Everyone has run into the problem before, I'm sure. You're going along with your mix and getting great sounding drums and guitars when you realize your vocal just isn't sitting in the mix where you want it. You can hear them, they just aren't the focal point that you want them to be.
There are a couple of things you can do to address this. One of them is to address the mix. It is sometimes hard, or even impossible, to bring up the level of a track that is not as present as you would like. In these situations remember that you can adjust the levels around the track you want affected. If the vocals aren't loud enough and you can't raise the level anymore than it is already, lower the surrounding instruments.
Now that you have a general mix that sounds good, you may need more work done on the vocals to help them stand out just a bit more. Next I would automate the vocal track and/or instrument tracks to raise or lower throughout the song to make sure that the focal point is where it needs to be. If there is a vocal break, for instance, you want the focal point to shift to one of the instrument tracks that takes over the melody.
Once I've effectively set levels and automate, an EQ on the vocal track often helps to give the track that extra push in presence. I start off with a High Pass Filter (HPF) that cuts out the low frequencies that are often not present in your vocal track and just introduce room noise to your recording. I then look for frequencies that are doing more harm than good. There is usually a small range of frequencies that give off a very nasally tone that is not desirable in your mix. I usually use a narrow bandwidth to address these problem frequencies. By cutting in these areas you can bring focus to your vocal track.
To then bring the track out in your mix, find the range that the vocal sits in and give it a slight boost. This range varies greatly from person to person, so use your ears and sweep the frequencies to find the right place to boost This will give the track more presence in your mix. Our ears are designed to pick up the frequency range of the voice and so any boost in this range allows the vocal to cut through the mix better.
The last thing I do is put a High Shelf EQ on the upper range of frequencies above the sibilance. This gives the track an airy quality that gives it brightness and a shimmering tone that I find pleasing.
I have included down below a sample recording showcasing these techniques to bring out the vocal in this track. By making these cuts and boosts and bringing down the levels of certain instrument tracks I was able to effectively bring out the vocal.
What are some techniques you use for EQing your vocal tracks? Do you like to primarily cut when you EQ or boost? Share some of your techniques and experiences in the comments below.
This was (is?) a really good series of topics. I have already found them useful for recording vocals and have applied some of what you have already said. Just today I went a little more aggressive with a hi pass filter to get rid of some room noise. I had an abundance and finally had some luck using a gate on the vocal. Usually this sounds to unnatural for my tastes but it ended up working out in the end. I have never tried adding a hi self on a vocal, and I am going to play around with that today. Since I'm working on a female vocal, maybe just a little bit of a boost up there will help brighten her voice to sit more like how I imagined.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I find the low end roll-off always makes the vocals seem to "pop" out. Not everyone is happy when you tell them you're gutting the low end from their voice but when you hear the vocals with proper attenuation, it generally sounds better.
ReplyDeleteAnother trick I find useful is to find the frequencies that encompass the meat of the vocals and boost it a bit. I then carefully attenuate this range of frequencies from as many instruments as I can without diminishing their presence. This carves out a notch in the mix for the vocals to sit in.
How do you feel about setting the vocals as a key input for a ducking compressor on certain instruments? I know it sounds kinda hokey sometimes (and can screw things up a lot if done incorrectly) but as a last ditch effort, would you use this technique or do you think it has run its course in the recording industry?
Austin: I glad they have been helpful/useful. There is so much to say about vocals that the series of posts kind of got away from me. They are often times the focal point of a mix though, so I think it's an important topic. It's interesting that you got the gate to work well with your vocal track. I've never had much luck using a gate on vocals, it just doesn't sound right to me most of the time.
ReplyDeleteJordan: I totally agree with your comment on carving out a notch in the mix for the vocals to sit in. That is another technique I use on top of level automation of the other instrumentation. That is a good point to bring up. I, personally, don't ever key my vocals to a ducking compressor although I'm sure, if done with taste, it can sound just fine. I just try and make any changes I make to be as unnoticeable as possible. I should give that a try though and see if I can make it work for myself. Have you done that yourself?