Mixing Vocals: The Basics

I will preface this post by saying there is a lot of audio engineering jargon below that, while myself or other audio engineers may understand well, others may struggle to wrap their heads around. This is okay...audio engineering is like another language!

None the less, I figured this is a good time to share some of my producing knowledge, seeing as I've been buried in my computer lately mixing tracks and correcting/manipulating vocal tracks from various singers...including myself!

In the photography world, even the video world, there is only so much one can do in the editing process if a photo or video had bad lighting to begin with. The same logic applies to mixing a good, full professional vocal track. If the audio of the voice you're trying to record has harsh sibilance (annoying frequencies), a lot of pitch errors, and a lot of outside interference like ambulance sirens or something, there is only so much you can do!

Ideally, there shouldn't be much work required if you get a good recording from your vocalist. However, there are some general mixing concepts that every producer all over the world utilizes when cleaning up vocals:

EQ - Properly eq'ing frequencies in/out of your singers voice is crucial. Less is more here!

(image credit @www.flsresource.com)

Gating - Gating can be done with software or can be done manually, and just involves cutting out any dead areas or unwanted sounds or disturbances that aren't your singers actual voice.

Pitch Correction - Yes....we all do it! Pitch correction is self explanatory, and even your favorite singers are subject to this process. There is some mind blowing software out there that makes it an easy process that preserves the quality of the vocal even after much correction has been applied.

(image credit @www.musicradar.com)

Compression - Compression is complicated, but in short it's a work flow utilizing 3 main parameters: threshold, envelope (attack/release), and ratio. Compression is a work flow that can help reduce the higher more abrasive areas of your vocal, while preserving the rest of the vocal. Compression involves a lot of finesse, and I'm learning more everyday.

Limiting - Limiting, when used lightly, can add some color and size to your vocal, though it's a quick way to ruin a good vocal if abused. 

Those are all concepts utilized globally by producers in huge studios, or by guys like me on a laptop. There is so much to learn in the audio engineering world, and I like to think I'm improving everyday. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information on the internet for those (like me) with constant questions about mixing, software, etc. 

Happy mixing!