Pro-Tips

Vocal Recording: Vital Tips for a Good Mix

Dave Grant May 17, 2024 03:31:31 PM

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The mixing process after vocal recording can be an odyssey. With the following tips and tricks we make it easy for you on both lead and backing vocals…

Voice recording , collecting the takes and mixing them can be one of the most satisfying stages of the creative process of a song, as well as a complete challenge . By the time you get to vocals, you’ve probably already spent many hours configuring, tweaking and fine-tuning parameters and making a ton of decisions about your track and how all the instrumentals fit into the mix. 

Eventually, you get to the end of this puzzle, and it’s very easy to lose focus or get overwhelmed before you finish the process.

Although you are close to the finish line, it does not mean that you have to run in this final stretch. The voice will be the element that most of your audience will connect with first , so give it as much attention and respect as the rest of the elements in your mix. 

The moment you understand that the vocal track is basically the most important part and, therefore, the one that has to sound the loudest, you will easily find a way to make it shine, as well as the rest of the instrumental elements that accompany it.

Lead Vocal Mix

Unless you’re mixing the next great instrumental jazz album, the lead vocal track will typically be the one everyone focuses on when listening to your theme song. A well recorded and performed vocal track will require little processing . On the other hand, a poorly executed or captured voice recording will require the audio equivalent of open heart surgery.

Various processors used in building complex vocal effects chains are available that you can use in your DAW (or sequencer software )  – each doing a different job of correcting and shaping the sound. 

Here is a list of the most common ones that will surely be of great help to you:

• High-Pass Filter:  Attenuates and even removes unwanted frequencies from your signal below a cutoff point.
• De-Esser :  Removes sibilance in a voice recording that could later be emphasized in the equalization process.
• Limiter: Used to reduce the high peaks of your vocals by 2 or 3dB of gain.
• “Surgical” EQ: This term is used when you want to attenuate unwanted frequencies in a very precise and targeted way, to clean up the overall tone. For example, between 400-800Hz there are often frequencies that make a singer sound like they are using a cheap microphone. This type of equalization technique will help you eliminate the problem in that section.
• Modeling EQ: Uses an EQ to emphasize and bring out the best qualities of a singers voice. If necessary, use a shelving EQ in the high-frequency area to add “air” to the vocal recording.
• Compression: Shapes the full dynamic range of the voice. You can go subtle or extreme depending on the music genre or section of the song. For compression, a medium attack and quick release might be a good starting point. Then adjust the threshold and work the automation to deal with other issues.
• Saturation: Finally add a slight tape saturation to your vocal takes to give them a warmer character.
• Reverb or Delay: Whether it’s a niceplate reverb , some dirty analog-style delay , or some crisp digital echoes, both reverb and delay really are the key to making your vocals stand out and shine

Mixing of backing vocals and the choirs

Choruses can vary wildly depending on the genre and choices made in a song, but they tend to be of two types: vocals that harmonize and share lyrical content with the main vocal line, and vocals that act as background vocals, such as ” oohs ” and ” ahh .”

For harmony lines, there are some subjective and stylistic decisions to make when mixing. Vocal harmonies can be sharp in the mix and act almost like a doubled lead vocal. Or they can be lower and serve as a reinforcement to the singing voice. This choice can affect the energy and totality of your song .

If you push the high choruses too high in your mix, you may need to adjust the levels of some of your instrumental tracks to accommodate the mix. Try not to be too precise in the first few decisions of the mixing process and wait to fit everything around the vocal part . Your audience will thank you later.

For vocal pads, try compressing a bit more , and use a more extreme high-pass filter. Dip them in reverb to add a more dramatic effect . These types of voices can vary depending on the width of the panning. 

If you double the tracks, better assign them extreme left and right pans, respectively, so their effect will be more effective. In recent years, this type of voice has a much stricter panorama to make room for other instruments such as guitars, or synthetic quilts ( pads ) with broader panoramas.

Voice recording to connect with the public

The voice is a great element that connects with other people, and in most music, it provides the main message . It’s what you want your audience to think about and feel when they spend time listening to your music. Learn to use your tools, and pay attention to everything that works with your voice and other voices when you’re mixing.

If you put in the effort and time to get your voice and vocals to fit and sound right in your mix, you won’t lose anything in the message they deliver…

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