My TOP 3 Vocal EQ Strategies for a PRO Vocal Sound
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- Опубліковано 18 чер 2024
- Vocals are typically the most important part of a song, but can be challenging to get right in the mix.
Every vocalist, room, mic, mix, and song are different, so there aren’t very many “set it and forget it” recommendations.
That said, there are a few strategies that can help you get that pro vocal sound, and that’s what I’m sharing with you in today’s video!
Don’t forget to grab your free Vocal EQ Frequency Guide, and if you have additional questions, leave a comment below!
➡️ FREE VOCAL EQ Frequency Guide
mixdown.online/vocaleq
Free Dynamic EQ: TDR NOVA www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:32 Strategy 1: Evaluate the vocal
2:30 Strategy 2: Clean up the vocal
2:40 How to clean up the vocal
7:50 Strategy 3: Enhance the vocal sound
8:15 Adding “air” to the vocal
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1. Get rid of the low end
everything below 50hz is going awayyy....mainly rumble noise or unwanted sounds..
2. Focus on 100 to 400hz
this is where the fundamental of the vocal lives so it is a very important band of
frequencies..
it is where we get:
a) Intimacy
b) Warmth
c) proximity effect
but also some mud so you need to be careful when cutting down the region..
this will surely make higher frequencies more present and you will notice
sibilance problems...which is why you should look for that right after.
3. Look for sibilance problems that might be on your vocals
these frequencies are mainly at 4k to 9k depending on if it is a female/male..
NB: WHEN YOU GET S's AND T's THAT ARE OVERWHELMING THAT REGION OF FREQUENCIES
YOU NEED TO TAME THEM DOWN WITH A DEESER OR A DYNAMIC EQ OR DO IT MANUALLY
MR CHRIS SELIM HAS A VIDEO ON HOW YOU CAN MANUALLY DO IT THE LINK OF THE
VIDEO IS ON THE DESCRIPITION SO BE SURE TO CHECK IT OUT..IT IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO TAKE CARE OF THESE PROBLEMS.
4.Look for some tiny problems between 400 and 600hz
This is where we get the boxy sounds if you recorded in a small room.
if indeed there is clean up to do in these frequencies PLEASE BE CAREFUL
because we are dealing with the fullness of the sound at this point.
So if you cut too much it is not going to help your vocal in any way
so BE GENTLE WITH YOUR CUTS BUDDY. A gentle cut can actually do the trick
to remove the boxiness without affecting the fullness off the vocal.
NB: IF YOU END UP WITH AN AGGRESSIVE VOCAL SOUND AT SOME POINT DURING THE SONG.
MAYBE WHEN THE SINGER ON THE LAST CHORUS SINGS HIS/HER HEART OUT AND YOU
END UP WITH MORE ENERGY IN THE UPPPER MID RANGE, THAT CAN CREATE A MORE
AGGRESSIVE TYPE VOCAL A.K.A HARSHNESS. NOW WE TALKING ABOUT 2.5K TO 4K.
THAT CAN BE AN AREA WHERE YOU CAN TAME THAT DOWN TO GET A MORE SMOOTH
VOCAL SOUND AT THAT POINT. USING A REGULAR EQ MIGHT NOT WORK BUT WORKING
A DYNAMIC EQ MIGHT HELP A LOT WHERE YOU CAN ONLY FOCUS ON COMPRESSING
ALL THE UNWANTED AMOUNT OF FREQUNCIES WHEN YOU EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF THE THRESHOLD
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ON DYNAMIC EQ THE LINK OF THE VIDEO IS ON THE DESCRIPTION.
THE 1K TO 2.5K is a frequency range that is most sensitive to humans because
we know how a vocal should sound like because we meet up with a lot of
people with different voices so trust me we know how it has to sound like.
SO BE CAREFUL WTH THAT REGION MY FRIENDS..DO NOT CUT OR BOOS TO MUCH, SOMETIMES
JUST LEAVE IT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT DEPENDS ON THE VOCALS..
NB:IF YOU ARE DEALING WITH A NASAL SOUND THIS WHEREBY A VOCAL CAN SOUNDS AS
THOUGH THE SINGER WAS SINGING THROUGH A CLOGGED-UP OR RUNNY NOSE..
IN SINGING THOUGH WE CAN SAY IT A RESULT OF A SOFT PALATE WHICH IS NOT LIFTED
PROPERLY. CHECK WHAT IS HAPPENING BETWEEN 800K AND 1.5K
5. WHEN DONE WITH EVERYTHING CHECK IF YOU NEED TO ENHANCE THE VOCALS SOUND
WITH SOME EQ BOOSTS.
if you need to add some brightness to the vocal you would do so between
5k to 6k. but be careful since it can increase some sibiliance..IT IS ALWAYS
A MATTER OF BALNCE. SOMETIMES YOU CAN ADD AIR TO YOUR VOCALS BETWEEN 16K AND ABOVE
AND FOR THAT A VINTAGE TYPE EQ CAN BE USED WHICH GIVES YOU MORE CHARACTER AND COLOUR
AND WHICH WILL SOUND A BIT MORE MUSICAL COMPARED TO A SURGICAL TYPE EQ
Bro 💌
👍
Great video, Chris - some very important points in there. And I love your descriptions of those key frequency areas. Thanks!!
THANK YOU!!! Going through the frequencies on the EQ is great, really appreciate it!!
These insights and strategies are immensely helpful, thank you very much!
Thanks Chris..
It's helpful to see where your going by making reference to the highlighting parts..in the video.
Also it's a great reminder to sing with a certain level of emotion that suits the song..
Glad you enjoyed it! thanks Bill!
Superb info thanks keep making great content
Nicely done, Chris. Depending on the type of EQ(s) used, I like boosts at 200Hz, 800, 1.2/1.5, 5k, 8k and 10-12k (generally a shelf).
Good stuff! Thanks for watching!
Great info!! Thank you for sharing your expertise. The free guide is gold!!
Thanks! Glad you like my free guide!
Fantastic explanation !! Thank you Chris also for the EQ frequency pdf guide. Cheers
You're welcome, Filipe!
Huge help, thank you
Ok I subscribed 🙌🏾 Your good bro 😎 I’ll definitely watch you more often
Thanks Chris, really helpful starting points!
You're welcome!
I appreciate the strategy. I’d love to have had audio examples of each tactic at the various places to hear what you mean.
I go over this way deeper on all instruments in my Mixing Course www.mixdownacademy.com/The-Ultimate-Cubase-Mixing-Masterclass
Thanks…..amazing insight! You explained it super well! Took me 51 years of life to know this…..I shoulda listened to this 50 years ago. Lol. This is why I hate isotope because there are no such thing as rules or presets.
But yeah wow you know your stuff and explain it quick and well.
This is awesome ! Boxeness vs fullness is great info.
Mic choice and distance is key from my perspective. I have many mics and many singers and never could I make an eq suggestion or a vocal chain suggestion because every mic and every singer and every genre or song key or whatever changes everything. This guy is good.
Nasal sound is what I am cursed with when people critique my crappy talent. Lol.
Good tips. Enjoyed it!
I saw coutless "vocal eq trick" videos but this one is so well explained. thank you!!
Awesome, thank you!
new to the channel. super helpful stuff, man. thanks!!!
Thanks Chris, great video, learned a lot!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you very much Chris! Ce document est un «keeper» :)
You are welcome!
Muchas gracias muy bueno, very good.Thanks
Thank you sir, another lesson learned today.
Very welcome
Thank you so much sir. 🙏🙏
Always love to watch your most of the videos . Thank you so much for vocal guide. Keep guiding us by your tutorials. Regard from India 🇮🇳 🙏🙏
Always welcome
It was extremely helpful. I learned a lot. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Sweet! Thanks Chris.
Any time!
Bravo!
More great ideas! Thanks for sharing your strategies! -chaz
Thanks for watching, brother!
Hi, Chris! Excellent summary of things to consider when equalizing vocals. Loved the screen captures of the EQ with the red frame when you were referring to a particular frequency range. Very didactic.
Awesome, thank you!
Very useful!
Great for sharing
Very useful video, very useful, thank u so much!!
Thank you! Glad it was useful!
Absolute master!!!
:-) Thanks!
Great advice Chris.
Thanks for watching!
Awesome video. Very informative!
Glad it was helpful!
Very helpful, thanks.
You're welcome!
Dynamic eq has taken my vocal mixing from meh to amazing. Especially containing low end build up and build up in the 3k region which can start to get harsh.
Dynamic EQ is great!
Actually a few days back i was looking for videos from Chris on vocal production as im about to do a few songs so this video is extremely helpful. Thanks Chris for this
You're welcome!
amazing tutorial bro!!!!
Glad you liked it!
I have the molding method
0. cutting = eq cut, wave splitting(silent, breath, sentence, syllables, esses, harshness)
1. 3 band eq = low/mid/high = balancing
2. 4 band eq = low/low mid/high mid/high = more detail
3. 3 parts of each band
-low = sub/boom/bass
-low mid = body/boxy/muddy
-high mid = as/you/wish
-high = as/you/air
4. resonance
5. repeat until it works perfect
don't do everything at once then everything will be easier.
Thanks!!!!!
I really like this
Great work..Chris ❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏🙏 from 🇱🇰
Glad you enjoyed it!
great!
so true. thank you
You are so welcome
Awesome thanks
You're welcome!
Great sir
You're welcome!
Thanks for share mastah🙏🙏🙏
Always welcome
Спасибо за то, что делитесь вашим опытом!
Thanks Chris
You're welcome!
Love the is video
Usefull guidens
Awesome refresher! Thank you! Btw, does Frequency from Cubase Pro 9 have dynamic eq?
You're welcome! No, Dynamic EQ is only on Frequency2 (C10.5 and up)
How's it going.. I've watched a handful of your video tutorials on Cubas 12!! Good content.. I am a rap artist and I chose to go with Cubas 12 this go round.. I have everything running good! Only problem I keep coming across is when I record a little I get a Box that pops up saying "Record error To many tracks".. I can't find out how to fix this issue. any idea on what's causing thess recording errors?? Help with this problem would be great! Thanks!!
Great! Thanks Chris. I have a question. What is your take on iZotope Nectar Pro?
It's good, but mainly aimed for self produced musicians more than Mix engineers IMO.
The problem with the dynamic eq is that the singer doesn't always puts out the same amount of energy (and its not problematic at the same frequency at differet times in a song in the same level...) at the same frequencies so when you want to "leave" that range intact you can't because dynamic eq works automatically putting down or up (in specific frequency range no matter the lyrics, vocal changes - wanted or not wanted) no matter what part of the song it is; so it's better to do it manually ... It will take more time and skill, but you won't end up in potentially sterile, boring mix or on the flip side of the coin in total jumping mess. This dynamic EQ is having too much "hype", if you don't know how to make your music "live" or better said "come alive" with all the instruments, compresion, atack, release times, fader movements, eq movements first (automation), the last thing you want to do is to "let" the dynamic eq in the game to do it for you resoulting having your final mix jump around all over the place at times you don't want to. :)
you can automate a multiband compressor (On/Off) just when and where you need to tame the frequencies...
@@mttlsa686 Well that's great then ... Thanks :)
Thank you My for all this except the nation it’s really wonderful, could you please make a video how to use Universal Audio on vocal like manly channel strip thank you so much
I don't have access to all UAD plugins, I only work with a few
awesome vid! do you use just 1 eq for all of these?
No, I use 2-3 Eq's, a more neutral EQ for Freq correction, mainly cutting, and a more musical EQ, Like a Pultech or a Neve EQ for boosts
Hey Chris quick question, I'm starting out with rapping over my instrumentals, would it be best to add the vocals to the actual project or over mix down as a wav? Any help would be amazing thanks 😊
Hi Mike, just thought I’d quickly reply. In the past I’ve bounced the instrumental out and recorded additional elements, mainly because my computer wasn’t fit for purpose and would crash. I got alright results. However, these days I keep it all in one project. I find even if my mix sounds great before laying down vocals, the second vocals are recorded I always end up subtly adjusting levels and EQ settings.
@@charitychampions5144 Hiya thankyou for the insight this is what we've been doing, the past week, just recording into the project and adjusting the Eq before the stereo out bus, editing.
Thankyou for your advice 😊♥️
Totaly agree with @Charity Champions
should i be 3-5 inches away from the mic?
and if im really getting loud, obviously get farther right?
How do you use puigtech eq settings for air then?
Is it for only condenser microphone or dynamic as well?
You think exactly like me ! For instance lack of power on fundamentals means no rec experience or poor studio qualitied print or some sort of !when required to cut mean bad distance (proximity (d)effect. well those mean no comp have been used ! to bad since that is the most imp part on a vocal ! Honestly i found such called sound engineer that did not know how to read the sound energy of a clip! Yes because is kind off not mark by any particularly vu only by radiography of a clip ! And of course other do not understand the inter conexion vs energy and processing !Well i would like having for mix less to do !
Good info. Is that how sibilance is pronounced in Canada? I had to mute the vid while on a call and looked up at the Close Captions and youtube has you talking about how it is important to take care of those "civilians" because they can be very annoying to listen to. :)
It's SI BI LANCE here, too. ;)
Oh crap, my Frecnh took over :-(
How can you add these vocal EQs on a live stream?
I have a RME babyfacepro fs and a neumann tlm 102 mic and now I am stacked with sibilance in vocal recording and sounds really harsh. What should I do?
I had a Neumann tlm 103 before, that is close to the 102. They do have a bump in the high mids which can create some sibilance and harshness on some vocalists. Maybe the TLM 102 is not the mic for you. Maybe a darker smoother mic with fit you best like the V67 ua-cam.com/video/XUmCC9noUX4/v-deo.html, the Mini K87 ua-cam.com/video/CpkettP_1-s/v-deo.html The Delphos is also a good choice ua-cam.com/video/gXjZ790Onek/v-deo.html
👍👍
Hello Chris! I have a rather specific question. I've been trying to mix this one vocal line for about a month now but it never sounds right. When i listen to it with my Adam T5V monitors the vocal doesn't quite push through the mix, it's very dull and quiet. When i turn the monitors off and use my sony headphones, tho, the SAME mix sounds harsh on the ears, almost too loud and snappy. I already triend different EQing options, watched different videos... Do you have any specific advice for that kind of problem?
Thank you!
same problem :/
@@rojoratatatata4002 hey i kind of solved it. I doubled the sample, left one as it is and on the other one i put on a highpass filter. I made both audio lines the same volume. Hope this helps you too!
@@nathanricetalks I actually don't have that problem just wanted to support you so you don't feel completely alone haha, glad you solved it buddy, have a good day!
@@rojoratatatata4002 lol, thank you for that xD Have a good day too!
audio examples?
Hey Chris,why dont you create cubase fx chains and sell them?just a thought..
Not a big fan of effect chain presets unless where talking about creative type presets
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👍💯
I've been making music for almost 6 years now and I still struggle processing and mixing my vocals. Sometimes they sound too boxy, so I remove slightly frequencies in the low-mid to bass area, then suddenly they sound too megaphone like, so I reduce those frequencies a bit and this continues on and on and on until I'm so frustrated that I just say FUCK IT and move on. Does anyone have the same problem? If so, how the hell do you fix that?
🤟🙏🏻
Also, Overloud Voice.
this is a iuge video! ;) ;) ;)
Great video #mrhnp
Appreciate it
Seriously, please show the changes to the vocal when you do these strategies!
Howdy
So, in summary, check out what's happening between 100hz and 9000khz and maybe boost, or maybe cut little.
That's mixing ;-)
@@mixdownonline You bet. Love your channel, by the way. You helped me navigate a year of teaching Band and Choir online and recording/mixing all my students' performances remotely. Keep up the good work!
Sibilance is not "iants" (ee-ants) - it's ance (anns). Sibilance = Sib-ill-anns
Est-ce que je reconnais un accent québécois ou je me trompe?
Je sais pas d'quoi tu parle, ya pas d'accent Québecois icitte mon chum 😜
Those civilians have really been a problem ;)
He reminds me of Kristian Kohle
Ty but super vague unfortunately. You were energetic telling me fq's that are problematic but I'm scratching my head trying to understand ehat your are saying when it comes to addressing the issues.
why is iy just talk instead of demonstation on vocals?
Why explain the strategy, if you could show it ?
To give you tools to put on the work on your side ;-)
if you reduce below 50hz, between 100 and 400, 600-900, 1500-2500, 4000-7000 you`ll be deteriorating almost the whole spectrum .... if you need to do that, it means that the recording was crappy and you need to re-record ... you don`t sound like a pro mixer but a hobbyist explaining something to a total beginner
Of course, I never said to cut and boost all these frequency bands all at once. These are guidelines to know where to look for IF you need to correct or enhance your vocal sound. If you need to cut all those frequencies, better just bring down the fader ;-)
BTW...it's pronounced "Sibilance"... Si...Bil..Ance.
Tu es quebecois toi non?
Привет Брат! Я из России, мне не надо понимать твой язык, я понимаю всю технику о чем ты говоришь.Мы в России научились делать лучше из меньше
I am not impressed 😂😂
Not helpful .....