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Some lower-mids might be needed to add substance to the voice. Sweep a tight cut in this range This can be more of a problem area than the 2.5 to 4 kHz range, so when limited to the number of frequency manipulations, opt for which has the greatest impact. One wrong move and the vocals can sound flat and dull or harsh and annoying. The bad stuff’s gone, and it’s got some sparkle, but it’s not quite there. Make It Smoothĭespite the previous steps, a vocal mix can still be wanting. In the case of consoles without, use the peaking high-end EQ control to increase that boost for all the high-end frequencies. This is easy with consoles that have more than one sweeping-mid. Sweep this point up until it produces the desired results. The amount to add depends on the style of music, the song arrangement, the vocal, and what sounds good in the room.Īpply a gentle boost of 3 to 4 dB above the 6 kHz point. The boost creates a bright and sometimes airy sound. Turn On The LightsĪdd brightness to the vocal with boosts to select high-end frequencies. The tighter the bandwidth for cutting the better, because harsh frequencies are best removed with surgical precision – though without the worry of a malpractice lawsuit. However, this bandwidth (Q) can be altered on digital consoles. Next, decrease or increase the cut as required.Īnalog consoles have a fixed bandwidth and therefore the cut will affect frequencies centered on the primary selected frequency, though in lesser amounts, like an upside-down mountain. Then slowly sweep that frequency down until the vocals clear up. Start at the 4 kHz point and apply a 6 dB cut. With an analog console, use it’s sweeping-mid or a graphical EQ frequency selector. (Just don’t tell them I said that.) These imperfections are usually in the 2.5 to 4 kHz range.įind the sweet spot to remove the harshest frequencies.
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Even the best singers have slight imperfections in the sounds they produce.
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There’s no such thing as perfect singing voice. This eliminates the muddiness in most male vocals. Male vocals can have excessive low end, so console functionality permitting, also take a 3 to 6 dB cut in the 250 to 350 Hz range. My process is to roll it higher and higher until hearing a negative impact on the voice, and then pull it back a few hertz. For example, I regularly work with a singer that needs the filter set at 180 Hz. My personal preference is to roll off at as high a point as possible. The filter can be fixed-point, such as rolling off frequencies below a set point, usually in the 80 to 120 Hz range, or it can be a variable filter. Remove these by using a high-pass filter. Unless it’s an acapella group, musical instruments such as the drum kit, bass, and to a lesser extent electric guitar should be the only things that populate the sub-200 Hz frequencies.Ī vocal microphone can pick up these sounds, either directly or through stage monitors, as well as any extraneous low end from the singer.
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There’s no reason for low-end frequencies to be in a vocal channel. The good news is that I’ve identified seven areas of vocal mixing to focus on that take a lot of the hassle out of the process. What works for one person’s vocal isn’t right for another. This means each vocal must be uniquely mixed. Singers produce a range of sounds, good and bad, and no two voices are alike. Mixing the spoken word is a task in itself, but to mix singers and blend them with a band is an even more daunting task.
Mixing live sound basics full#
In 1878, a room full of people watched Thomas Edison’s new phonograph spin and heard a voice read “Mary Had A Little Lamb.”ĭespite the excitement of hearing the first audio recording, I’ll bet someone thought, “That sounds like crap.” Having heard the recording, I agree.