How To Mix Vocals - The Definitive Guide (15 Steps) 4 PDF

05/10/2020 How to Mix Vocals: The Definitive Guide [15 Steps]
BLOG HOW TO MIX VOCALS: THE

RESOURCES ABOUT COURSES REVIEWS
DEFINITIVE GUIDE [15 STEPS]

FREE MASTERCLASS
Vocals are the most important part of your mix. If you don’t nail it,
your songs will always feel amateur.
In this article, you’ll learn the secrets to creating radio-ready vocals.
CONTENTS [SHOW]
Want your mixes to sound pro?
Before we continue… I’m guessing you’re here because you want to

make music that sounds professional.
If so, then you’re going to love this new free masterclass.
Inside, you’ll learn the only 7 steps you need to go through if you
want your mixes to sound professional.
So, if you want a shortcut to pro-quality mixes, watch this free

masterclass now:
FREE MASTERCLASS: 7 Steps to Pro Mixes at Home. Learn

how to make radio-ready music in no time with this free
https://www.musicianonamission.com/mixing-vocals-how-to-mix-vocals/ 1/50
masterclass. Click for access.
But if you just want to learn about vocals speci cally, keep
reading.
Step 1: Get A Great Recording

You NEED a good recording if you ever want to produce a good mix.
The quality is decided in the recording phase. A good vocal is 80%

recording and 20% mixing.
Spend plenty of time preparing to record. Try out a few different

microphones if you can.
Then, experiment with the distance and height of the mic until you
nd the right tone.
Don’t skimp on this part.
You can learn more in my de nitive guide to recording vocals.
Step 2: Editing
Once you have an awesome recording, it’s time to edit.
I recommend editing the best parts of several different takes

together to create the perfect performance.
This may seem fake or over the top, but it’s totally normal. Some pop
songs will use a different take for every word. You don’t need to go
that far, though.
Of course, if you want to maintain the original performance, that’s

ne too – you can skip this.
Once you’re happy with your comp, it’s time to go through and
check for any clicks or pops.
Sometimes editing can create clicks at your edit points. If this

happens, add a short crossfade between the clips. Somewhere
between 5 – 15 ms.
If there’s any background noise between phrases, you can simply

cut this out.
Some people like to cut out the breaths, but I think this completely
ruins the emotion of the performance. My advice is to leave the
breaths in.
You can also go through and x any timing issues. If a phrase comes
in a little early or late – move it into place.
Apply Subtle Pitch Correction
Even after choosing the best take for each phrase or section, there
can still be imperfections.
Imperfections aren’t always a bad thing – sometimes they add raw

emotion and energy.
But other times you’ll need to use pitch correction to x a rough

note.
Tools like Melodyne and Antares Auto-Tune make it easy to add

pitch correction that is subtle and unnoticeable.
When using these tools, I highly recommend that you go through

and manually correct any rough notes, rather than using automatic
pitch correction.
This may take more time, but the end result will way more musical.
To learn more about pitch correction, watch this video:
5 VOCAL TUNING MISTAKES (How to Use Melody…

Melody…
Step 3: Gain Automation (The Secret

Sauce)
A singer can go from a whisper to a shout in seconds. Compared
to other instrument, vocals have a huge dynamic range.
But modern production requires consistency. Every word needs to

be intelligible and loud.
This is usually done with a combination of volume fader automation

and compression.
You can turn the volume up and down by ‘riding the fader’ with live
automation, or by drawing in lane automation in your DAW.
I want to show you a better option… gain automation.
If you automate the gain at the BEGINNING of the channel, the level
going into your compressor will always be consistent.
This’ll help you avoid over-compression.
Go through and adjust the gain of the gain so that all of the phrases
are a similar level. Take a look at your channel meter and try to make
it sit around -18dBFS (this is the gain sweet spot).
The idea here is to do all the heavy lifting with gain automation.
Then you can use subtle compression to level out the volume even
more but in a more subtle way.
Here’s a complete breakdown:
VOCAL AUTOMATION TRICK
Step 4: Prepare the Session

At this point, I recommend bouncing the vocal down to a new
channel. By committing to your edit, you’ll avoid constant tweaking.
Label and organize all your tracks.
Working With Different Genres
Depending on the genre, you may want to go for a different tone.
Here’s a brief overview of how to mix these different genres:
Curious why we use a VU meter to gain stage? That’s because most

plugins are based on old analog technology, and their “sweet spot”
was always around 0dBVU.
Gain staging is a crucial step that most people overlook. You should
check the rest of the instruments too. Not everything has to sit at
EXACTLY -18dBFS. Just check that nothing’s clipping. Your peaks
should be below -6dBFS.
Step 5: Surgical EQ
A lot of people are unsure of whether to use EQ before or after
compression. Well, I say do both.
Use EQ before to cut out any nasty elements. Then, add one after to
shape the tone.
This way the compressor won’t exaggerate any of the ugly stuff, and
it won’t mess with your tonal adjustments either.
I recommend using multiple compressors in series. Sometimes I use

two compressors in a row, sometimes I use one after the tonal EQ.
The key is to experiment and try swapping around the order.
With surgical EQ, you want to hunt down any horrible room
resonances and cut them out.
When recording in an untreated room, there’s usually some

frequency buildup.
To nd these buildups, you can use the good ol’ boost-and-sweep

technique. I don’t recommend using this technique when applying
tonal EQ (as it can warp your perception), but for nding
problematic frequency buildups it’s perfectly ne.
The “EQ Sweep” technique is one the 4 ways you can use EQ:
• Pop, R’n’B, Electronic: In general, these genres are heavily

processed. Lots of top-end shimmer, noticeable effects, and
highly consistent dynamics are the norm.
• Hip Hop: Similar to Pop, but with less effects and less top-end.
More presence and aggression in the upper mids. (Though the
most mainstream of Hip Hop often has top-end shimmer more
akin to Pop).
• Rock: Less top-end, more body and high mids. The vocal can sit a
bit further back.
• Jazz: Approach with subtlety and taste. Avoid obvious processing

and leave the dynamics mostly intact.
• Hardcore/Metal: Heavy compression (several rounds of 6-10dB

gain reduction can be warranted) for an aggressive tone. Less low
end, more body and high mids.
Never use effects for no reason.
Consider the style. You want your choices to compliment the genre.
You can learn more about using compression in different genres in

this video:
The Secret to Mixing With Compression | musician…

musician…
Step 7: Gain Staging

If you automated the gain, it should already be sitting in that
-18dBFS sweet spot.
If you didn’t bother with gain automation, now’s the time to add a
gain plugin at the beginning of your plugin chain. Adjust it until the
vocal sits around -18dBFS.
Want to learn how to gain stage properly? Check this guide out:
If it’s a dense mix, try bringing the lter up to around 100Hz. This should help the
voice cut through.
Step 6: De-Essing (Optional)

Placing a de-esser after your EQ usually works best. But adding a
de-esser at the very end of the plugin chain can work well too.
Sibilance is a super common issue. “S” and “T” can be really harsh.
You can reduce it in the recording phase by placing the

microphone slightly off axis, or by using a dynamic microphone.
You can also use a de-esser. This’ll keep them from getting too loud.
Most de-essers have a ‘listen’ mode that allows you to nd the

sibilant frequency range. Find the problematic frequencies and turn
them down.
In this video, I’ll show you how to nd these nasty buildups and cut
them out…
How To Use EQ Boosts To Find The Nasty Stuff |

How To Use EQ Boosts To Find The Nasty Stuff | …
Next, use a high-pass lter to cut low-end rumble.
If you want the voice to be warm and full, I don’t recommend going
above 50Hz with this lter.
Try to keep it subtle. If you start to hear a lisp, you’ve gone too far.
Step 7: The First Compressor

As I mentioned earlier, I prefer to add compression in several stages.
This is called ‘serial compression’.
Rather than using a single compressor with aggressive settings, it’s

better to use 2 or 3 with subtle settings. The end result is more
subtle.
Sometimes, heavy compression is good (for example, in hardcore

and metal) but most of the time you want it be pretty transparent.
Your goal with this rst compressor is to shape the tone.
By adjusting the attack time you can make the tone more
aggressive and punchy (slow attack) or thicker and heavier (fast
attack).
Shaping the tone of an instrument is one of the 3 ways you can use
compression. Check out our guide on different techniques:
We’ll actually be using Method 1 in a moment. But rst…
Avoid using really fast attacks (below 2ms). You want the lead to be
right at the front. Using a super fast attack time will really squash
the transients and beginning of words, making them sit further

back in the mix.
Start with an attack of around 15ms. For punch, turn it down to

around 5ms. Set the attack at or above 30ms if you want it to be
thicker.
I nd that a ratio between 1.5:1 and 3:1 works best. Set the threshold
so that the compressor is engaging on pretty much every word
(watch the gain reduction meter) and then adjust the ratio until
you see 2-3dB of gain reduction.
You can learn a lot more in my de nitive guide to vocal

compression.
Step 8: Tonal EQ
Now it’s time to adjust the tone.
Start with boosts and cuts of around 3dB or less. We hear voices
every day, so as soon as you start to use heavy EQ it’ll start to sound
unnatural.
Top end boosts are the exception to this. When working with pop
and other mainstream genres it’s common to add aggressive
boosts to the top end. This adds air and makes them sound more
expensive.
Use a high shelf for this rather than a bell curve, and use an analog
modeling EQ if you have one.
If you don’t have a nice EQ, Slick EQ is a great free plugin as is Revival (if you have an
iLok).
I generally nd myself adding a couple of boosts in the upper mids.

This helps the voice cut through.
Step 10: Saturation (Optional)

Adding a small amount of saturation can make a voice brighter and
more exciting.
Sometimes boosting the top end with an EQ just isn’t enough, and
you need you use saturation to create some new harmonics on the
top end.
I highly recommend Softube’s free Saturation Knob plugin. Dial in

some subtle saturation for more air and excitement.
I tend to add a small wide cut somewhere around 200-500Hz to cut out muddiness.
In the following video, I give a few more EQ tips…
How to EQ Vocals Like a Pro (5 Fast & Easy Tricks)…

Tricks)…
Step 9: The Next Compressor (Optional)

You can apply another round of compression after the tonal EQ for
even more consistency.
But for lighter and rawer genres (like jazz, acoustic and alternative
rock) it might be best to avoid using too much gain reduction.
This time you can use a slightly faster attack to catch the peaks.
But be careful about going too fast.
Aim for another 2-3dB of gain reduction, but this time adjust the
threshold until there’s only gain reduction on the loudest
syllables. Then adjust the ratio until you see 2-3dB of gain reduction.
Depending on the genre, you could opt for more gain reduction
here. Also, experiment with placing this compressor before EQ.
Step 11: Limiting (Optional)

Even after automation and compression, you can use limiting for
extra consistency.
You only want to catch the very loudest peaks. If the limiter is
engaging once every few words, you’re probably being too
aggressive (although this does work for some genres where heavy
processing is needed).
If the limiter is constantly engaged, you’ll cut off the transients and
make the vocal dull and lifeless. Just like using a fast attack, it
pushes things further back.
Adjust the threshold on the limiter so it only engages on the

loudest peaks.For more apparent volume, opt for a fast release time.
For more subtle limiting, use a slower release.
Congratulations! You have made it past the hard stuff. The bulk of
your work is done.
By now you should have a vocal that’s clear and intelligible. Every
word should be loud and consistent, and the voice should feel bright
and expensive.
Now it’s time to use effects to create space and add stereo width.
Step 12: Reverb and Delay

Reverb
The current trend is vocals that are up front and in your face.
So reverb is counterproductive.
You’ll push the voice further away and make it less intelligible. Most
of the time, this isn’t what you want.
Of course, for atmospheric styles or situations where reverb is used

creatively, go crazy.
But if you want modern, radio-ready vocals, you don’t need reverb.
At all.
Instead, you can use delays to add space without pushing it back
(more on that in a second).
But rst, there is one way you can use subtle reverb…
A short stereo reverb can add width and depth:
Check out how to do it here:
03:14
Delay
A great way to add space is to use a stereo slapback delay with

different times on the left and right side:
Here’s how it works:
The Vocal Delay Trick: How to Mix Powerful Vocal…

Vocal…
By using different times on the left and right side you add stereo
width.
When you mute the delay, you’ll notice that the vocal is dry in
comparison.
If you want more depth and interest, you can use a mono delay. Try
syncing it plenty of feedback to the song’s tempo. This gives the
classic ‘echo’ effect that you hear on a lot of pop songs.
Experiment with whole note, half note and even quarter note delays.
If you want it to be more obvious, adjust the timing with your ear.
Set the time manually rather than using the sync function.
A lot of people create ‘delay throws’ by automating the send and

only adding delays on the last word of a phrase. This can add
interest and ll in the gaps between phrases.
If the singer is covered up by the piano, cutting some frequencies in

the piano should help.
The best place to start is to cut competing frequencies on the

other instrument that you boosted on the vocal.
For example, if you boosted the vocal at 130Hz, 2.3kHz, and 4kHz, but
the guitar that is still competing with it, cut those frequencies in the
guitar.
You could also use a spectrum analyzer to nd the prominent frequencies. You’ll

de nitely want to do this for the fundamental frequencies in the low mids.
Find the lowest “bump” in the frequency spectrum of your vocal.

That’s the fundamental. It’s often around 80-180Hz for men and 160-
260Hz for women. Turn down these frequencies on any competing

instruments.
Step 14: Volume Automation

Earlier you used gain automation to make the level more consistent.
Now you can use volume automation to add more interest and
character. You can enhance the emotion of the performance by
exaggerating certain syllables, words or phrases.
Try enhancing the very beginning and ends of words. A lot of

emotion lives in the beginnings and ends of a phrase.
My favorite way to add volume automation is to shut my eyes and

manually ride the fader using a midi mappable fader, like the
PreSonus Faderport.
Step 13: Range Allocation

The home stretch! There are only two more things I do. The rst is
range allocation.
Range Allocation: How to Give Your Mixes Room t…

t…
By cutting out certain frequencies in other instruments, we can

make space for the vocal to sit.
Reverb can also help you push them back.
There’s no need to go through and manually control the levels with

gain automation or volume automation. Since they’re meant to sit in
the background, heavy gain reduction is ne.
CONCLUSION
So, now you know how to get a great vocal tone.
7 Steps to Pro Mixes at Home
You can achieve the same thing with your mouse (but it’s never
quite the same).
Step 15: Advanced Techniques (Optional)

There are a number of other tools, plugins, and techniques that can
be useful.
You can use multiband compression to add more body and tame
any ugly resonances that crop up here and there.
For subtle volume control, try using parallel compression.
When you have instruments competing with the vocal, sidechain

compression and range allocation can help it cut through.
You can also use chorus to add depth and shimmer to the vocal
These techniques are covered in more detail in my vocal

compression guide.
UPDATE: Here’s a great technique for adding some stereo width to

your vocals:
My Secret for WIDE Stereo Vocals
What if I told you that you can make radio-ready music at home,
even if you’re new to mixing?
Here’s the thing…
You can do everything just right and still end up with music that
sounds amateur if you’re missing a crucial step.
Mixing can seem overwhelming, time-consuming and downright

frustrating… if you don’t have a process to follow.
But what if I told you that you don’t have to be an expert (with years
of experience) to make professional music at home?
Well…
That’s the truth.
Inside this new free masterclass, you’ll learn the secret to making
radio-ready music at home.
With this new approach, you’ll know exactly where to spend your
time and energy. You’ll no longer feel confused and overwhelmed
by the recording and mixing process.
So, if you want to learn the *exact* steps that will take your mixes to a
professional standard in under a year…
Watch this free masterclass now:
FREE MASTERCLASS: 7 Steps to Pro Mixes at Home. Learn

how to make radio-ready music in no time with this free
masterclass. Click for access.
It’s only playing for a limited time – we’re always updating the site
and this could get removed soon. So go and check it out now.
Rob Mayzes
Audio professional, musician and founder of Musician on a Mission.
RELATED ARTICLES
15 Best Amp Simulators of 2020 (Most Realistic Amp Sims)
Vocal Compression: Learn How to Mix Like the Pros
Gain Staging: 9 Tips to Supercharge Your Mix
The Best Vocal Plugins of 2020 (No Matter Your Budget)
How to Use EQ: 10 Amazing Tips for a Professional Mix
Gain vs Volume: What’s the Difference?
How to Use a Compressor: The Easy to Follow Guide
The 3 Key Phases for Recording Vocals Like a Pro

Step 16: Perfecting the Background

Vocals
Mixing Background Vocals in Under 30 Seconds | …
You want your background vocals to sit nicely underneath the lead

and support it, without distracting from it.
While the lead vocal should always be panned dead center, I

recommend panning background singers hard left and hard right.
Try compressing them more aggressively. A fast attack time (below

2ms) will push them behind the lead.
How To EQ Vocals: 5 Steps to Professional Vocals
LEAVE A REPLY
Show Comment Form 
33 COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE
Buoyant says:
October 1, 2020 at 02:25:00 pm
Thanks for the article… It’s really a guide to me for a better vocal mix
Reply
Spider says:
August 13, 2020 at 11:59:18 am
Brilliant!
Reply
sinister says:
February 8, 2020 at 02:35:12 pm
Thanks sir for this deep knowledge it will really help me cozz many of peoples
who can not affords money to learn like me but you made this possible for
me. and you are doing great sir. thanks again.
Reply
Fid says:
September 13, 2019 at 12:18:43 pm
I don’t understand the point of using a deesser before the compressor. That
way you’re reducing those consonants rst and bringing them back up with
the compressor. Plus, if the vocals are not compressed before deessing, you
might cut some healthy air and grit off some intense vowels.
Anyway I’m not a fan of dessers in general. I can only speak for my own voice,
because I am only mixing my own music. I found that using a deesser to get
rid of sibilance, there will always be a tradeoff between clarity added by
boosting the high end via EQ and resulting harshness of some consonants.
More deessing would just make the consonants thin. At some point I realized
that the problem is not only the magnitude, but also the unnatural frequency
spectrum of the consonants. The solution is a multiband compressor
(importantly in linear phase mode – one could also use a dynamic EQ) which
reverts the tonal changes made by the EQ only on the consonants. In a sense,
I am altering the original audio less then with the EQ alone. That way I can
avoid compromising the sound with EQ while getting a much more natural
sound with pronounced, yet not sibilant consonants.
Reply
Abel Torres says:

September 11, 2019 at 11:16:52 pm
You’re the best I found in this Jungle of Mixer’s writters and advicers.
Thanks a Lot!
Reply
taucan62 says:
June 17, 2019 at 01:40:12 am
Start with a good recording. End of article. Everything else is song to song if
you’re doing it at home
Reply
Michael says:
May 16, 2019 at 09:26:46 pm
Great article. Thanks for being out there!
Reply
Cellay Jerry says:

May 4, 2019 at 07:27:08 am
Thanks there bro,but can you provide a PDF le for this.
Reply
Manoranjan Borah says:

March 3, 2019 at 05:56:58 am
Thanks a lot. It’s great.
Reply
Increaze says:
November 12, 2018 at 06:39:06 am
Thanks so much.
I will practice what i just read.
Reply
Kash says:
August 31, 2018 at 09:31:20 pm
Simply WOW !
Reply
Wil kazembe says:

August 10, 2018 at 10:56:19 pm
Thank u very much for the info. U have bring me forward, i think am not a
newbae with mixing now.
Reply
saman.d says:
June 19, 2018 at 11:41:33 am
Thank you very very much for this text.
Reply
saman.d says:
June 19, 2018 at 11:39:15 am
Thank you very very much for this text.
Reply
Amos T. Moinjeh says:

March 30, 2018 at 09:59:39 am
you are the right guy i there some i use to do but many i did not but am
going back to start and correct those mistakes i know there is a reason God
brough me to this site i been mix for three years now i refuse to release my
songs because they are not sounding good like the pro sounds to knight am
going to begin a new journey thanks bro.
Reply
Nick Baldwin says:

August 12, 2018 at 03:41:35 pm
God’s timing is perfect bro! I wish you success on your calling and work.
Reply
Not.Nilc says:
March 8, 2018 at 12:16:10 am
This was very helpful sir, may God continue to bless you for dropping this
much knowledge , I applied your theory one time, and my mix is already
sounding much more professional . Bless up would love to send you money as
appreciation , what’s your PayPal?
Reply
John says:
January 14, 2018 at 01:09:29 pm
Great article!
I’ve been watching tutorials for years, and this is the probably one of the best.
It is very complete. I wish I would have gotten my hands on this when I was
younger.
Reply
SustainPunch.com says:
November 13, 2017 at 01:15:05 pm
Being perfectly honest, I’m a large fan of adding reverb & delay on a vocal
track, otherwise, it just sounds so dry! There is certainly a limit here, but it can
transform a live vocal take.
Reply
Jason S Barnes says:

November 9, 2017 at 08:33:08 pm
Ive been mixing r several years now but you really covered alot on this one..
thanks bro.. ive been reaching for the clear clean sound on tracks like Doobie –
When the drugs dont work and several Burden tracks.. i appreciate this
Reply
Darien says:
October 21, 2017 at 12:29:29 pm
Man, I’ve been producing and mixing for about a year now, and I have learned
a lot off of YouTube, articles, and practice, but this article here was absolutely
invaluable by comparison. So many things I’ve heard before actually made
sense when you explained them, and how you gave a very clear explanation
of the steps you should take for the vocal mix… Simply amazing! You know
how many months I’ve spent trying to nd this Lol!?? Now I can nally revisit
old mixes, and x the things that I just couldn’t put my nger on before.
You’re great man for not even charging for this info, or making us subscribe to
a mail list to get this info. Hella props fam.
Reply
Peng Boris says:

September 29, 2017 at 08:05:05 am
I’m Peng. I’ve being into music for a long time and being thriving to make ma
own music. Sure I’m at the right place
Reply
Peng Boris says:

September 29, 2017 at 07:19:40 am
Thanks very much so helpful…

Please if you got time check this out if I have assimilated these tuto
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oz9ym6AWWCo..
Reply
9 Easy Ways to Use Multiband Compression in Your Mix — The Pro Audio
Files says:
July 24, 2017 at 02:27:15 pm
[…] Let’s start with arguably the most important element of the mix — the
vocals. […]
Reply
Andi says:
June 20, 2017 at 03:52:17 pm
It is cristally clear and very generous tips and knowledge from your long 16 yrs
of experiences.
Would love to ask more if you please. Thank you.
Reply
Sam says:
May 13, 2017 at 06:48:04 am
Thank you so much for this free tutorial!

Every tip is gold. I’m gonna put this in the reaper newbie forum and hopefully
save some people a lot of time and headaches. I’ve been reading all your stuff
since I found this. Changing my mic position as you advised has signi cantly
helped my sibilance. You are clear and explain things simply. Again thanks
and please keep it up!
Reply
Patrik Jakubowski says:

March 13, 2017 at 01:34:09 pm
Great tips! Some hands on stuff here that I will implement immediately :)
Reply
jeffrey says:
February 12, 2017 at 04:17:22 am
Best article on mixing I’ve read yet! Clear, easy to understand and straight to
the point. Awesome job bro!
Reply
Amir says:
October 31, 2016 at 01:26:55 pm
Finally! This is a real clear guide to mix vocals that I was looking for yet!
Thanks a lot for sharing!
Reply
Rob Mayzes says:

December 9, 2016 at 04:01:01 pm
No problem :)
Reply
Ilya says:
August 17, 2016 at 12:48:09 pm
WOW! I tought i would never found somebody who can explain all this things
like for dummies, but wow,,,,great! Keep on posting man! special thanks for
videos
Reply
pankaj says:
August 8, 2016 at 10:06:01 am
thnks bro…it was a rocking lesson on mixing..really appreciate ur efforts..will

apply n exdperiment..respect
Reply
Jack L says:
July 27, 2016 at 04:21:01 pm
Wow, such an awesome article, thanks man!
Reply
FREE MASTERCLASS
Learn how to make radio-

ready music at home…
without wasting hundreds of
hours on YouTube.
Watch this free masterclass and get a complete framework
— or “blueprint” — for professional mixes.
WATCH NOW FOR FREE
Home About Blog Careers Contact Privacy Policy

YouTube

How To Mix Vocals - The Definitive Guide (15 Steps) 4 PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

How To Mix Vocals - The Definitive Guide (15 Steps) 4 PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

05/10/2020 How to Mix Vocals: The Definitive Guide [15 Steps]

BLOG HOW TO MIX VOCALS: THE

DEFINITIVE GUIDE [15 STEPS]

In this article, you’ll learn the secrets to creating radio-ready vocals.

Want your mixes to sound pro?

Before we continue… I’m guessing you’re here because you want to

If so, then you’re going to love this new free masterclass.

So, if you want a shortcut to pro-quality mixes, watch this free

FREE MASTERCLASS: 7 Steps to Pro Mixes at Home. Learn

masterclass. Click for access.

Step 1: Get A Great Recording

The quality is decided in the recording phase. A good vocal is 80%

Spend plenty of time preparing to record. Try out a few different

Don’t skimp on this part.

You can learn more in my de nitive guide to recording vocals.

I recommend editing the best parts of several different takes

Of course, if you want to maintain the original performance, that’s

Sometimes editing can create clicks at your edit points. If this

If there’s any background noise between phrases, you can simply

Apply Subtle Pitch Correction

Imperfections aren’t always a bad thing – sometimes they add raw

But other times you’ll need to use pitch correction to x a rough

Tools like Melodyne and Antares Auto-Tune make it easy to add

When using these tools, I highly recommend that you go through

To learn more about pitch correction, watch this video:

5 VOCAL TUNING MISTAKES (How to Use Melody…

Step 3: Gain Automation (The Secret

But modern production requires consistency. Every word needs to

This is usually done with a combination of volume fader automation

I want to show you a better option… gain automation.

This’ll help you avoid over-compression.

Here’s a complete breakdown:

VOCAL AUTOMATION TRICK

Step 4: Prepare the Session

Label and organize all your tracks.

Working With Different Genres

Depending on the genre, you may want to go for a different tone.

Here’s a brief overview of how to mix these different genres:

Curious why we use a VU meter to gain stage? That’s because most

I recommend using multiple compressors in series. Sometimes I use

When recording in an untreated room, there’s usually some

To nd these buildups, you can use the good ol’ boost-and-sweep

• Pop, R’n’B, Electronic: In general, these genres are heavily

• Jazz: Approach with subtlety and taste. Avoid obvious processing

• Hardcore/Metal: Heavy compression (several rounds of 6-10dB

Never use effects for no reason.

You can learn more about using compression in different genres in

The Secret to Mixing With Compression | musician…

Step 7: Gain Staging

Step 6: De-Essing (Optional)

You can reduce it in the recording phase by placing the

Most de-essers have a ‘listen’ mode that allows you to nd the

How To Use EQ Boosts To Find The Nasty Stuff |

Next, use a high-pass lter to cut low-end rumble.

Step 7: The First Compressor

Rather than using a single compressor with aggressive settings, it’s

Sometimes, heavy compression is good (for example, in hardcore

Your goal with this rst compressor is to shape the tone.

We’ll actually be using Method 1 in a moment. But rst…

the transients and beginning of words, making them sit further

Start with an attack of around 15ms. For punch, turn it down to

You can learn a lot more in my de nitive guide to vocal