How to fix overused de-esser on vocals?

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

It's in the title, how would you fix this problem when it's been recorded like that? (if that's even possible)

 

[Sickan]

What about doing it in reverse, a multiband compressor with a ratio below 1?

 

[ahjteam]

Re-recording is not an option?

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

@Sickan : I tried and it sounds like poo, maybe not the right settings, but I have a feeling it's not gonna work.
@ahjteam : I'm only mixing so no

 

[Sickan]

Sounds like you have alot of automation to do then :/

 

[greyskull]

yowzer....
i never use a deesser

 

[everybody's x]

oh, that's rough. Try a multiband in expander mode between 5-8k, maybe on a mult against the original track. They can make someone sound like Sylvester the cat pretty quickly.

 

[everybody's x]

hah ha, here you go.
Make a sample of you making a "sss" sound, send a copy of the vox into an eq kill everything above 8k and below 5k and trigger your "sss" with drumagog.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

lol
Errrr, I'd rather not spend days doing just this, haha... will see what the band and label think maybe I'm just being too anal about it.

 

[~BURNY~]

Maybe duplicate the track, band pass the "ess" zone with a very narrow eq, then apply a distortion of some kind.
Aka home-made exciter....

 

[Metaltastic]

hah ha, here you go.
Make a sample of you making a "sss" sound, send a copy of the vox into an eq kill everything above 8k and below 5k and trigger your "sss" with drumagog.

 

[ahjteam]

how about just trying out an exciter?

 

[Soundlurker]

Maybe duplicate the track, band pass the "ess" zone with a very narrow eq, then apply a distortion of some kind.
Aka home-made exciter....

Hm, that may just work (minus the distortion part, IMO).

 

[~BURNY~]

Hm, that may just work (minus the distortion part, IMO).

The distortion part is the whole point. Otherwise, it would sound like a simple boost.
I use this quite often to "enhance" a track. Sometimes, the eq works best after the distortion to keep harmonic build-up under control.
This is the how a lot of exciters work actually. Except you get full control of it.

 

[Soundlurker]

Wouldn't it be better with some dynamics plugin though? Distortion will probably make it harsh. I haven't tried it yet but that sounds interesting, 10x for the tip

 

[ahjteam]

Wouldn't it be better with some dynamics plugin though? Distortion will probably make it harsh. I haven't tried it yet but that sounds interesting, 10x for the tip

Distortion IS a kind of a dynamics plugin, a heavily saturating compressor ...and the point WAS to make the vocals more harsher, if you didn't read the OP. The distorion can be applied gently you know.

 

[paladin shredder]

i say bus (or duplicate) the vocals to another track and add an eq with high-pass filter, followed by a gate/expander.

 

[Soundlurker]

...and the point WAS to make the vocals more harsher, if you didn't read the OP.

I don't see where he said he wanted the vocals to be harsh, he just wants them to have their esses

 

[~BURNY~]

Shadow,
it's all about how you filter and how you blend it to the original signal. If done correctly, it doesn't sound harsh. Also the distortion or saturation algorithm will change the result drastically. I generally prefer tube modeled ones like Tbt Tls saturated driver for example.
Just try it. I repeat that it is what most exciters do. The idea is only to maximise the harmonic content and change the phase relationship between upper harmonics.
Usually, the processed track will be mixed very low, just to add a bit "air". This is a really powerful tool if used properly and with taste.

Back on the topic, what paladin shredder suggested might work well too.