Mixing Vocals: Key Techniques and Tips

Our next chapter is going to be about vocals. I'm going to share some insights on mixing vocals, focusing on the groove and the music.

Importance of Vocals

• Central Role: The vocal is the most important element in most tracks.
• Time Investment: Spend a good amount of time on the vocals and ensure the singer sounds as good as possible.

The Star of the Track

Think of solo artists like Adele or Amy Winehouse. In tracks featuring such vocalists:

• Make sure all lyrics are audible.
• Listeners should feel inspired to sing along, understanding the lyrics.

Mixing Process

When I start mixing vocals, I follow these steps:

1. Listen for Tuning: Ensure the vocals are tuned correctly.

2. Compression:

   • I often use the Distressor.
   • Popular plugins for vocals include:
     • LA2A: Known for its slow attack, great for vocals.
     • R Vox: Easy to use; a highly efficient plugin.

3. EQ:

   • Don't be afraid to make the vocals bright.
   • Brightness helps the lyrics cut through the music.

Managing Sibilance

• Understanding Sibilance: Sibilance refers to the harsh sounds of "S" and "T".
• Control Tools:
  • Use a De-Esser (e.g., Waves Renaissance De-Esser).
  • Set your threshold and range to manage these sounds effectively.
  • Utilize presets for male and female voices for easy setup.

Volume Control

• Breathing: Watch for the volume spikes when the singer breathes, as compression can emphasize these sounds.
• Editing Breaths: Zoom in on breaths and draw them down without making them disappear completely.

Adding Effects

Reverb & Delay

• Reverb: I usually like to apply a bit of plate reverb.
• Delay:
  • A short delay (e.g., 16th note) or a slap delay at around 250 milliseconds can enhance the vocal sound.
• Special Effects:
  • In this track, we wanted a special reverb inspired by Empire of the Sun, incorporating a lush plate reverb with pre-delay.

Riding the Vocal

• Spend time riding the vocal levels to ensure:
  • The vocal is always present.
  • Syllables are audible and not lost in the mix.

Throwing in Delays

• Use throw delays on the end of syllables or musical gaps to maintain interest.
• Example: A throw channel with EchoBoy set to a quarter note delay creates engaging repeats at the end of phrases.

Different Vocal Sounds

• Vary the vocal sound in different sections (verse, bridge, chorus) to create distinction.
• In this project, I added phasing for a different vocal texture in the second verse.

Additional Techniques

• Phasing:

  • Create texture variation throughout the mix.
  • Experiment with multiple delay and phasing plugins for interest.

• Backwards Reverb:

  • A personal favorite effect: take your vocal, reverse it, add reverb, and then reverse the audio again. This creates a buildup effect as the reverb precedes the vocal signal.

In conclusion, mixing vocals is all about attention to detail. Spending time on every aspect from tuning and compression to effects can lead to a polished and engaging result. Happy mixing!