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How to Get Vocals to Sit in the Mix

Mixing the multiple elements of an audio track is part science, part art. You need to make sure that every element has its own space in the frequency range, but also blends with everything else. It's a slow trial-and-error process of tiny adjustments and repeated listening in order to make an important element fit just where it belongs in a mix. Vocals are particularly important as they usually lead the track, so they should be prominent. However, as the listener will be focused on them, it's important that they don't sound detached from the rest of the song.

Things You'll Need

  • Multi-track production application
  • Graphic equalization plug-in
  • Compression plug-in
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Instructions

    • 1

      Open the mixer view of your production software. Create an instance of the equalization plug-in in the mixer channel containing the vocal track. Open the edit window for the equalization plug-in, containing the graphical display.

    • 2

      Return to the mixer view and and press the Solo button on the vocal channel, muting all the others. Turn on the leftmost filter on the equalizer, the low shelf attenuator. Initially it will not appear to have any effect. This is because the default frequency setting of the filter will be below the lowest frequencies in the vocal. Increase the "Frequency" value of the low shelf filter until you can hear it start to affect the bass end of the sound. The vocal will start to sound thin and reedy. Reduce the gain value just enough to make the vocal sound normal again.

    • 3

      Turn on the rightmost filter on the equalization plug-in and repeat the process. It's exactly the same, only you'll be bringing the filter frequency down from the top, rather than up from the bottom. Turn off the solo function on the mixer and listen to the sound of the vocal compared to the rest of the mix. Adjust the volume slider if necessary, as the level of the vocal may have reduced slightly due to the equalization.

    • 4

      Create an instance of the compressor in the mixer's vocal channel. Watch the level meter in the compression plug-in. Adjust the Threshold control until the meter consistently reads around 80 percent. Adjust the Ratio control while listening to the vocal. The correct level will become apparent as you turn the control. Set the ratio too low and the vocal will sound muffled and muted. Set it too high and the compressor will have no effect at all. Compressors are supposed to level out the volume differences in a sound. They make the loud sounds softer, and boost the quieter ones, allowing you to set the volume more accurately using the mixer's volume fader.

    • 5

      Listen to the mix again and adjust the volume fader on the mixer. The compression and equalization will allow you to bed the vocal down in the mix without it disappearing.

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Recording Music

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