Even if the song is not perfectly mixed – vocals, this is what the listener pays attention to in the first place. Everyone wants a dense and readable voice so that you can make out every line and thought that the author wanted to convey. On the other hand, if the performer is not choosy, they will not listen to him. Of course, we strive to fix everything with the help of improvised tools and plug-ins, but do not forget about the quality of the filling and the room in order to avoid unnecessary artifacts and noise.
Voice processing will vary depending on the style. Previously, we examined the 5 best plugins that will fix the lack of notes and other painstaking details. Let’s see the basic tools to soften and tighten the vocals!
1. FabFilter Pro-DS
For a long time, we eliminated the sibilants manually, because the plugins introduced some graininess, which became noticeable during mastering. After lengthy tests and trials, FabFilter Pro-DS showed itself most vividly, allowing you to delicately remove sibilants. The frequency domain selection band and the ability to listen to cut noise are convenient to use.
— See also: 10 great VST synthesizers for writing bass —
2. SoundToys EchoBoy
Designing the atmosphere of a track takes a lot of time, especially vocals! Today it is not uncommon to have from three to five delays in a project that are automated among themselves. EchoBoy is a universal plug-in that has preset presets, from subtle effects to intrusive reflections.
3. Klanghelm MJUC
Various compressors for vocals are used in the work, and if you select some plugins with character, then Klanghelm MJUC will occupy one of the leading positions. Oddly enough, this compressor sounds very expensive. It is universal and suitable for most voices.
4. Waves MV2
Many mixes have a place where vocal parts require depth. Waves MV2 allows you to compress and filter frequencies. This effectively brings the voice to the forefront, making it clearer and louder.
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5. Avid Lo-Fi
Sometimes too transparent vocals do not fit into the mix, because the Lo-Fi filter, in a small amount, will correct this situation. If you want to make the effect of “radio”, then use this plugin with a saturator, adjusting and distorting the frequencies. In some styles, when the voice recording is not very high quality, you can use it as an “author” effect, making the sound more diverse and rich.
6. Lexicon Vintage Plate
We use a lot of reverb for different types of vocals. And most often Lexicon reverbs perform best. The Lexicon PCM Vintage Plate presets do not have a room that would not fit. All algorithms are developed and adjusted depending on the task and the strength of execution. As an alternative, take a look at Steven Slate products, in particular VerbSuite Classics.
7. Boz Digital Hoser XT
You can use several equalizers on vocals. FabFilter Pro-Q 2 is suitable for surgical tasks, and Waves Q10 for background games. But if you had to choose the one that is used most often, it will be the Boz Digital Hoser XT. This is an emulation of the old British analog equalizer, in the style of SSL and API. Its smooth bands will correct the vocals in order to sound good in the mix.
All of the above tools will allow you to do vocals mixing in any style, from top POP 40 to dirty Punk-Rock. Of course, new interesting plugins will come out over time, but this chain will make it possible to remove artifacts and proportionally put the voice into music.
