Looking for some tips on achieving a certain vocal production sound
September 26, 2012 9:42 AM
I'd like to expand my understanding of some vocal production tricks. Specifically, I'm very interested in the sound of the vocals in this song: On and On, by Justice. I hear slap back reverb, there's a bit of distortion, and that it is quite compressed at early levels of the effects chain, but what else is there?
posted by dobie (13 comments total)
posted by dobie (13 comments total)
I've been browsing there yes, thanks. Very accurate site name from what I can tell.
posted by dobie at 3:35 PM on September 26, 2012
posted by dobie at 3:35 PM on September 26, 2012
My 2 cents:
Just to be kind of pedantic about it, "slap back" is usually used to describe a type of delay rather than a reverb - a short (75 - 150 milliseconds) delay with only a couple of repeats. Think rockabilly.
But I agree that there's some subtle slapback delay in there in addition to the reverb.
I suspect the distortion is a side effect of the compression, or possibly whatever preamp they're running the vocal mic through - it doesn't sound like an effect "added on", if you see what I mean.
There's some kind of phasing/flanging effect going on, too, although the source is hard to pinpoint. There's a bit of an artificial quality to the vocal sound that makes me think maybe there's an aggressively Auto-Tuned vocal track mixed just underneath the regular vocal track, and the combination of the two is producing the flanging.
posted by soundguy99 at 5:32 PM on September 26, 2012
Just to be kind of pedantic about it, "slap back" is usually used to describe a type of delay rather than a reverb - a short (75 - 150 milliseconds) delay with only a couple of repeats. Think rockabilly.
But I agree that there's some subtle slapback delay in there in addition to the reverb.
I suspect the distortion is a side effect of the compression, or possibly whatever preamp they're running the vocal mic through - it doesn't sound like an effect "added on", if you see what I mean.
There's some kind of phasing/flanging effect going on, too, although the source is hard to pinpoint. There's a bit of an artificial quality to the vocal sound that makes me think maybe there's an aggressively Auto-Tuned vocal track mixed just underneath the regular vocal track, and the combination of the two is producing the flanging.
posted by soundguy99 at 5:32 PM on September 26, 2012
There's a bit of an artificial quality to the vocal sound that makes me think maybe there's an aggressively Auto-Tuned vocal track mixed just underneath the regular vocal track, and the combination of the two is producing the flanging.
An interesting way to do this--this isn't to say it's what happening, because honestly I don't know what I'm hearing--would be to layer an aggressively-tuned vocal track on top of a track with the vocal run through a vocoder, mostly-wet, that follows the tuning and timing of the tuned track.
You can also hear what sounds like a very-dry vocal (probably a double) panned left when the vocal widens, and maybe another to the right. I don't think this is just a matter of delayed-and-detuned tracks hard-panned, although with all the effects on the center-panned track, it might be.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:21 AM on September 27, 2012
An interesting way to do this--this isn't to say it's what happening, because honestly I don't know what I'm hearing--would be to layer an aggressively-tuned vocal track on top of a track with the vocal run through a vocoder, mostly-wet, that follows the tuning and timing of the tuned track.
You can also hear what sounds like a very-dry vocal (probably a double) panned left when the vocal widens, and maybe another to the right. I don't think this is just a matter of delayed-and-detuned tracks hard-panned, although with all the effects on the center-panned track, it might be.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:21 AM on September 27, 2012
They may have put copies of the vocal track in multiple channels so they could layer effects as you guys are describing.
posted by dobie at 11:14 AM on September 27, 2012
posted by dobie at 11:14 AM on September 27, 2012
Immediate reaction: is it a ring modulator? Certainly some kind of flanging effect. FWIW I would advise against putting anything like that on vocals because modulation effects tend to homogenise and obliterate any kind of individuality, but, hey, it's your call.
posted by MajorDundee at 12:40 PM on September 27, 2012
posted by MajorDundee at 12:40 PM on September 27, 2012
Thanks Major; that's actually a goal for one of the things I'm working on.
posted by dobie at 1:52 PM on September 27, 2012
posted by dobie at 1:52 PM on September 27, 2012
The thing about Gearslutz is that you might actually get the guy who mixed the single.
I'm hearing a lot of layers there. There is definitely an autotuned layer and I think there is some phasing/flanging as well. The reverb is all early reflections and the whole thing is extremely sibillant so there's a hunk of EQ going on in there too.
posted by unSane at 12:20 PM on September 28, 2012
I'm hearing a lot of layers there. There is definitely an autotuned layer and I think there is some phasing/flanging as well. The reverb is all early reflections and the whole thing is extremely sibillant so there's a hunk of EQ going on in there too.
posted by unSane at 12:20 PM on September 28, 2012
I'm thinking it's mostly what unSane says.
In general: "slapback" style delay. compressed all to hell and back. EQed all to hell and back. Almost certainly high-pass applied at a fairly high frequency.
first verse: Single vox, then comes in single harmony. the main verse has distinct pitch correction, the harmony very much so.
second part of verse: doubled vocals, *for sure* (maybe tripled) with wide panning among the doubling (this actually is probably the biggest change, you'd be surprised how much doubling can introduce slight "modulation-y" effects especially if the vocals are just a few cents apart) -- heavier pitch correction. A bit of a different EQ here, a little "telephone" EQ applied, i.e. the high pass is higher and some low pass may also be applied a bit.
Chorus: It seems to me there's a hint of envelope filter going on there. not much, but it sounds more envelope filter to me than distortion or ring mod.
I think all of the modulation effects people are hearing are things that are on the instruments and not the vocals (definitely a lot of phaser -- but I don't think it's on vocals).
posted by chimaera at 9:53 PM on September 30, 2012
In general: "slapback" style delay. compressed all to hell and back. EQed all to hell and back. Almost certainly high-pass applied at a fairly high frequency.
first verse: Single vox, then comes in single harmony. the main verse has distinct pitch correction, the harmony very much so.
second part of verse: doubled vocals, *for sure* (maybe tripled) with wide panning among the doubling (this actually is probably the biggest change, you'd be surprised how much doubling can introduce slight "modulation-y" effects especially if the vocals are just a few cents apart) -- heavier pitch correction. A bit of a different EQ here, a little "telephone" EQ applied, i.e. the high pass is higher and some low pass may also be applied a bit.
Chorus: It seems to me there's a hint of envelope filter going on there. not much, but it sounds more envelope filter to me than distortion or ring mod.
I think all of the modulation effects people are hearing are things that are on the instruments and not the vocals (definitely a lot of phaser -- but I don't think it's on vocals).
posted by chimaera at 9:53 PM on September 30, 2012
i'm pretty sure they put the vocal through some kind of synth filter with a bit of resonance - i don't think they used a vocoder
posted by pyramid termite at 2:31 AM on October 1, 2012
posted by pyramid termite at 2:31 AM on October 1, 2012
Awesome, thanks guys. Going to try to bake that cake tonight.
posted by dobie at 11:37 AM on October 1, 2012
posted by dobie at 11:37 AM on October 1, 2012
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posted by Doleful Creature at 2:09 PM on September 26, 2012