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Take a look at your vocal file, play it at the loudest part. Make note of the dB level...now, play it at one of the lower areas of audio within the vocal...again, make a note of the dB level. Lets say the peak is -3dB, and the lowest point is about -10dB...the amount you want to compress will probably be about 7dB (usually represented by your gain reduction meter) more or less. So with that in mind, adjust the threshold until the gain reduction reader shows that your are compressing about "7dB" at the loudest point, and you should be in the ball park of where you wanna be, of course that depends how hard you wanna compress.
After that, your signal will be weaker. This is where the Gain knob comes into play. Adjust the gain to the level you desire.
when recording track(s), do i need to overdub the whole entire song? or just some words?
if not, then how do i get my track with the verse to sound more blended? i tried alot
like dynamic processor, increasing echo and revered, and if i do eq the track, later in the process of mix and master, it will sound a bit tad squeaky -.-
thanks KM sky if yu can lend a fellow a hand
You can do either or. It depends on the effect/tone/sound you're going for.
As for getting you to sound more "blended" with the other tracks, that's a very hard question to answer. Every song / vocal is different. So logically, you'll be processing them differently every time. My #1 suggestion would be, if you don't already have one, get a pair of good studio monitors. This'll help you in hearing what your tracks really sound like. If you already have a pair, my next suggestion would be to learn (down to the wire) how each plugin you're using works. If you're compressing, EQing, and adding effects and are still not satisfied, you have to ask yourself if you're using them in the right manner. If you think you are, then train your ears and adjust the settings until they fit. If you don't think you are, read up on them and figure out what each setting does.
If you're confused on what some setting does, then ask away! I'll try to explain it to the best of my ability.
thanks kM Sky, and yes i got pair of good studio moniter, i get the good sound for other rappers, but when i rap i never satisfy with what myself recorded,
expansion ratio
attack time
release time
i currently tried finding more about them, but dont understand them really good, those option comes up when i use "dynamic processor"
ima keep reading, if you can drop some info bout em which is understandable, i will appreciate it, thanks km, helping out the needy
As for attack time on a compressor, it is basically how long it takes to apply gain reduction to a signal when the signal passes the threshold. So, if my threshold is set to -12db and my attack time is 10ms, it will take 10milliseconds to apply the gain reduction when the signal passes the -12db threshold.
Release time is how long it takes to return to normal after the signal falls below the threshold.
Expansion ratios are found on an expander and are the opposite of compression ratios. While compression ratios reduces a signal that passes threshold, expansion ratios drops a signal that's below threshold even lower.
Can you explain Freq and Range in the De-esser does?
Also, apparently beats with heavy bass tend to like mess up the vocals...idk how to explain it. it like drowns it out and blends into the vocals it self.
A De-Esser is essentially a compressor with an EQ side chained to it. Used to reduce the sibilance in certain consonants, especially the "S" sound.
The frequency sets when the de-esser will operate. Typically within the 4k-10k range. Normally, you'll put the de-esser after your compressor and the de-esser will only compressor the signal within the frequency you set. The Range defines the maximum amount of gain reduction to be applied.
As for your bass problems, it'll be hard without actually hearing it. But it doesn't sound like anything that the good ol' equalizer can't fix. Try cutting some of the mid to high frequencies of the bass. You can also put a HPF on your vocals (around 80hz give or take based on taste/your voice) to get rid of the sub-bass in your vocals. Just some ideas without actually hearing the problem.
Can you also tell me if going lower on the Freq would be better or higher, or it just totally depends on your vocals? IF i put the De-esser after something else besides the compressor, would it have changes?
it depends on the sound you're going for and your vocals. and i've never found myself using a de-esser after anything other than a compressor, used to fix whatever the compressor missed or over-did.
first post so i thought i would make it useful one.
Misterjay, if you're getting a good sound on other rapper's vox before doing anything to them, then perhaps the problem is that the mics you are using dont really fit your voice. seriously, it can be like night and day, and a more expensive mic doesnt mean its a better mic for your voice, eg Bono uses an sm58 on some tracks and he sure as hell can afford any mic he wants. Experiment with a bunch of different mics and when you find the right one, you probably wont have to do anything to the track to get it to sit in the mix.
Baozer, the purpose of a compressor and a de-essor is to get the vocals to sound consistent before doing anything else to the track. so a compressor will make the volume of the vocals consistent and not all over the place, while a de-essor will take away the harsh ssssssssss sound. so they will give you a decent base to work from.
so you normally want to put them in first and then do your EQ and other fx after as the EQ is really there to make the vocals sound better in the context of the mix.
if you put the EQ in first anything you change on the EQ will change the way the compressor works and how it sounds later after the compressor.
ever made a bolognaise sauce? you know meat sauce for pasta?
its like that,.... comp and de-essor first ( if required ), think of this as your tomatos, meat and onion base,.... then EQ + other fx, which are spices you add on top to make it all taste better. Now if you started off throwing random spices into the pan first, you'd have no idea if you've put in enough, too much too little or what the hell its gonna turn into ( unless you know the recipe by heart already).
