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How do you go about using vocals?

So you've got an accapella, how do you guys go about implimenting in to your track?

That depends on the track and the acapella. Just generally speaking, though, I put the vocal source track through some compression and run an auxiliary bus with additional vocal processing to make sure it cuts through the mix. I like to look at Blue Cat's Frequency Analyzer to see which frequencies are most present or lacking and make adjustments to the EQ, as necessary.

I'm working with a spoken word piece, right now, which contains dialogue from two different individuals recorded at different levels and am putting excerpts of that dialogue through time-based processing spread out on six different tracks. As soon I get the clips placed where I want them, I'm planning on bussing all the tracks for additional compression and EQ.

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Originally posted by EddieZilker That depends on the track and the acapella. Just generally speaking, though, I put the vocal source track through some compression and run an auxiliary bus with additional vocal processing to make sure it cuts through the mix. I like to look at Blue Cat's Frequency Analyzer to see which frequencies are most present or lacking and make adjustments to the EQ, as necessary. I'm working with a spoken word piece, right now, which contains dialogue from two different individuals recorded at different levels and am putting excerpts of that dialogue through time-based processing spread out on six different tracks. As soon I get the clips placed where I want them, I'm planning on bussing all the tracks for additional compression and EQ.

When you are altering vocals timing, how do you compensate for changes in pitch? Do you simply match your track to that new pict or do you use key altering software?

I've never really worked with vocals much before, aside from a few vocal hits or stabs.

Time stretching and key fixing tips much appreciated.

yeah i agree with the above statement i've also found selecting the right vocal for the mix makes life more simple plus once i have found the vocal i want i will send it over to wavosour editor for post production http://www.wavosaur.com/

I only use accapellas if have have the according progression as well.
or i have session singers on my own tracks
I seldom have an accapella without being aware of the original track, or without a progression.

vocal processing is a totally different topic again.

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Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 When you are altering vocals timing, how do you compensate for changes in pitch? Do you simply match your track to that new pict or do you use key altering software? I've never really worked with vocals much before, aside from a few vocal hits or stabs. Time stretching and key fixing tips much appreciated.

if you have a dry vocal, melodyne can pretty much change pitch non destructively. Of course why not just transpose your track unless it really messes with the bass.

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Originally posted by Mad for Brad if you have a dry vocal, melodyne can pretty much change pitch non destructively. Of course why not just transpose your track unless it really messes with the bass.

Well I don't use vocal but wouldn't mind trying my hand at it.

I though transposing the track is easiest.

I assume messing with vocal placement so it lands where you want it to in relation to the timing of the rest of track is just trial and error?

I remember reading that for bpm changes BT does about three takes, one at like normal speed, one at the new track speed and one at somewhere in between, but I didn't understand this.

Any clues?

What are the golden rules for vocal work?

Re: How do you go about using vocals?

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Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 So you've got an accapella, how do you guys go about implimenting in to your track?

Get the tempo right, otherwise you are pretty fucked. Find the tempo of the original track, and use that to timestretch the vocals to the tempo of your track.

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Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 What are the golden rules for vocal work?

have a good singer.

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Originally posted by Mad for Brad have a good singer.

lol.

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Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 lol.

It wasn't a joke. If there is any "golden rule" when it comes to vocals, that is it.

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Originally posted by cryophonik It wasn't a joke. If there is any "golden rule" when it comes to vocals, that is it.

The rule I was told was "Garbage in, garbage out" - GIGO. There really isn't much you can do with a bad vocal recording to make it sound better and burying blemishes usually means drowning out the parts which would have made it work, too.

there isn't much you can change regarding a vocalist. Sure you can adjust a few bum notes but tone and phrasing is just something you need at the source. No preamp or microphone will really fix this.

i always thought that acapellas get on well with nearly all chord progression but that isn't true so i only use them for remixes or if i make a track for that specific acapella.

The process in my case is this:

-Chop it
-Fit to tempo the parts
-Align to beats

Now separate the vocal parts in different channels.

-EQ, remove 20-200hz, female voice doesn't go that low so i remove it to make more room, but look at the equalizer and see if there is a lot of worthy sound here or not, for chorus sometimes there is.

-Apply effects, usually reverb and stereo delay, but sometimes a gater if vocals are horrible and it's better to juggle with them.

-Izotope Ozone mastering, there is a preset for vocals , i use it, some general improvement, watch out the levels because you may need to reduce them at this point.

I record my own vocals.

Good vocal in the first place is most important but I don't fully agree with the GIGO thing as I've been part of projects where the singer was badly off and not exciting at all, and we still managed to get a decent result.

Another point in case is Eric J's recent mix of Not Over Yet. I heard that new vocal (sorry Stephen) in the remix pack and felt so uninspired and detested the vocal so much (compared to the original) I didn't even open logic to attempt the remix. Eric managed to get the vocal to work through effects and sit really nicely in the track. Was my limitation that stopped me from making something out of it, but it sometimes take a a bit of vision and some perseverance. Having said all this you'll never get a great result from a bad vocal.

In logic, between flex time, pitch & time, and the pitch shift options, everything you need is all in the program to conform just about any vocal (at least on a technical basis) to a given track. Whether it works artistically is another matter.

she was rather ghastly. She had this muddy mid range Cher quality that just sounded awful. And her diction just sounded weird. Not to mention the track didn't have that arpeggio that really makes the track what it is.

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Originally posted by Mad for Brad she was rather ghastly. She had this muddy mid range Cher quality that just sounded awful. And her diction just sounded weird. Not to mention the track didn't have that arpeggio that really makes the track what it is.

I know - it was her diction/enunciation that really killed it for me, but still Eric managed to get something from it.

On the subject of chopping, I think that this is still one of my faves...

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Originally posted by DJ RANN Good vocal in the first place is most important but I don't fully agree with the GIGO thing as I've been part of projects where the singer was badly off and not exciting at all, and we still managed to get a decent result. Another point in case is Eric J's recent mix of Not Over Yet. I heard that new vocal (sorry Stephen) in the remix pack and felt so uninspired and detested the vocal so much (compared to the original) I didn't even open logic to attempt the remix. Eric managed to get the vocal to work through effects and sit really nicely in the track. Was my limitation that stopped me from making something out of it, but it sometimes take a a bit of vision and some perseverance. Having said all this you'll never get a great result from a bad vocal.

To be honest, I was basing my GIGO assertion on my experience with my first venture into remixing for a competition, a long time ago. Between the contemptibly emo male vocalists ventures into the key of D+#, periodically tuned to A420, and my own atrophic over-production. It was so bad, at one point, that I gave up on "fixing" the vocals and routed them to a vocoder.

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