Vocal cuts and clash with cymbals.

[Downtuned]

Hi all,

I've got 2 projects that I'm doing right now, a Gojira/Morbid Angel type sludge project with death metal vocals and a power metal project and I'm having a bit of trouble with the vocals.

What's a good place to low pass them at? I feel I've been cutting too deep at 12kHz and the vocals are losing some of the clarity but I don't want unnecessary hiss or junk in either.

My cymbals are the only thing that isn't low passed but I'm wondering if I should bring the vocals into that range as well.

What should I sacrifice with an attenuation first if the cymbals and vocals clash in the higher ranges?

Thanks

 

[Line666]

Most here will do a lot of high end shelfing on the vocals, as well as the cymbals, up into that range so I dont think it will be recommended you low pass them at all in the 12k area- if you low pass then you will lose top end sizzle and air on both making them sound abnormally dull and lacking in movement. If you find the vocals and cymbals are conflicting then the first thing to do would be to carve out a bit of the 3-5k vocal prescence area in the cymbals as well as sweep for a few notch cuts to reduce any abnormal ringing.

 

[Downtuned]

Thanks, that's just the info I'm looking for.

I suppose I'm just in the habit of high and low passing everything.

 

[jangoux]

I usually leave the extreme hi end of the vocals alone unless some shit is bothering me.

Anyway, +1 to what Owen said.

 

[BLUElightCory]

In my opinion, you should set up a sidechained compressor on the cymbals, and set the vocals as the key input. That way, when the vocals come in, the level of the cymbals will drop, and then the vocals stop, the cymbals will come back up. Just set up the compressor to sound as transparent as possible and it might be just what you need.

Even better, if you have Waves C6 or another multiband compressor (or maybe even a de-esser) with sidechain functionality, you can set it so that only the high frequencies get attenuated when the vocals come in.

 

[Downtuned]

Yes I was thinking about using a multiband for the cymbals instead of an eq dip because I like the way they sound the rest of the time.

Thanks all, I'll get to work on it when I've finished stuffing myself with turkey and beer.

Have a Merry Christmas, or Satanic Bloodletting. Whatever you're into!

 

[ZanetheVocalist]

In my opinion, you should set up a sidechained compressor on the cymbals, and set the vocals as the key input. That way, when the vocals come in, the level of the cymbals will drop, and then the vocals stop, the cymbals will come back up.

Even better, if you have Waves C6 or another multiband compressor (or maybe even a de-esser) with sidechain functionality, you can set it so that only the high frequencies get attenuated when the vocals come in.

This is a great idea. If cymbals are eating into vocal clarity a side chain that ducks from 3000-5000hz on the cymbals would be more effective and natural sounding that simply ducking the high end. There isn't a lot of information beyond 10k for a vocal to fuss about but there is alot around 4K that cymbals can cut into.