).
    He believe in me because of my previous works, but he requested me <<to absolutely have his f****** vocals sounding always the same and in the same "depth">> trough all the album.
    The tracks are gonna be recorded in different studios, different month.

    So... PEOPLE OF AUDIOZ :guru:
    How would you manage this type of task?

    thanks in advance :)
     
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  3. anonymouse

    anonymouse Platinum Record

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  4. ItsFine

    ItsFine Platinum Record

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    Any serious "vocal suite" could do the job.

    Starting with the usual "Renaissance Vox".
    Ending with
    AIR Music Technology AIR Vocal FX Collection

    More exists.

    Of course, you can create your own "vocal chain". But it is going to be too much time loss.

    With a vocal suite, you will have minimal adjustments to do on each track, starting with the same preset (factory or yours).
     
  5. Baxter

    Baxter Audiosexual

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    By ear. Then by analyzer. :)
     
  6. Trurl

    Trurl Audiosexual

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    Well, first I'd start by listening to it all.
    Which I can't.
    In fact, only you can.
    So sorry, you'll have to take it from there.
    :yes:

    (Really, I doubt it will be that big a deal, especially if he uses the same mic. Tell him to take a mic around with him. Don't ask, TELL him to.)
     
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  7. Melodic Reality

    Melodic Reality Rock Star

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    Tell his producer to actually ensure that, to record his vocals with same mic at least, he can't expect you to fix all that in the mix, if you are seriously going to do that, than charge a lot more, it's gonna be a wild one.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2023
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  8. ItsFine

    ItsFine Platinum Record

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    If not using the same mic ... it is going to be a lot more tedious.
    Until you use an EQ clone (like Q-Clone) to reproduce the EQ curve from the best vocal track into others.

    Will save you a LOT of work :wink:

    After that, getting the right same compression will be easy.
     
  9. clone

    clone Audiosexual

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  10. Swg Itsyo

    Swg Itsyo Member

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    In the past I tried to do it but what i struggle with is the bottom sticking up more in one vocal over the other. With multiband compression (even squeezing it) the bottom part of the vocal sounds thicker than the other (in the past i had a falsetto part that was sticking out and a low range part that was so thick)
     
  11. dondada

    dondada Rock Star

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    first try purely volume matching without eq
    and only go by perceived loudness
    Just try to tame and not interfere with performance too much
    the rest should be standard and you are clearly capable.

    dont let yourself get bogged down with too much detail work:winker:

    .ps
    as a last resort (request a re-recording if its too bad)
     
  12. Arabian_jesus

    Arabian_jesus Audiosexual

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    Like Melodic Reality said: ask him to record with the same mic! Even if the different studios have the same model of mics, they will still sound different, so it's better for him to bring along the same mic to the different studios (if he actually wants his vocals to sound the same in all tracks).
     
  13. ItsFine

    ItsFine Platinum Record

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    Yes of course, if not already recorded, using the same mic is mandatory.
    With NO processing, too.

    Dry vocal with the same mic.
    A "famous artist" should have HIS own fav mic along :wink:
     
  14. Trurl

    Trurl Audiosexual

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    Derp
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2023
  15. jhagen

    jhagen Platinum Record

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    I didn't know Drake showing up here asking a so trivial thing, I expected more self confidence by a multi platinum producer.

    Back on topic, that very famous artist wants vocals sounding always the same must be encouraged to make a song 1 hour long, result is guaranteed.
     
  16. The Pirate

    The Pirate Audiosexual

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    Lot of suggestions about the same mic. Did we forget about the pre amp? How about the converters? A pre-amp will impact its own sonic signature into the vocal track, and not all converters are equal. EQ, I never worry about it because I rarely ever use it during tracking. The best EQ is not substitute for a good singer, a good choice of mic, and expert mic placement.
    When faced with the same issue as you are in, I made sure that the vocal front end remained the same. If you don't own it, at least rent it.The rest, as @Baxter mentioned will depend on your ears. Even if you have the same front end, and work OTB you can't overlook that fact different consoles will impact the overall perceived sound of the vocal track. Production, and arrangement will have their own impact on it, therefore, at the end it will all come down to your ears.
    Another observation, what is the point of going from one studio to the next if you want to achieve the same sound? That negates the enjoyment and the whole purpose of recording in different rooms, with different gear, under a different vibe. With that said, if that is what your client wants...so let it be it!

    Good luck with your project.
     
  17. Xupito

    Xupito Audiosexual

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    Eq matching. End of discussion.
    You're welcome :disco:
    :rofl::rofl::rofl:
     
  18. Swg Itsyo

    Swg Itsyo Member

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    And then you suggest to use a similar or same chain through all the album?
     
  19. No Avenger

    No Avenger Audiosexual

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    Same mic (and distance), same preamp/channel strip, same time of day, same warm up. Everything else will result in differences which can't be solved easily, if at all.
     
  20. Trurl

    Trurl Audiosexual

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    People are going to listen to this sht on a telephone. It'll be fine.
    Close to the Edge (Yes) was edited together from takes of the entire band from 3 different studios. :rofl: In 1972. It's good music, no one cares. I know your client does, and thinks he can hear the difference but I'll bet you $100 he can't. It'll be fine.
     
  21. Melodic Reality

    Melodic Reality Rock Star

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    He will hear difference in his voice, they are pretty anal about that and actually only worried about that, phone or whatever device will reproduce his voice just fine and to the point he will actually notice if he mess that up. He will focus and listen to his voice 90% of the time anyways whenever he hear that songs, not how synth is playing behind it or how hard bass is hitting, it's one of those things where one needs to have priorities in line, especially if your client is vocalist.
     
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