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how are these hard attack vocals created...???
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dforce
dear all,

in many trance productions you can hear vocals which seem to have a very hard attack and at the same time they sound very close, neraly intimate, as if the singer is standing _very_ close to the microphone.

Here is a sound example

i've tried to create this type of vocals by using a compressor with a compression of 8:1 up to 12:1 and very short values for attack and delay. on another try, i first used the compressor, than addad a brickwall limiter, put some reverb on it and used a gate as the last element, but it sounded still different.

especially during the words "when we just come from different circumstances" it sounds extremely powerful and direct - is there a special technique used to create this kind of vocal sound?
MadThijs
In future I have to mix a vocal in my track and it woll be recorded by someone else. This indeed sounds like compression and close miking. The producers of that track also treid to blend the vocal with the backgrounfsynths. That's also important.
DJ Chrono
is this a form of compression? or does it have to do with the way the vocals were preformed and recorded..

this is from blank and jones right?
MadThijs
quote:
Originally posted by DJ Chrono
is this a form of compression? or does it have to do with the way the vocals were preformed and recorded..

this is from blank and jones right?

Both. I'd say it's compression because it's leveled, no soft passage in the vocal. And you can add compression later after recording.
Limit
I have a feeling that it may have been passed through more than one compressor at the same time which can add a certain special element to a vocal, for example (not trance by the way) Stevie Nix(I think I spelled it right) had, I think 3 or 4 compressors going at one time to give her that special raspy a vboice that she's known for. Also take into account that if that was Blank and Jones who recorded that song...they would have used a extremely expensive mic that probably sounds amazing...so one difference between you and that track is the mic...the next difference is that maybe you don't know much about compression or know how to do it properly(not trying to piss u off by the way)..oh and I just re-read you post...what the hell are you doing putting a gate at the end of the chain? that would reduce the amount of release time of the reverb and make it sound all weird and cut off(unless you want that)...there are so many things you can do with vocals...remeber these things before all

1)get the right mic for what sound you want, or go to a pro srudio.(very important)

2)Singer should be no more than 6-8 inches away from the mic

3) if you are having problems with sibelince or plosives, try getting the vocalist to slurr the words(example Please can be replaced with Phlease or something of that nature.

4)always use your pop sheild especially for #3

5)try passing the vocalist through a compressor(s) live and record that, so you don't have to bring up any unwanted garbage when compressing l8r.

6)EQ,EQ,EQ

7)record your vocals in mono

8)try sidechaining your vocals to whatever you want them to overtake..so that they will reduce the volume of whatever sound is being played when the vocals are present...then record the vocals that way but don't record the sidechained source..(kind of confusing, sorry) basically record your vocals that are being sidchined and when your done just put them back ontop of the original source that was used for sidechaining. so now your vocals will pullthrough without the background source being reduced in volume.
Freak
a)good recording to tape in the first place
b) good mic (no way is that an sm58 or clone)
c) singer has a good mic technique ( and she IS close to the mic- )
d) compression
e) de-essing (could do with a little more truth be told)
f) knowing how to place vocals in the mix
g) knowing how to eq vocals and the surrounding parts to create space for it.
h) using slight delays and backed off to create the impression of space, while leaving the main vocal very upfront.

this is stuff you just cant learn clicking a ing mouse on soft synths- comes from time spent in real studios with real people working with real sound.
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