How to Make Clear Vocals in 10 Steps
- Monitor Levels with KSHMR Chain
- Emphasize Clarity with Shade EQ
- Reduce Masking with Gullfoss EQ
- Reduce Resonances with Soothe 2
- De-ess to Control Highs
- Bring Forward with Compression
- Saturate Clarifying Frequencies
- Add Air to the Vocal
- Introduce High Hz. Delay
- Reverberate Clarifying Highs
Monitor Levels with KSHMR Chain
For this video, I’m going to use this KSHMR Chain by Excite Audio since it makes it easier to A B my processing. Additionally, it shows me the level change in RMS for each plugin, so I get a better idea of how I need to compensate for gain changes.
As you can see I’m going to use various equalizers, compressors, 1 saturator, and then end the chain with some temporal effects - so keep this order in mind when creating your chain.
Let’s start by listening to the full before and after to understand how the vocal sounds originally, and what it’ll sound like when clarified by these processors.
Emphasize Clarity with Shade EQ
I’ll start my chain with this Shade EQ by UVI since it lets me create more complex dynamic bands. I’ve cut out my plosives as much as possible with this high-pass filter, and then created 2 bands - one on 250Hz and one around 3.25kHz.
You’ll notice I’ve created 2 followers - the first uses 3.25kHz as the trigger; I’ve linked this to the gain of my 250Hz band, meaning whenever 3.25kHz crosses my threshold, 250Hz will be attenuated.
This reduces the masking effect that 250Hz has on higher, clarifying frequencies.
Conversely, I’m using 250Hz as the trigger for my second follower and linked it to the gain of my 3.25kHz band - making it so that whenever 250Hz is present, 3.25kHz is amplified.
This further clarifies the vocal. Let’s listen to the effect, and keep in mind that if you don’t have this EQ, you could use static attenuation of 250Hz, and amplification of 3.25kHz instead.
Reduce Masking with Gullfoss EQ
Next, I introduced the Gullfoss EQ, since it can dynamically amplify and attenuate bands in a way I couldn’t accomplish with a regular EQ. I’ve omitted processing below 200Hz since I don’t want to affect the lows I cut last chapter - then I subtly increased the recover and tame functions.
Recover will reduce masking, making hidden details of the vocal cut through, whereas tame reduces shrill or unwanted highs.
Let’s listen and notice how the vocal sounds clearer.
Reduce Resonances with Soothe 2
With Soothe 2, I’ll dynamically attenuate resonances that reduce clarity and cause the vocal to sound unbalanced. Using the pre-emphasis EQ, I’ve amplified more of the lows and mids into the processor to focus more on attenuating aspects that make the vocal sound cluttered and muddy.
I lowered the mix a little to avoid too much attenuation, and also de-essed slightly by emphasizing sibilance frequencies.
Let’s listen to how reducing resonances make the overall vocal sound balanced.
De-ess to Control Highs
Although high frequencies are crucial to achieving vocal clarity, we don’t want aggressive highs that sound shrill or make the vocal unbalanced. I’ll use a de-esser to attenuate sibilance moderately - starting with this high-shelf filter, before honing in on the most problematic frequency range with a bell filter.
Let’s listen and notice that the highs sound slightly more pleasant and that the vocal still has a good deal of clarity despite this attenuation.
Bring Forward with Compression
Balancing dynamics and bringing up quieter parts of the vocal is crucial to creating clarity - with this compressor I used the vocal algorithm and more importantly introduced lookahead combined with automatic make-up gain. This ensures the entirety of the vocal is captured, controlled, then amplified.
When observing the KSHMR chain, I noticed that this compressor increased the RMS level, so I compensated for that with the Wet gain and the output.
Let’s listen to how bringing details forward with compression helps clarify the vocal.
Saturate Clarifying Frequencies
With this PSP Saturator, I used the frequency-specific function to target my clarifying frequencies, saturator them, and amplify them slightly - this greatly increased my vocals clarity. Over 250Hz, I saturated them to thicken them but then compensated by lowering the level, before blending in the overall amount of saturation.
Also, notice that I pushed my signal into saturation by increasing the input, before compensating with a lowered output.
Let’s listen and notice how saturation, especially on high frequencies, has a big impact on vocal clarity.
Add Air to Vocal
This free plugin lets me quickly add some air frequencies to the vocal - both in the high mids and in the highest frequencies, roughly 12kHz and above. As we de-essed earlier, I can amplify these clarifying frequencies without worrying too much about creating a harsh sound.
Additionally, I saw that this processor increased the RMS level, so I used the output trim to compensate. Let’s take a listen to the effect this plugin has.
Introduce High Hz. Delay
With my dynamics and frequency response controlled, as well as my harmonics added via saturation, I’m going to turn my attention to temporal effects like delay and reverb. Starting with delay, I’ll introduce shorter taps and isolate them to clarifying frequencies, or my high mids.
I increased ducking as well, which means that the delay taps are attenuated whenever the vocal’s transient is present, letting it cut through first before the delay follows.
By quickly delaying higher frequencies, and ensuring the transient cuts through, I thicken and clarify the vocal, while making it more stylistic and interesting.
Let’s take a listen.
Reverberate Clarifying Highs
Last up, I’m going to introduce reverb - in particular, medium-length plate reverb that accentuates high frequencies with a small pre-delay to help the dry vocal cut through first. Although I liked the emphasized highs, I found the vocal was being made a little too thin.
That said, I also amplified the lows slightly to find a better balance.
Let’s listen to this final step, and notice how the vocal sounds polished, and clear, and has temporal effects that both add character and increase overall clarity.
Ready to make your mixes sound 10 times better, 10 times faster...
You're literally one step away from 10 times better sound.
The best part is... it's risk-free, if we can't make your mixes sound 10 times better, you don't pay for it.
START NOWREAD OUR REVIEWS
Review by Joel S.
If you're looking for great mastering, Sage is where you need to be. I've been working with Sage for years - they do an amazing job and are really easy to work with.
They actually care about your project and want it to sound its best just as much as you do. I'm always excited to get a song or project back from mastering. I've tried many mastering companies, and Sage is by far the best.
If you're serious about your music, it's worth checking them out; you won't be disappointed - they make your mixes sound balanced and professional.
They also offer mixing feedback to help improve your mixes and mixing and mastering education courses to help improve your sound. Shout out to Sage Audio! you can't go wrong - like I said, if you're serious about your music, this is your studio.
Review by April K.
I've been getting my masters done by Sage Audio for the past 4 years now, and I've tried multiple places in my 15 years in the music business. Sage Audio is the only one that has given me the quality I love!
Their mastering membership is an excellent deal for anyone looking for professional mastering and full customer service. Also, I never had an issue with submitting new mix versions for remastering or asking for too many revisions - they have always been very respectful about remastering new mixes and making any adjustments I wanted. I'm staying with Sage, no need to look further! Best masters out there!
Review by Justin G.
Sage Audio is by far the best audio engineering company I've found. I've been with them for 8 years, and it's clear that they set the bar high in regard to mastering services. Their online platform makes it easy to upload tracks and communicate directly with your own dedicated mastering engineer, and their customer service is excellent.
Overall, the sound achieved by Sage Audio engineers is awesome. Their mastering brings out the best in each track - improving clarity, depth, and impact - and they focus on crafting personalized masters that are specific to your needs.
Another thing that sets Sage Audio apart from other mastering services is that the mastering is actually done with your dedicated mastering engineer and not some sort of AI software, and you get full customer service and feedback on your mixes too.
Their commitment to delivering top-tier mastering while maintaining consistent communication shows how much they care about their clients' music. For anyone looking for a personalized online mastering that combines top-level quality with excellent customer service, look no further than Sage Audio.
Review by James T.
The engineers at Sage Audio could not have made my first commercial audio experience any better! Every time I emailed to get a question answered, I worked with the same person consistently.
They know what they are doing; after listening to my masters on numerous systems, I heard my music in a whole new light. My bass and kick were tighter, not muddy, and hit with the "grit" that I intended. My mids and highs were clear, vibrant, and presented well on all stereos and devices.
I could have never achieved this level of quality without their diligent minds and professional know-how! If you are looking to get your project up to a commercial level while meeting a budget, Sage Audio is the place to go!
Review by Rebecca D.
Sage Audio is by far the best mastering service! They are the most professional, kind, and loyal people. Every song they mastered was spot on!
For artists looking to have their music mastered, they have an awesome and affordable mastering membership and are dedicated to making every mix sound like a professional master. Thank you, Sage Audio, for transforming my music!
Review by Daniel S.
The last ten years of my audio mixing career have been plagued by frustration, self-doubt, and compulsive shopping for magic game-changing plugins that can fix my poor mixes... guess what... it was all wasted time and money; I was shooting in the dark.
Until now.
I had heard about Sage Audio a long time ago, but at that time, their pricing seemed too expensive - how wrong I was.
Firstly, there is no substitute for hard work; you must do your part; what this service gave me was perspective - what's different about this master from my own? why? what am I missing? how can I improve my final mixdown in order to get the best possible master?
The included courses are really useful and well explained, but to me, the real power is the community of engineers offering their feedback; there's nothing like a second set of ears, or a lot of sets of ears! Getting other engineers' advice is priceless, and fixing common problems suddenly became very simple.
The best part is that I have made a bunch of mixes on my own now and am starting to get incredibly good responses - my confidence is up, with no additional plugins, no new DAW, not even new monitors.
I've been a Sage Audio member for about 9 months now, and all services are excellent. The 1-on-1 mixing feedback is incredibly helpful, and the professional community is way more active than I could have imagined. I'll be here for the long haul. So, if you're ready to take your music to the next level and change a lot of misconceptions, this is your place!
Review by Thomas E.
I am a musician and songwriter with decent recording skills, but I could never get my final mixes mastered to where the EQ, volume, and clarity sounded good on all playback systems without distortion.
I did extensive research on mastering and tried expensive studio headphones, but I never quite "mastered" mastering. It was very frustrating and took way too much time away from my music.
Then I found Sage Audio, and it sounded like just the service I needed at a reasonable price, so I joined their membership.
It was a game-changing decision. They always respond quickly and are focused on pleasing their customers. They mastered several of my songs, and they all came out perfect.
One of them took three takes because I had to change some levels and panning, but each time, they said, "No problem, we want you to be 100% happy with the final master."
They even asked for ways to improve their service, and they have a unique service where you can upload your mixes and receive feedback directly from them for improvement. I also found in the community, there are great musicians, singers, and songwriters to collaborate with for future projects.
In summary, Sage Audio has saved me a lot of time and provided great masters for my songs, way better than I could have ever done! I give them my highest recommendation.
Review by Frank B.
I've been using Sage Audio for a while now and have been very pleased with their professionalism and quality of work!
I'm NOT new to the audio production world and have been mixing and self-mastering for over a decade. I've used Grammy-winning mastering engineers as well as online AI-driven mastering services, so I know the full range of mastering services available to artists and their producers.
What sets Sage apart, IMO, and, in my experience, is that they are very customer-centric and will do almost anything to make the customer happy with their work. An example is a recent master I wasn't 100% happy with because it was too compressed for Classical material. They jumped right on it, giving me another more gently compressed master, which I'm delighted with. This was a NO EXTRA CHARGE. I know from experience that this isn't the norm in this industry, where egos prevail.
An example of Sage's superior work is when a client I'm working with wanted proof that it was better than a well-known, low-cost AI-driven mastering service. While my instructions to both Sage and the online service were close, only Sage had a human to interpret some of the instructions. As a result, the Sage master was considerably LOUDER and had more HEADROOM to boot. You can't ask for much more for a Pop song.
In summary, I'd recommend Sage to anyone looking for professional mastering for their upcoming release.
Give them a shot. I'm sure you'll be pleased.
Review by Dan Y.
Sage Audio has been a lifesaver for me. Mastering was my weakest point, and I only wish I could've found them sooner. I have used their services for the last 6 months and have also recommended them to several of my musician friends. Every track I send comes back sounding brilliant.
I once experimented by mastering one of my songs by myself, by another leading mastering studio, and also by Sage Audio. Sage's master was hands-down the best: clear, loud, yet dynamic, and the overall sound was smooth. I can say with 100% confidence Sage Audio is the best mastering service around.
It's also a pleasure connecting with their team on a personal level; they are very attentive to details and respond fast.
Review by Irene F.
I found Sage Audio when I was searching for a company that could master my original songs. My initial email was responded to in less than ten minutes. I explained my situation, then created an account and uploaded my mix for mastering.
I let my engineer know what was bothering me in the song and what I would like it to sound like. In a short time, he sent me a notification email to download the master and asked if it was to my liking.
On first listen, it blew me away, as it contained everything I had asked for, and the sound was vibrant, clear, and, quite frankly, perfect. I've been with Sage Audio ever since - they're so easy to work with, friendly, eager to help, and highly professional. I would recommend them to anyone.
Review by Aaron C.
I first used Sage audio 3 years ago to get an album mastered. I hadn't used an outside service for mastering before, so I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I had learned a lot from the Sage Audio YouTube channel and liked the clear, concise way the videos explained various audio principles, so I felt comfortable using their services.
Not only did the masters sound amazing (dynamic, but still as loud as I wanted), but the engineer answered all of my questions and responded to my emails almost immediately.
To add to that, considering all the services you get with the membership is an incredible deal - it Includes mastering, mixing feedback, courses, and community. It's everything you need, and their customer service is top-notch.
As good as their YouTube videos are, I knew this would be a fantastic resource; as a college professor myself, I recognize excellent instruction, and Sage has a knack for breaking down complex processes and demonstrating how plugins work in concise bursts that never overwhelm the learner.
More importantly, you will come to understand when to use the tools in your arsenal and why to do so. You, thus, are learning how to ask better questions of the mastering engineers that you have access to through your membership, and ultimately, you are being empowered to become an engineer yourself!
Review by John G.
I started using Sage Audio to master my songs about three to four years ago - I wish I had found them earlier. Their mastering makes my mixes sound like professional songs, and they're a delight to work with.
Also, they have a very active community of musicians, producers, and engineers, along with mixing and mastering courses - which have provided me with so much useful information. On top of that, the mixing feedback is excellent, and they continually provide thoughtful suggestions, which I've found invaluable for improving my mixes. It's worth checking them out - you will not be disappointed.
Review by Brandon T.
I had Sage Audio master my last 3 albums, and I plan to use them for my next release too. They do an exceptional job of creating balance and clarity for each project, and they are so friendly and helpful when it comes to answering questions and offering suggestions.
Their experience is invaluable, and they have truly insightful feedback when it comes to mixing and mastering. I have tried other companies in the past and came back to Sage to get that professionally polished sound every time.
Review by Ben V.
A few months ago, a friend of mine recommended I try Sage Audio for my final master's. Being a mix engineer myself, I was hesitant at first due to the fact that in the past, when using online mastering, I found that no engineer would care for the track as much as I would.
Knowing the basic rule that you always want to have another set of ears to master anything you've mixed, I realized I had hit a plateau in how far I could take my final master. To my surprise, Sage and the team took my master's to a level I could not reach, both dynamically and sonically.
I'm a full-time artist who is constantly recording, releasing, and traveling. The burden that the Sage team has taken off my shoulders by being a trustworthy mastering service is tremendous.
They have provided me with quick turnarounds while out of the country to meet deadlines for releases and are understanding & receptive when I request changes after hearing a master, even going as far as to follow up with me, confirming that I am 100% happy with the final master, quoting, "I'm not happy unless you're happy."
Another benefit to Sage Audio is their library of mixing and mastering tutorials. Any good sound engineer knows that there are a million ways to reach a rich, dynamic final mix or mastering and that you're never done learning how to engineer. Sage's courses offer a great refresher on fundamentals and a clear understanding of complex techniques to help push you as an engineer.
Cheers Sage, thanks for the excellent service!
Review by Charlie E.
My writing partner and I have recorded and mixed 2 albums and a few singles, the first 2 albums we did were mastered by a different company. The masters were ok, but from that experience, we developed a better and more critical understanding of the mastering process.
Upon preparing to have our 3th album mastered, we did some research and exploration for other mastering options and found Sage Audio - which is where we had our latest album mastered.
We were both very much impressed with the work, the communication, and the willingness to create the exact sound we wanted for the album. We definitely heard a difference in the mastering - Sage Audio masters are clean, clear, and professional.
On top of that, we really enjoyed receiving mixing feedback, which was really helpful for making adjustments to bring the most out of our mixes before sending for mastering. For anyone seeking true audio professionals, I recommend Sage Audio!
Review by Sam V.
Sage Audio mastering engineers are the best I've ever worked with! I've been an Artist, Songwriter & Producer for over 12 years, and believe me, over the years, I've worked with several studios and countless engineers. But since I connected with Sage Audio, those days are over. I took a chance on something new - sent my first mix to see how it would go, and they didn't waste any time lol, they responded the very next day, and the master I got back far exceeded my expectations.
The level of quality and attention to detail was impressive. It was everything & more than what I hoped for, and now I will never trust my mixes in any other hands. They've quickly become my number 1 go-to-guys for mastering, hands down.
Not to mention, they also give you in-depth mixing feedback to help you improve your mixes before sending them for mastering. You can't go wrong with Sage Audio. These guys definitely deserve all the credit in the world. I would strongly recommend them to anyone out there looking for solid professionals to polish your mix. I can personally promise you, Sage Audio will deliver every time!
Review by Ryan B.
I've been using Sage Audio for mastering my tracks over the past year and a half, and they've been great on every front.
If I need a track mastered within a week, they usually get back to me with a high-quality finished master within a few days, and the cost is negligible compared to what some other studios are charging.
They also have an active community, and their mixing feedback option is super helpful; their suggestions are specific, revealing, and accurate.
I highly recommend them if you're a musician, producer, or mixing engineer who needs that last bit of polish before you release. They're worth every penny.
LISTEN TO OUR SAMPLES
Ready to make your mixes sound 10 times better, 10 times faster...
The best part is... it's risk-free, if we can't make your mixes sound 10 times better, you don't pay for it.
HERE'S WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR SAGE AUDIO MEMBERSHIP
- One-on-One Mixing Feedback
Private 1-on-1 mixing feedback directly from us
- Mastering Service
Custom mastering service tailored to your specific sound
- Mixing Course
Access to our 23-video structured step-by-step mixing course, including walkthrough sessions for 8 genres, featuring mixing chains with free and paid plugins — Multitracks for mixing practice are included
- Mastering Course
Access to our 19-video structured step-by-step mastering course, including walkthrough sessions for 8 genres, featuring mixing chains with free and paid plugins — Unmastered mixes for mastering practice are included
- Community
Access to the thriving Sage Audio community for discussions and networking
- Cancel Anytime
No commitments
- Risk-Free Money-Back Guarantee
If we can't make your mixes sound 10 times better, you don't pay for it, so it's risk-free
What's the Endgame?... You have mixes that sound 10 times better — songs you're proud of that make people say "Wow."
We guarantee 10 times better sound, or you don't pay for it, so it's risk-free. Members get 1-on-1 mixing feedback, mastering service, courses & access to our thriving community. That’s about it.
If you want to transform your mixes from a source of pain and struggle to a source of pleasure and fulfillment, JOIN NOW. The struggle stops now. START NOW
