Clean Vocal Chain OverviewPhase Alignment FirstCorrective Subtractive EQClean Vocal CompressionClean Vocal Compression With Free AlternativeDisharmonious Transient De-emphasisHigh-Frequency Vocal CompressionCleanest Possible Vocal SaturationFree Alternative Clean SaturationMid-Frequency Gate and Upward CompressNatural <1000Hz. Attenuation on BusNatural Studio Room ReflectionsHigh Vocal Range DelayAdditive EQ to Important Ranges
Get a FREE Mastered Sample of Your Song ➜ Make No Change Greater Than 1dB For this video, the tips will be in no particular order - we’ll cover various concepts and explain when a tip would work well, but be sure to use your best judgment when introducing some of these ideas to your mastering chain.
Get a FREE Mastered Sample of Your Song ➜ Overall Strategy for the Chain For this chain, I want to get it to a loud LUFS but retain a clean sound - or in others words, one without significant distortion, pumping, aliasing, artifacts, or anything that doesn’t augment the quality of the track.
Phase Align Before ProcessingAvoid EQ Matching, Reference InsteadAvoid True-Peak LimitingUse a Clipper Before LimitingUse 2 Compressors in SeriesAvoid Master Bus CompressionMake Lows Mono with EQ
Get a FREE Mastered Sample of Your Song ➜ LALA First is LALA by Analog Obsession, a clone of the LA2A optical compressor - it’s great for creating a smooth and full sounding vocal. To the left is an internal side chain, which can be switched to external, to the right is the output gain, peak reduction level, and wet/dry.
GateEQSootheDe-essCompressExciteGullfoss Get a FREE Mastered Sample of Your Song ➜ 1. Gate With this gate I’ll subtly attenuate the vocal whenever it falls below the threshold - with a softer knee, only a little lookahead, and a range of only about 3dB, I increase the dynamic range and reduce background noise.
Mid-Side EqualizationSplit EQ and PanningMid-Side Resonance ReductionBringing Up DetailsExciting High FrequenciesMid-Frequency Upward BusOmnipressor on OutputHard Clipping to TransientsLimiting Stage 1Limiting Stage 2
Starting with Mid-Side EQVery Subtle Resonance ReductionMaximization to Fill MixSplitEQ to Center LowsProgram-Dependent SaturationFresh Air to Brighten MixHigh-Frequency BusGullfoss EQ ShapingHard Clipping for Transients2 Limiting Stages
Subtractive EQ on MasterReducing Resonances on Side ImageMild Compression on Mid ImageAmplifying Transients and ToneSimultaneous Compression and Expansion3D Effect with SaturationSide Transient BusSubtle Gullfoss EQ2 Limiting StagesMild Hard Clipping
Free Channev De-esserWeiss De-esserFree Channev EqualizerEventide SplitEQFree Channev CompressorFabFilter Pro-C2Free Voxengo Tube AmpArturia Dist Tube CultureFree Stone Voices DReverbEventide SP2016 Reverb
The FabFilter-MB plugin is complex at first, but the tools it offers are incredibly useful and versatile. With ti we can perform 4 types of dynamics processing, as well as introduce equalization, mid-side stereo imaging, and advanced frequency-specific and image-specific external side-chain processing.
Free MEqualizerSplitEQ by EventideFree GSatPlus from TBProAudioFabFilter Saturn 2Free COMPER by Analog ObsessionPresswork by U-heFree Limiter No.6Sonnox Oxford LimiterFreeClip by Venn AudioNewFangled Audio’s Saturate
When mixing with impulse responses, you’ll need the impulse response file, and a convolution reverb or space designer plugin. The most popular way to mix with impulse responses is to reverberate a signal, but they can also be used for equalization, emulation, and occasionally delay.
Digital distortion types are typically the result of bit depth and sampling rate limitations - when these are reduced, it results in aliasing, clipping, waveshaping, and more types of familiar distortion. To avoid these, we can increase the sampling rate via oversampling and bit-depth by recording at least 16 bits.
Masterdesk Classic - BrainworxEQ302 Graphic Equalizer - Red Rock AudioBASSTard - Acustica AudioArctic - Acustica AudioDistortion - KiloheartsPREDD - Analog ObsessionOAQ - Analog ObsessionCorrelometer - VoxengoInitial Clipper - Initial AudioAir Shelf - Bertom Audio
