Thank you. I’ve never recorded vocals before. I just made beats in Logic Pro X. This video is very helpful. Your teaching style, makes the information very applicable. Peace and blessings to you and your family!
Been doing this for a while but trying to use more stock plugins as they sound good and are very useful. That stereo delay treatment back into the reverb is just the thing that I’ve been looking for to really make the vocals stand out. Great video.
Old school engineer chiming in. Take it for what it is worth. 4 eq's? 3 compressors? First and foremost, know your mics. Set them up well NEVER record with any effects. Second, tighten your Q and yes, diminutive EQ as said in the "pre" eq. Get it correct. Compression depends on the material. Stop squashing it so much if you have a dynamic singer (imagine squashing Peter Gabriel so much that his songs turned to garbage). Effects. Try and see what your talent likes. Play with it. Most important. Learn to mix. If you are mixing vocals, don't listen to them. Listen to everything else around it to see where it should be placed. Want some amazing albums to learn recording and mixing? Hit me up. Less is more.
Hey! Thanks for your insights. I actually have a slightly different perspective as I have been an in the box mixer my whole career. I think to achieve the quality of sound that you can get with just a few pieces of great analog gear you actually need to use more plugins but have each plugin do less work. If you put too much of the processing burden on one plugin this is where things begin to sound unnatural to me. As always the singer and the song will rue the day but this more modern workflow can still yield musical pleasing results in my opinion. All that said this video is not meant to be a tutorial on how to mix vocals but a beginners guide to getting a good vocal chain set up for recording.
Thanks for this! Just switched from windows laptop with reaper to macbook m3 pro and Logic pro X. Big help for me, as an individual exploring in logic. Cool stuff! Subscribed!
I really like the tone of your voice ! Just a question 🤔: when I apply compression I usually have to lower the Make-up gain so the levels are matching with and without comp... So a bit surprised to see that you're increasing it ! Otherwise excellent video and tips when you're on Logic with the stock plugins only 👌
Thanks so much! I really appreciate it. The gain difference might be 2 things: one you could potentially have auto gain turned on or be using a compressor that has no way to turn it off, which would be automatically applying makeup gain based on the amount of gain reduction. Or sometimes certain attack and release settings on certain sources can make you perceive the compressed signal as louder. For example, a slow attack time and slow release time that allows the initial transient of a snare drum to come through uncompressed and changes its relationship to the sustain. This extra difference between initial transient and sustain makes us perceive the snare as louder lots of times, as our ears are biased toward the first loud thing we hear. However, generally speaking, setting up a compressor in the way I detail in this video will result in gain reduction in comparison to the uncompressed signal. It will just be a more even performance in terms of dynamics. Hope that makes sense!
Hi! Thanks for the good tips. I am somehow always confused when people talk about "gain". Do you use or automate the channel strip volume control, do you use the stock "gain" plugin, or do you use the instrument's (as in kontakt or EW Opus) volume control or CC11/expression, etc.? Is there a difference really? I just use what comes in handy at the time, but not sure if I am doing things the right way.
I typically will automate the volume fader. I tend to not worry so much about "gain staging" before mixing - as long as things are a reasonable volume and not clipping - and prefer to make my level adjustments with the fader. However there is not right or wrong way. Using the gain plugin/gain tool/instrument volume control are all great ways to change the amount of level going into the rest of your plugins if that is what you are after. The volume fader is last in the signal chain and that is where I am most concerned about level. There are some instances where I would want to manipulate the gain earlier in the signal chain though, like driving an analog style plugin to distortion level for effect. Hope that helps!
@@sangstersounds At 2.05...the window showing the frequencies. How did you open it? I've found other eq plugins (?) but not that one...total newbie question sorry 🤷
Hey sorry for the delay in response! That is the Channel EQ plugin and I have the analyzer feature (button in bottom left corner of the plugin window) turned on. Then I am just boosting and sweeping with one of the bell curve bands. Hope that helps!
Sorry Chris. It just seems like so many steps that make a vocal feel un natural to me. Take a listen to Jethro Tull's Aqualung, Ween, for the weird, Yes, for the mixes, Knower for the weird modern, Thank You Scientist for the extreme, Myles Davis Kinda Blue for a recording experience, as well as Tori Amos, pretty much anything. I have more. Respectfully, I digress. Maybe I'm just crazy. But do listen to Sam Cooke... Down by the river. May be to much rev, but the vocal is captured amazingly.
His beard adds extra sound treatment for his vocals😂
HAHA! Thats the real secret!
good one 😂😂😂
Looking for beard EQ plugin, will pay
😂😂😂😂
Thank you. I’ve never recorded vocals before. I just made beats in Logic Pro X. This video is very helpful. Your teaching style, makes the information very applicable. Peace and blessings to you and your family!
Great to hear! Thanks so much!
This video would have saved me so much $$$ in plugins. Thanks so much!
You are welcome! Don't worry I have also spent way too much on plugins haha
Great video! Really easy to follow with a sensible workflow. I'd love to see a video on your vocal tuning workflow. Thank you!
Thanks so much! That is a great idea. I will do a video in the future on vocal tuning. I use Melodyne mostly
Yea I’d like this video also on using Melodyne
Clear line..very good👍
Thanks so much!!
Excellent !
Thanks so much!
These tutorials are fantastic. Would love to see one on recording vocals
Thanks so much! Check out the channel there is one up on my full method for recording vocals!
Been doing this for a while but trying to use more stock plugins as they sound good and are very useful.
That stereo delay treatment back into the reverb is just the thing that I’ve been looking for to really make the vocals stand out.
Great video.
Awesome! Glad to help!
Thanks, Chris!
Gianni❤
you are welcome!
Loved this video, thank so much for making it. Learn so much
That's awesome! You are very welcome! Glad to help
I'm a beginner, you saved my mix
You’re welcome! So glad to help!
A complete start to finish of a production would be super! Meaning: from recording to finished production, or Grammy award, what ever comes first 😂
Haha! Great idea! Thanks
Old school engineer chiming in. Take it for what it is worth. 4 eq's? 3 compressors? First and foremost, know your mics. Set them up well NEVER record with any effects. Second, tighten your Q and yes, diminutive EQ as said in the "pre" eq. Get it correct. Compression depends on the material. Stop squashing it so much if you have a dynamic singer (imagine squashing Peter Gabriel so much that his songs turned to garbage). Effects. Try and see what your talent likes. Play with it. Most important. Learn to mix. If you are mixing vocals, don't listen to them. Listen to everything else around it to see where it should be placed. Want some amazing albums to learn recording and mixing? Hit me up. Less is more.
Hey! Thanks for your insights. I actually have a slightly different perspective as I have been an in the box mixer my whole career. I think to achieve the quality of sound that you can get with just a few pieces of great analog gear you actually need to use more plugins but have each plugin do less work. If you put too much of the processing burden on one plugin this is where things begin to sound unnatural to me. As always the singer and the song will rue the day but this more modern workflow can still yield musical pleasing results in my opinion. All that said this video is not meant to be a tutorial on how to mix vocals but a beginners guide to getting a good vocal chain set up for recording.
Really interesting approach and gave me a lot of new mixing ideas
Awesome! Glad to hear it!
Definitely do a vid on how you recorded with your sm7b and Apollo
Awesome! Will do. Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for this! Just switched from windows laptop with reaper to macbook m3 pro and Logic pro X. Big help for me, as an individual exploring in logic. Cool stuff! Subscribed!
Awesome! Glad to help!
just subbed you saved me 🔥
Thanks so much! Glad the video was helpful.
Thanks so much for this tutorial!
You are very welcome!
yes i will like to see a video of the process of recording
Check out my page! I have released a full recording video.
Love the video do you also have a video on how to mix and master the track as well
Thanks! I have some older videos on it but something new coming soon on for mixing and mastering!
@@sangstersounds oh perfect look forward to watching it
Very nice content, brother. I haven’t seen that Tape Delay trick yet and will give it a try on my next mix. Liked and subbed!
Thanks so much! Glad you liked the video! Definitely give the tape delay a try I use on almost every mix
Thanks man this helped a lot keep on rockin in the free world- WAVY
You're welcome! Glad to help!
Thank you so much, my singing voice is useless, but it sounds better when I followed your steps. New subscriber😀
Thanks for subscribing! Glad to help
Hey Chris, where would you place pitch correction in that chain? Liked and Subbed!
I would place pitch correction first in the chain before any other processing. Thanks!
@@sangstersounds Thank you good Sir! Oh, and thank you also for the great compression settings. Works like a charm!
@@CharlesGreggo Awesome! Glad to help!
@@sangstersounds perfect! I put it at 122 ms and a blended right in! Thanks again!
I really like the tone of your voice ! Just a question 🤔: when I apply compression I usually have to lower the Make-up gain so the levels are matching with and without comp... So a bit surprised to see that you're increasing it ! Otherwise excellent video and tips when you're on Logic with the stock plugins only 👌
Thanks so much! I really appreciate it. The gain difference might be 2 things: one you could potentially have auto gain turned on or be using a compressor that has no way to turn it off, which would be automatically applying makeup gain based on the amount of gain reduction. Or sometimes certain attack and release settings on certain sources can make you perceive the compressed signal as louder. For example, a slow attack time and slow release time that allows the initial transient of a snare drum to come through uncompressed and changes its relationship to the sustain. This extra difference between initial transient and sustain makes us perceive the snare as louder lots of times, as our ears are biased toward the first loud thing we hear. However, generally speaking, setting up a compressor in the way I detail in this video will result in gain reduction in comparison to the uncompressed signal. It will just be a more even performance in terms of dynamics. Hope that makes sense!
Dope
Thanks!
awesome video
Thanks so much!
Yea I’d like a vocal track done from the get go..to end product
Awesome! Thanks for the suggestion. I will try my best to make that happen!
Found this chanel yeah!
Glad to have you here!
Hi! Thanks for the good tips.
I am somehow always confused when people talk about "gain". Do you use or automate the channel strip volume control, do you use the stock "gain" plugin, or do you use the instrument's (as in kontakt or EW Opus) volume control or CC11/expression, etc.?
Is there a difference really?
I just use what comes in handy at the time, but not sure if I am doing things the right way.
I typically will automate the volume fader. I tend to not worry so much about "gain staging" before mixing - as long as things are a reasonable volume and not clipping - and prefer to make my level adjustments with the fader. However there is not right or wrong way. Using the gain plugin/gain tool/instrument volume control are all great ways to change the amount of level going into the rest of your plugins if that is what you are after. The volume fader is last in the signal chain and that is where I am most concerned about level. There are some instances where I would want to manipulate the gain earlier in the signal chain though, like driving an analog style plugin to distortion level for effect. Hope that helps!
Thanks a lot. I was somehow reluctant to use the fader. Don't know why 😮
Yessssss bro
Thanks dude! You are a master at this now though!
Where can i download the song?^8{ #greattutorial^8{
Thanks! You can stream it anywhere or download here on bandcamp. Cheers! sangstersounds.bandcamp.com/track/freeway
What was that you used to get the frequencies up? Been on logic just a week and found thag by chance but been clicking everything today and no luck 🤷
Sorry, which part of the video are you referencing?
@@sangstersounds At 2.05...the window showing the frequencies. How did you open it?
I've found other eq plugins (?) but not that one...total newbie question sorry 🤷
Hey sorry for the delay in response! That is the Channel EQ plugin and I have the analyzer feature (button in bottom left corner of the plugin window) turned on. Then I am just boosting and sweeping with one of the bell curve bands. Hope that helps!
I think the "ensemble" plugin is better than the "chorus" plugin. just my opinion 😀
They are both great! I use them for slightly different purposes but I like them both when needed on vocals.
Where would you add in the auto tune?
Great question. First plugin in the chain before everything else.
Sorry Chris. It just seems like so many steps that make a vocal feel un natural to me. Take a listen to Jethro Tull's Aqualung, Ween, for the weird, Yes, for the mixes, Knower for the weird modern, Thank You Scientist for the extreme, Myles Davis Kinda Blue for a recording experience, as well as Tori Amos, pretty much anything. I have more. Respectfully, I digress. Maybe I'm just crazy. But do listen to Sam Cooke... Down by the river. May be to much rev, but the vocal is captured amazingly.
admit it.. you mostly made the video as a way of getting people's opinion on your song :-) :-)
Haha not at all! My goal with my videos is to help you make better music! I just use my music as an example because I own the rights to my songs lol