How To Place A Vocal In The Mix

In one of my previous posts I looked at EQ'ing the voice by finding the right "pocket" for it. This time, let's talk about another aspect of vocal placement which combines level-setting, panning, double-tracking and special effects.

You'll probably have noticed that different styles of music feature sometimes vastly different approaches to the way vocals are mixed. In some styles, the vocal must be the most prominent foreground sound; in others, it rides just slightly above the mix, and in others still, it's "sunk" in the mix so as to be barely distinguishable from the rest of the music - and yet it's there, and you're hearing it (perhaps because it's panned or doubletracked - or through some other witchcraft!).
How you mix your vocal is largely a matter of convention and style, but it's also a function of the vocal characteristics of your singer. Needless to say, also, the vocal is there to be heard and lyrics understood (in most cases, lol), so a key consideration is making sure that your mix preserves the message well.

It's very easy to "lose" the vocal in the mix. And to make matters worse, it's not just the "too quiet" ones that get lost. Overpowering vocals can not only "get lost" - they can make you switch off entirely. (Don't believe me? Go to any karaoke bar and hear how much louder the vocals tend to be than the backing music! Close the door after you leave please!)

So, how do you mix a vocal?

OK. I can only give you a few general guidelines in the confines of this space. The KEY is to realize the relationship that exists between the vocal character and the instruments selected to back it. For example, you need to consider whether a raspy vocal backed by a distorted guitar wants to "sink in" or "bounce off" the backing track, and which EQ bands to reserve for each. The same song performed by two different vocalists may be mixed entirely differently, depending on the vocal characteristics.

First establish the genre you're in. For most pop music the voice must "ride on top of the mix" meaning that it should have a clear EQ pocket for itself and a level placement which gives it a small edge over the rest of the track. Something in the area of +1dB might be the rule of thumb. For some rock styles as well as a lot of dance music the voice wants to "sit" in the track becoming something like an instrument within it, and to give it definition you really need to resort to EQ techniques, double-tracking, gentle chorusing and such. In R&B it's become a fashion to have the vocal really out in front, almost entirely dry. So, knowing these general rules, you can now approach your mix.
One of the most important ways to "place" a vocal in the mix (not just vocal, mind you) is by a skillful application of the reverb. Assuming you have a reasonable quality reverb (ideally with output to a stereo track where you can re-EQ it if need be), you use it to give the voice a placement within the mix "as if in 3D." Experiment with that. More reverb (without changing the source level) will make the voice appear to "go back" in the "room." Next, decide on the length of your reverb. "Wet" sounding voices sound great in some types of mixes but totally ruin others. Again, you need to know the general direction of your track to establish the general principle which you can now adapt to your specific mix.

A critically important thing is TIMING your reverb. Many modern plug-ins do this automatically for you, but even then they will use a preset which you still would have to adjust. Should the reverb have a 600 millisecond setting or 300 - or even 150? (i.e. which beat in the bar it should end on in a track running at, say, 120 bpm). This is, of course, a function of the tempo of your track. If your track runs at 120 bpm but your reverb is timed for a 90 bpm track, the result will be a "sloppy" sound.
Applying special effects (like reverbs, choruses, delays, etc) can indeed bring out the vocal presence and character, just as long as you don't over-do it! Gating can also be used very successfully to "define" the vocal particularly in certain rhythmic styles of music, as can compression. In fact compression is a bigger subject which I think I'll address in another post.
The general principle in mixing a vocal is to build the mix in such a way that it's sound compliments and supports the vocal sound. That's why the same track done with a female singer may need a re-EQ on some instruments such as keyboard or guitar, if those particular frequencies compete with the vocal. The same mix with a male singer might suddenly need a bit more edge on the rhythm guitar or that bass.

How do you know? Well... it's all about the ears. So LISTEN to other similar mixes and learn from them. Knowing the above general principles, however, should be enough to give you a good start and a recognition of those elements in professionally-done mixes!

LISTEN TO: 227-Q/Tuesday Jun 16, 2009