Ok, I've been meaning to ask this 100 times, and have always forgotten, as I'm usually too busy trying to forge my own perfect vocal system.

I realize that there are a million different plugin combinations and a few all-in-one solutions.

I'd like to hear everyone's preferred plugin chain for 'normal' vocals... I guess one might say Pop\Rock vocals. A nice clean sound with some reverb, delay & chorus.

Here's what I would like a consensus on, 1. In what order people chain their plugins, why in that particular order, and lastly for each item in the chain, what you feel

is the best plugin (in your opinion) for that function.

For instance I tend to use an all in one plugin, Waves CLA Vocal mono (convenience) and mostly for reverb, delay and width, in front of it I use waves rVox, afer it I have Live's EQ 8 (low cut) and Live's limiter. Never de-essed that much myself... usually do that by hand if needed after all is said and done.

Been running this for quite a while now, but, the CLA is def. a bit processor heavy and quite flavored, I'm getting a bit tired of the sound honestly.

So, I'm sure I am not alone in wondering how other people effect their vocals, lets hear what you do. I'm quite interested in particular as to which plugins should be in what order.

Cheers!

 

In my chain, I EQ first. EQ>Compr>DeEss (only if neceessary)>Noise Gate. I send my vocals to busses for reverb and delay. I'll usually use stock EQ (Logic or Pro Tools). I tend to use the URS 1975 compressor. I can give a lot of adjectives to describe it, but I think it sounds good. I may add another Waves Rcomp in the chain to pop vocals out even more. That I may do if it's needed.

 

Ive rarely used a noise gate, will have to try that out, i have quite a bit of excess noise running thru my small mixer which Im using for a pre-amp if I try to crank the levels.

Cheers.

 

Oh yeah, I think the gate is a must when you're running a small setup, I regularly use one now and it has made a big difference, but I normally use it in the interface software chain so the signal coming into my DAW is as clean as possible

 

i use whatever it takes to make it sound amazing. never once have I done the same thing twice since every tune and vocal presents a different scenario.

 

I don't usually have unprocessed vocals to deal with. Izotope nectar is apparently good.

I have used GGate before. it is free.

I have also used Meldaproduction MTremolo or MVibrato to undo some of the auto-tune on processed vocals.

 

Have you tried, iZotope Nectar VST VST3

It is 11 vocal processors in 1 plugin, It also has lots of presets arranged by musical style.

Tracking and mixing modes. Advanced controls to fine tune everything.


As far as chaining goes, Here is some basic information: EQ is more efficient and easier to control after compression,

Compressors are great dynamic controllers, but they have undesirable characteristics as well.

They raise the noise floor, exaggerate the sibilants, and make pre EQ less effective, the harder you drive them.

Because of this they usually start the chain. Then EQ, with DeEssing and noise gate at the other end. Other enhancement in between, order not as important.

Save doubling, reverb and other time based effects until mixing when you can judge it with other instruments.

This is only a guide line, applicable to any plugins you are using.

Hope this Helps

 

When i record vocals i try to go as clean as possible.
I give the singer some reverb in the phones so they dont hear themself dry.

When i mix start with HP filter of course who don´t?
Then Comp,EQ maybe DeEss and only if it is very annoying and maybe some dist for dirt sound not often though.
If you put EQ before Comp everything you do on the EQ will change how the Comp works.So i always Comp first and when i happy with that i EQ.

If you do EQ first and for some reason need to change it later after you have made your Comp settings it change that Comp setting so you have to change both.

And then i send it to buss for delay and reverb and if the reverbplugin has a LP filter included i cut out high frequences from 3000 hz or so if not i use a plugin for that task


I usually try a few plugins and more often than not i end up with the first one
I take what i have waves,urs whatever

I like some of the waves artist
plugins as they are sort of one plugins wonder

Absolutely no autotune i hate it especially when they use it as an effect as you hear on many of todays dance music songs

If i need to correct some notes i use melodyne and i never correct the notes so they are perfectly in tune

If they are in between notes for some reason (that can happen when the vocalist is wailing to much or to little) i just push them to the right notes and leave them there usually some cent up or down from perfect

 

I know from personal experience that Burninstar has a pretty good handle on this process. I heed his advice often. Always treat compression and EQ in combo with kid gloves. Used improperly it can screw up a mix faster than anything.

 

Ok my turn. This is for the homie reason. First look at vocals in way you create your tracks. Buss your vocals for character to your delays and echos and extra reverb. But keep this rule of thumb always open a dedicated bus track for vocals and the chain should consist of this order EQ,REVERB and compression. Look at that order and it should be self explanitory how it works out. you eq is for the fact that everyones voice is diffrerent and some time you have to take mid and lows out of a voice to nestle it in a track lead vocals remain center and adlibs and doubles are panned. Im not going to give away too much more of my secrets but i Luvs yall. Remember remain inspired get it in and make it happen............ The Big homie Hoodhendrix

 

hehe, thats TOP SECRET, but...... +1 for Izoptope Nectar.Some really good sounding saturation in that plug *yes*
--
sG

 

Like the scripture says, "There's nothing new under the sun". I've done and seen all of these tips, using hardware. It required more effort, back in the 70's, but it got done. It's just much easier today, due to tech and affordability. I said that to say, I'd rather have a Great song recorded bad, then a Bad song recorded Great.

 

There isn't a dedicated way to process vocals. There are some general standards that people adhere to. I like to EQ before compression. I like to rid of the mud and low end before tightening it up. It is definitely not wrong to compress before EQ. However I feel that when you compress before EQing, you will definitely need a deEsser because compressors tend to bring out sibilance, so if you were to put it first, then do a HP filter on the EQ. you will damn near need a deesser every time. I do not directly place FX like reverb or delay on the processing unless they're the very last FX I intend to put on the vocal. They do have an effect on the overall sound if you were to add reverb, then compress or deess, etc. MOST OF ALL, find a chain that sounds good TO YOU, then go from there.

 

Some good info here, even if it conflicts, as it's been said I guess there is no wrong way, and I appreciate everyone's input in the discussion.

Heres a question, If I put a delay on Send 1 and a reverb on Send 2, does the delay get processed into the reverb? How does that work with regards to being in a chain, Does the reverb on send 2 affect the delay on send 1? ..or do they only each affect the original vocal and not interact with each other?

Or... If i forgo sends and put reverb and delay as inserts on the vocal track after EQ, Comp, etc.. should the delay or reverb come first as I'm assuming that when they are 'inline' as inserts, that If the delay comes first, then the Reverb will also be applied to the delays as well as the original vocals.

 

If you apply them directly as inserts on the vocal, (In my opinion) you should put the delay first. However, on busses, I always send vocals to reverb first. As far as the sends/busses. When you send your vocals to individual busses, they don't affect each other at all. So if you send your vox to delay, then to reverb, your second send/bus (the reverb) is NOT processing delayed vocals. They're two separate channels and are coming through the main output together.

 

One Reason here is your answer. When you send from the vocal track to a reverb plugin on a buss and then send the vocal to a delay on another buss, they do not interact with each other. If you want them to interact with each other turn up the sends on the effect returns.

You are correct with inline effects. Beware if you run a delay into a reverb, the delays will sound softer and your reverb will be extra thick

Example: the vocal is on track 12
Reverb input connected to Send 1, return is on channel 25
Delay input connected to Send 2, return is on channel 30

Send 1 from track 12 controls only the amount of Vocal Reverb
Send 2 from track 12 controls only the amount of Vocal Delay

Send 1 from channel 30 controls the amount of Delay going into the Reverb effect
Send 2 from channel 25 controls the amount of Reverb going into the Delay effect

WARNING; If you send 1 from channel 25, or send 2 into channel 30, you create an effects feedback loop in this example!

LiveLogicLoopsTools there is a very valid reason not to Eq (especially Heavy EQ) before compression.

Example: Take a flat sound source like pink noise, say we boost 10db at 1K
then we compress the sound with 20 ratio at -10db threshold. Because we boosted 1K at 10db and then compress 10db, the compressor is only turning down the the EQ boost we applied at 1k. It is no longer controlling just the amplitude but FREQUENCY RESPONSE ALSO.

Our compressor is now changing the frequency response like an EQ, The EQ is still boosting but the comp is counteracting it and the frequency response is the same!

When compressing first, the comp only effects Volume also known as amplitude.
Then when you EQ after the comp, the EQ only effects the frequency response. Lots easier to control with expected results.

Algae: Thank you for the compliment, I worked at a prominent Recording School for 14 years. My responses are from the book and practical experience. I hope they help.

 

A person with 14 years experience.... I will not correct you. Thanks for sharing your info. I will delve more into Comp>EQ and see what sound I get. I will never stop learning.

One Reason. I would suggest that you use busses for delay and reverb because it's WAY easier on CPU compared to throwing it on every track individually.

 

neve EQ + neve COMP + kramer stuff + maserati stuff + (NO melodyne ) TIME & MOD >>> it always depends on the vibe of the song!!!
Remember: Its all about the style of the singer, the mic, the mic pre, the console(if u use one) and a good cable.

 

LiveLogicLoopsTools, Thanks for the acknowledgement. I'm not trying to be a know it all, Just trying to help out. I kind of miss teaching this stuff, actually.

That's good advice you are giving One Reason also.

 

This is all very helpful, and the main reason for the thread, for me at least was to get my vocal tracks, as clear and loud as I can in the mix, without hitting that distortion.

I'd like to ask how loud, in db, a flat track should sound, straight from mic, to track, before any inserts? and how loud in db after any effects should a finalized vocal track be? (flattened)

I have some issues with a lot of vocal effects plugins..eg: CLA Vocals, Nectar, Cakewalk Vocal Strip.. etc making my vocals lower in volume, then, when I try to bring it up some using the volume sections of the plugins, I run into distortion issues and\or clipping.

Thanks so much for everyone's gift of knowledge, it's very much appreciated by me and I'm sure others.