Help me with mixing vocals.

[Loren Littlejohn]

Need help.

Whenever I go to mix the vocals I just plain suck at it.

Any general tips/Rules? I mean eq, compression, reverb etc...

Where to put the thing in the mix?

I am refering to singing vocals and not screams so keep that in mind.

Basically my problem is that they don't stick out like they should.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I will even take a

"read this" fallowed by a link or refference type answer.

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

Well here's what I would do to them, just kind of standard. Nothing special. Not all vocalists need all these things

I do a high pass pretty high, 100hz-120hz, and I boost at 1.5khz pretty much on everything. Then I EQ more depending on the vocalist. I don't like to use reverb at all, I like a stero delay, and I pretty much compress till you can notice it, (a lot) so there's one way to do it. I'm interested in hearing more.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Where do you set it in the stereo spectrum? Do you double the track and pan each then offset (I assume thats what you meant by stereo delay). Or do you just plug in a plug.

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

Well, I often double track chorus's, but not verses. The Stereo delay I mentioned is just a plug in, nothing special. Just a replacment for reverb that takes up a little less space.

 

[Keessi]

I do it this way:

1. Cut everything below 100hz
2. compress it with like a 6-10:1 ratio with it always cutting like 3db or so. to make it really flat. (you don't have to have no. 3 if you got Waves Rcomp so I usually limit with the output limiter it has) (OPTIONAL: Waves RVox to make it a bit more compressed)
3. Limit it to have it more "in ya face"
4. High shelf boost from 1,5khz up like 1-3 db.

I like the vocals really "in ya face" and this has delivered pretty well. Optional De-essing if needed.

As for reverb. As little as possible, but use a little. Only to make it a bit "transparent" more. So it doesn't sound so dry.

 

[AStacy2]

I like using a Sm58 a lot, they get the vox in the right area to being with for me always. ***POP FILTER. Use it.

1.) EQ wise, cut off below 70-80hz, boost around 9k air, 2.5k or 4.5k letting them cut through, 100hz for getting the low mids in there

2 Compress usually 4:1 for good singer or a lot more for a bad one.

3.) De-esser is key, most software ones dont do the job from my experience.

4.) On the stereo bus, I usually put a delay unit (dont go crazy, 2 reflections at like 4ms and 2ms or even less) into a reverb unit, very little of each just to make the vocal bigger. and not stick out too much.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I use a pop filter. But the last project I did was not metal and I got horrible results using a 58 so I used the 909 witch did fine but once I was done putting the vox into the mix it sounded like shit to me.

 

[greyskull]

cut at 90 and under,
bosst from 2.5 k upin a high shelf

nice hard compression at 4.1 slow attack fast release.

push the fader up as far as it will goso the vocals are blatently too loud. then gently bring it down until it sits.

i like a medium or long plate on vocals as well as a nice delay. it can help to get themto blend in the mix instead of riding on the top too much

 

[sparkyness]

A good tip I once got from an old Tape Op article:

If you've having trouble with guitars drowning out a vocal. A good starting point is to mute everything except the lead vocal, bass, kick, and snare. Get the levels right between those elements (as they're usually the only things panned dead-centre) in the problem areas of the mix before bringing up the faders for everything else. Bring in all the other tracks one-by-one ensuring not to step on the vocal.

 

[Eduardo Apolonia]

I see it this way,
you have to mix the vocals with reverb (small ammount) and some delays (1/8, 1/4 and 10-30 ms) but without hearing them.
But when you take them off you can hear the vocals get smaller.

Did I make myself clear? :zombie: