One Man Gang Vocals

[Uladyne]

Gang vocals are kind of an iffy subject for me, but lately I've been itching to try them. When done certain ways they get on my nerves like you wouldn't believe, but in some cases they sound motherfucking bad ass. The more hardcore style (the kind that sounds like a bunch of "bro's" shouting in a booth) doesn't tickle my fancy much, but the more powerful, dominant kind (Meshuggah's Destroy Erase Improve, and parts of the new Textures album comes to mind) kicks ass in my opinion.

Anyone know how to overdub one's self in such a way to produce convincing gang vocals? What's the proper mic placement, mixing, etc? I assume part of the sound is one mic capturing a "squad" of dudes in a room simultaneously, but I'm not exagerating when I say I have zero friends, so I'm pretty much stuck trying to do this myself. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

Sorry to be a downer but I think to sound cool you really need 3-5 dudes. I have trouble making them sound good with 2 guys, much less 1. I've heard what seem to be "one man gang vocals" on some major releases though (Winds of Plague for example) but I thought they sounded lame.

 

[Morgan C]

Slipknot in the chorus of All Hope Is Gone has this going on and it sounds like just the lead singer dubbed over a few times, harmonising but screamed. Sounds awesome, imo. I dunno if this is the effect you're after though, I don't really listen to Meshuggah or Textures.

 

[Jaymz]

Ive done some "one man chants" in a song ive posted on this forum, if its the kinda thing your looking for its a plugin called Clone Ensemble.

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...435828-new-full-track-thrash.html#post7710293

Around 2:17

 

[Teddyboy]

Slipknot in the chorus of All Hope Is Gone has this going on and it sounds like just the lead singer dubbed over a few times, harmonising but screamed. Sounds awesome, imo.

I think Slipknot does it many times in their records. I believe that the 2 percussionists dub him and are panned left-right. Listen to "People=Shit" intro and chorus and "S.I.C." "sick" part at the end.

 

[livingzombie]

Ive done some "one man chants" in a song ive posted on this forum, if its the kinda thing your looking for its a plugin called Clone Ensemble.

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...435828-new-full-track-thrash.html#post7710293

Around 2:17

Hi everyone, been browsing the forums for a while and you guys have really been helping with my production and all that, so I decided to finally join up and say hi!

I've been wondering about doing this for a while now too, I'm curious as to whether Clone Ensemble would be good for this, is it possible to get a less 'washy' sound from it? Hopefully that makes sense haha

 

[Jaymz]

Hi everyone, been browsing the forums for a while and you guys have really been helping with my production and all that, so I decided to finally join up and say hi!

I've been wondering about doing this for a while now too, I'm curious as to whether Clone Ensemble would be good for this, is it possible to get a less 'washy' sound from it? Hopefully that makes sense haha

Yeah I guess it is, however the more voices you use it gets a bit washier, 32 max I think, I used about 16 on that one. Its pretty cool mixed under, but I guess there is always going to be a slight washyness about it. But its a good plugin, esp if you just record 1 vocal track and use that, can really help give a nice effect.

 

[grywolf627]

Yeah I guess it is, however the more voices you use it gets a bit washier, 32 max I think, I used about 16 on that one. Its pretty cool mixed under, but I guess there is always going to be a slight washyness about it. But its a good plugin, esp if you just record 1 vocal track and use that, can really help give a nice effect.

+1 to this. It's a good plug when used for the right thing. Don't believe all the claims made in its official write up. But I've used it to turn some very sparse sounding shouts into huge virtual crowds, and it worked very well.

 

[Uladyne]

Ive done some "one man chants" in a song ive posted on this forum, if its the kinda thing your looking for its a plugin called Clone Ensemble.

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...435828-new-full-track-thrash.html#post7710293

Around 2:17

I'll have to check that plugin out. Awesome song, by the way. Do you have a myspace for your stuff?

 

[whitedamp]

There´s a plugin to make friends called MONEY. ;P
No, seriously, I remember that Antares (the one from Autotune) had a plugin to shape and multiply voices. I guess it was called "anteres vox", or "antares vox toolkit".

 

[cobhc]

Yeah I guess it is, however the more voices you use it gets a bit washier, 32 max I think, I used about 16 on that one. Its pretty cool mixed under, but I guess there is always going to be a slight washyness about it. But its a good plugin, esp if you just record 1 vocal track and use that, can really help give a nice effect.

So I guess with less voices, like 4 or 8, it would sound less washy and a bit tighter?

I'll have to check that plugin out. Awesome song, by the way. Do you have a myspace for your stuff?

It's in his sig dude.

 

[Jaymz]

cobhc: Yeah it sounds tighter but it dosent have as much depth, if your after just like a doubletracked kinda sound less sounds better, you can also adjust the tightness, looser = bigger, tighter =....well tighter but less chanty.

Its flexible.

Uladyne: Hey thanks man its www.myspace.com/fallenfate1

 

[Exocaster]

Is there something similar for Mac, perchance?

 

[CatharsisStudios]

you need 2 guys. just record them like 10 times. i get fucking huge gang vocal sounds

 

[Uladyne]

It's in his sig dude.

Ah. My inhumanely acute observational skills cannot be denied.