Editing Vocals

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fayah_bun

New member
Hey I was just wondering about editing vocals
What is the “standard” procedure of editing main vocals before final mix with instrumental?
I did my first mix down & mastering and the final outcome was horrible. I know I need more time and practice but I guess something went wrong during process
I am a newbie and many things aren’t clear to me , so this is basically how I proceed


  1. Cleaning the vocals by noise gate
  2. Normalization of vocals
  3. De-essing – here vocal lost bit of sharpness and become murky
  4. Delay
  5. Reverb
  6. Compression

Is something missing here or should I add another effect
I use shure 58 beta and before all those steps vocals were much brighter
Any help will be much appreciated coz I feel bit lost watching all those videos about editing
 
First of all: Editing means trimming, cutting, aligning. Sometimes also Ss, Ts etc are separated and turned down by level, and the overall dynamic range is reduced manually so a compressor doesn't have to do the hole work.

After a well done editing there's no need for a Noise Gate. Also Normalization is absolutely unnecessary.

Than the first step should be to cleanup the vox by using an EQ (get rid of low frequency rumble and resonating frequencies).

After this is done you can reduce dynamic range by using a compressor (or two, one for fast peaks, one for average loudness). Than you can musically shape the sound by using another EQ.

If needed, you can also use Deesser, Saturation etc.

Delay and Reverb aka time based effects are typical send effects. You can use EQ, Compressor on the delayed/reverbed signal as well.
 
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I disagree about normalization, which I think is good practice. Otherwise, Mad is spot on.

A noise-gate is usually a last-ditch Hail Mary type of approach. It's very difficult to get right even for experienced pros. If there is that much noise floor ( hiss/noise in the quiet spaces of your vocal), the you should probably do it over. Likewise de-essing; it is very easy to overdo. It would be better for you to actually edit (cut or volume envelope) the track, and add volume envelopes or EQ in the heavy sibilant areas than it would to go at it with heavy de-esser and noise gate without really knowing exactly what you're doing. It is a long, painstaking process, I know, which is why you might want to recut the vocal until you really feel that it's right. Otherwise, it is like you need some heavy bandages (maybe more than a little bandaid), but you decided to use a chainsaw to "fix" the problem instead.

Also, be careful with compression. Over compression can kill a vocal too.

GJ
 
Any DAW should have a trim/gain function in it's channels (at least every DAW I know/work with [Cubase, PT, Logic]does) to adjust the level to a usable value, let's say -12 dBfs.

If Normalization is applied the file format changes to the mixbus resolution the DAW uses, so the file has to be saved in that format otherwise truncation is introduced. This means that file size raises. A waste of time and memory space I think.
 
thank you for all your response. it might sound funny for you but as a newbie iam still unfamiliar with some language .
does "Trim" means cutting frequencies rather than cutting length of vocals?:pointing: Right?
 
What kind of genre are you working in? Different genres require different techniques - just to have an example when you are talking about *compressing* the vocal you would rather do it with electro/pop than with jazz or soul because there are still genres in which you want the vocal to be more kind of dynamic.

Also even with good vocals you often have to tune some parts.
Trim means adjusting the "length" of the audio or for example also like adjusting that vocal doubles / backings are perfectly right at the same time like the mainvocal.

Hope thats helpful :)

Greetings from Germany,
Concave
 
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Concave said:
What kind of genre are you working in? Different genres require different techniques - just to have an example when you are talking about normalizing the vocal you would rather do it with electro/pop than with jazz or soul because there are still genres in which you want the vocal to be more kind of dynamic.

Also even with good vocals you often have to tune some parts.
Trim means adjusting the "length" of the audio or for example also like adjusting that vocal doubles / backings are perfectly right at the same time like the mainvocal.

Hope thats helpful :)

Greetings from Germany,
Concave
Click to expand...

Hiphop to be precise
I guess vocals shouldnt lack dynamism
 
Alright, for Hiphop you will definitely need good compression to have this "tight" and "strong" sound but just watch out that you don´t kill the dynamic. If you compress it too much it may not fit to the flow.
 
Normalization has nothing to do with reducing dynamics, by normalizing a recording you bring up the peak level to a certain value, mostly 0 dBfs.

Matching a recording to the grid or doubled vox to the main vox is called aligning.

I guess you're using free beats, most of them are squashed to death so you'll have to massively compress your vox to embed 'em.
 
Oh yes thanks, I wrote "normalizing" instead of "compressing" - going to correct that!

You are also right with aligning, but I think I am doing the one with the other. When I am aligning and I have a vocal double which holds a note longer than the main vocal (without wanting it) I trim and fade. I guess there may be better ways to do it but when I got to work on limited time I may just do it like that.
 
You can use normalization like a less intrusive compressor, though, and still bring your file to it's capacity. True, if you normalize a very dynamic file with one big transient peak, you will get a slightly maximized sound file (on average), because the only thing that got "bigger" (rose to that particular threshold) is the peak itself. But, if you reduce the small peak section by a few dB first, then maximize the entire file, you get a more even, fully normalized sound file, that still maintains the general dynamic quality of the recorded material. In other words, you can raise the volume without "squashing" the dynamics the way you do when compression is applied. So to me, normalization, as well as compression and limiting, all have their uses.

GJ

PS-- BTW, "trim" in audio can have a number of meanings, depending on the person using it, the context, and even the equipment manufacturer. For instance, many people trim a file when they make an actual cut to a track. But you can "trim" the high end with EQ, and some companies call their input volumes on mixers and other gear "trim pots." So, yeah...
 
I wouldn't Normalize......if the level is low trying raising the gain of the whole track a couple of db
IMHO it is better to edit the volumes of vocal tracks manually especially if you are looking for a performance with some emotion
Why are you using Noise Gates, Dessers, that sort of thing should be worked out before recording.....if you have to Deesse more than one or two spoys something else is wrong.....mic, EQ, singer

Musically,

Terry

fayah_bun said:
Hey I was just wondering about editing vocals
What is the “standard” procedure of editing main vocals before final mix with instrumental?
I did my first mix down & mastering and the final outcome was horrible. I know I need more time and practice but I guess something went wrong during process
I am a newbie and many things aren’t clear to me , so this is basically how I proceed


  1. Cleaning the vocals by noise gate
  2. Normalization of vocals
  3. De-essing – here vocal lost bit of sharpness and become murky
  4. Delay
  5. Reverb
  6. Compression

Is something missing here or should I add another effect
I use shure 58 beta and before all those steps vocals were much brighter
Any help will be much appreciated coz I feel bit lost watching all those videos about editing
Click to expand...
 
I wonder if your compressor is what's making you lose the bright sound in your vocals. Sometimes a little compression with multiple compressors can be more effective. Might want to lessen the de-esser too. If it's too strong it'll cut some of the highs slightly. EQ will definitely change things as well. You may need to make some headspace for your vocals.. Don't want too much of your vocals clashing with the instrumental.
 
Too much de-esser can have a _very_ detrimental effect on a vocal if misapplied. Famous example? Supposedly, Donald Fagen doesn't really talk or sing with a lisp. But if you listen to those older Steely Dan albums...

GJ
 
vocal sound much brighter without compression
i have started again everything from scratch and reached the level of "fat" vocal but still its too deep
anytime i try to take it up by EQ it causes clippings
this brightness is what i need to full happiness. however at the moment is beyond my capabilities as an amateur :shame:

p.s i mostly rely on ready EQ patterns provided by DAW. I read everywhere cut this frequency here by Hz, bring it up by Db . I have no idea where to do those things manually (shame)
 
You've got to learn. Forget the presets. Start by opening a graphic EQ, and listen to what happens as you move each virtual slider up and down. Toggle back and forth between the unaffected signal and the "preview" of the EQ'd sound. Play, attempt; figure it out. If you're going to work with sound and recording, EQ is a basic entry-level skill. Hz and kHz stand for "hertz" and "kilohertz," measurements of frequency, and dB stands for "deciBels," a measurement of volume level (up/down).

GJ
 
you'll be surprised when rolling off the low freq does to a vocal. also, subtractive eq is key. cut more than u add... add very slightly. you'll be verrrrry surprised what you get if you cut in the right areas. also, if you're clipping on the master track, lower your instrumental volume. simple.

play with the eq. don't just use presets like GJ said. play with EVERYTHING.. whether its the compressor, reverb, delay, eq, de-esser, noise gate........... just mess with settings and see what the knobs do. that's the only way to learn what everything does. that way, one day you'll be sitting like "damn I want this to sound like it sounds in my head..." and since u played with knobs it might hit you.. OH! THAT KNOB DOES THIS.... boom, you have the sound u were looking for.

keep your compressed vocals, roll off low frequencies, boost very little highs, add reverb until its wet enough for you :D

guarantee this will get you what you want. but you have to play with the eq to get the right sound
 
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