Clean Vocal doubling?

[Jordon]

1 Main take
2 mults of the main, panned left 35 and right 35 about 8-12 db lower than main take
1 octave of the main take (usually only in the chorus) straight up the middle, sometimes I make this with a harmony engine from one of the mults for a weirder sound than just a straight octave take.
2 takes of each harmony line with two different voices (4 takes total for each harmony I.E. 4 of the high harmony, 4 of the lower harmony), panned to taste
Multiple reverb and delay sends

Shitloads of automation.

 

[egan.]

Are all of you guys consistently working with vocalists who can sing an entire section up/down an octave? I can't do that shit w/o popping into falsetto with a lot of stuff I write.

 

[Clark Kent]

Are all of you guys consistently working with vocalists who can sing an entire section up/down an octave? I can't do that shit w/o popping into falsetto with a lot of stuff I write.

First of all doing a different octave isn't the same thing as doubling the same take.

But you are correct, not all vocalists have a range like that. I'd say just about every male vocalist that sings extremely high are not singing in chest voice when they are up there. Just so you know... it's either "mix" or "edge" which could also be the same thing sometimes. It all depends on what book you studied so doesn't really matter. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRog7y4wD1o&feature=player_detailpage#t=77s

So he takes a falsetto type of voice which technically isn't falsetto since he isn't letting air out and then he's dropping his Adam's apple to give it body. Now... go sing an octave higher than you did before.

 

[dan weapon]

Are all of you guys consistently working with vocalists who can sing an entire section up/down an octave? I can't do that shit w/o popping into falsetto with a lot of stuff I write.

Much easier to sing an octave down - which can basically be your head voice, if you struggle to get that low with your chest voice. Most vocalists in rock and metal will be doing the main vocals nearish the top of their vocal range, so doing it an octave above is only really possible for people with extremely massive vocal ranges.

 

[egan.]

First of all doing a different octave isn't the same thing as doubling the same take.

But you are correct, not all vocalists have a range like that. I'd say just about every male vocalist that sings extremely high are not singing in chest voice when they are up there. Just so you know... it's either "mix" or "edge" which could also be the same thing sometimes. It all depends on what book you studied so doesn't really matter. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRog7y4wD1o&feature=player_detailpage#t=77s

So he takes a falsetto type of voice which technically isn't falsetto since he isn't letting air out and then he's dropping his Adam's apple to give it body. Now... go sing an octave higher than you did before.

I know the difference between an octave and double but there are several posts in this thread that suggest going up and down. The video was interesting but isn't going to help much when you're already on the clock. So again, those that are suggesting octaves, do you find that this is consistently doable or is it compromised?

 

[Jordon]

That's why using a program to achieve that octave double can help. But, if you do that, you shouldn't approach it as a "vocal" but as an effect. If you approach it and use that rack like it's a real vocal, it'll be noticeable that it was "built" using melodyne or a harmony engine. If you approach it like it's an effect like reverb or delay, then you can get away with using it without it sticking out.

Wow, that's the most obvious post ever, I think. Never cease to amaze myself with my idiocy sometimes.

Anyway, that's what I do, especially with female vocalists who can't always pull off a convincing octave down of their original performance. Not that this is the way female vocalists are, just seems like a common thing I run into with them.