Lead Vocal and Double Vocal Chain

General

• Make Sure that the Vocal Peaks at -10dBFS Before Start Mixing Vocals

• Below Chain is Just an Basic Approach, i.e. Some Vocals are Bright or Dark which you Need to Adjust

• also this Chain has No Dedicated Saturation, i.e. Add Saturation or Other Extras as Necessary

• when Compressing Vocals, First Use a Compressor with Fast Attack and Medium Release, then a Compressor with Slow Attack and Faster Release, Both Aiming at 4dB – 8dB of GR

Lead Vocal

1) Digital EQ

1. LC 12dB Up to 80Hz
2. HC 6dB Down to 17Hz
3. Lower 300Hz by 1dB with Q of 9
4. Lower 3kHz by 1dB with Q of 11
5. Lower 5kHz by 1dB with Q of 11
6. Adjust Gain so you are Still Peaking at 10dB

2) Pre Amp (API or Neve), Maybe Put Pre Amp Before Digital EQ

3) Tube Compressor (CL1B) as First Leveling / Color Compressor

1. Fast Attack
2. Medium Release
3. 4:1
4. Threshold for -4 GR (-7dB GR at Most)
5. Again, Adjust Gain so you are Still Peaking at 10dB

4) Clean or Colored EQ (Pultec) as 2nd EQ

1. Boost 200Hz by 2dB with Q Around 0.600
2. Boost 12kHz by 5dB with Q Around 0.600
3. Again, Adjust Gain so you are Still Peaking at 10dB

5) FET or Distressor as 2nd Compressor

1. Slow to Medium Attack
2. Fastest Release
3. 2:1 
4. Threshold for -4 GR (-7dB GR at Most)
5. Again, Adjust Gain so you are Still Peaking at 10dB

6) Limiter on Vocal

• -10dB on Output, i.e. be Sure you are Still Peaking at 10dB
• Lower Limiter Threshold Until it Takes 1-3dB of GR

7) Reverb as Insert or Send, Room or Plate

1. Wet/Dry 1-3% Wet
2. Decay Around 1.250 Seconds
3. Pre Delay 40ms – 60ms
4. HP Reverb at 600Hz
5. LP Reverb at 2kHz
6. Compressor After Reverb and Delay with Ducking, i.e. Auto Duck Reverb when Vocals Play (3dB – 4dB GR)

8) Delay as Insert or Send

1. Wet/Dry 1-3% Wet
2. 1/8th or 1/16th Notes
3. Single, Ping Pong or Dual Mono
4. Feedback Around 9 O’clock or Almost Fastest (Very Short)
5. Compressor After Reverb and Delay with Ducking, i.e. Auto Duck Reverb when Vocals Play (3dB – 4dB GR)
6. HP Delay at 600Hz
7. LP Delay at 2kHz

9) Optionally Transient Designer / Split EQ to Tame Vocal Attack

10 ) Optionally SC Duck Instrumental to Make Room for Vocals (i.e. Instrumental Ducks when Vocals Hit)

– i.e. Filter the SC from 1000Hz to 4-5kHz so the Instrumental Only Ducks Where the Vocal is Strong, Make the Trackspacer Work Mono Only

11) On the Mixbus Compress the Beat and Vocal Together to Glue Them, i.e. When the Beat Ducks the Vocal will also Duck a Bit which Makes it More Cohesive, Slow Attack and Fast Release and Ratio Maximal 1:5

 

Vocal Treatment Double Vocal

• Same as Lead Vocal but with Below Changes

1) Cut the Double Quite a Bit in the Lows (Up to 120 Hz at Least) and Remove Resonances in the Highs

2) Use a Dynamic EQ and Additionally Dip Up to 400Hz Dynamically, but also Increase Spots on Doubles you Want to Cut Through

3) Compress the Double with a Slow Release so the Vocal Sits in the BG

4) If you have 2 Doubles Along the Main, then Pan 1 Double Hard Left and the Other Double Hard Right

5) Balance the Doubles Level so they are at Instruments Level, i.e. Main Sits on Top of All Along with Bass and Drums and then BG Vocals with Instruments

6) Use a Subtle Flanger on Doubles, also a Telephone Effect Might Do the Trick

7) To Blend the Main and BG Vocals More, Send Both to a SSL G Bus Compressor and Optionally Add a Limiter Afterwards