If you want your vocals to really pop in your mixes, having the right vocal chain is crucial. A vocal chain refers to the series of audio effects plugins you use to process the vocal track, from basic corrections like tuning to creative effects like reverb. Mastering vocal chain can help you achieve a clean, professional sound.
But with so many plugin options out there, how do you know which effects to use and in what order? Constructing the ideal chain requires both technical know-how and artistic finesse. The goal is to enhance the raw vocal performance without compromising authenticity and expression.
The Best Vocal Chain: Table of Contents
In this guide, we’ll provide a step-by-step walkthrough for building a versatile vocal chain. For each step, we’ll explain the core purpose of the effect and how to dial in the optimal settings. We’ll also suggest both affordable stock plugins and premium third-party options so you can recreate this chain in any DAW and budget.
By the end, you’ll have a solid vocal processing template you can refine to suit any style or singer. A thoughtful vocal chain brings out subtle nuances in the performance while ensuring clarity and professional sheen. Let’s break down how to polish your vocals and make them stand out in the mix.
Choosing the Perfect Plugins for Your Vocal Chain
When constructing your vocal chain, you have a few options for which plugins to use. Let’s compare the benefits and drawbacks of stock, third-party, and free plugins.
Stock Plugins
The pros of stock plugins:
- Come included with your DAW for free
- Provide essential effects like EQ, compression, and reverb
- Already installed and guaranteed compatible
The cons of stock plugins:
- Limited advanced features and precision controls
- Interface and workflow not as refined
- Audio quality falls short of top third-party options
Examples: FL Studio’s Pitcher, Ableton Live’s Gate, Logic Pro’s DeEsser
Third-Party Premium Plugins
The pros of premium third-party plugins:
- Cutting-edge modeling for exceptional sound quality
- Intuitive interfaces with deep editing capabilities
- Time-savers like presets and workflow automation
- Top-notch reliability from established brands
The cons of premium plugins:
- Can be costly, though frequent sales help lower prices
- Need to install and authorize on your system
Examples: Antares Auto-Tune, FabFilter Pro-DS, iZotope Nectar
Free Plugins
The pros of free plugins:
- Available at no cost, great for limited budgets
- Offer specialty effects beyond stock plugins
- Can get great results with enough effort
- Lots of variety to choose from
The cons of free plugins:
- Less refined interface and workflow
- More tweaking needed to dial in proper settings
- Reliability and features vary between developers
Examples: MAutoPitch, TDR Nova, Analog Obsession SPECOMP
Before installing any third-party plugins, check that they support your OS and DAW’s plugin formats – VST, AU, AAX. Stock plugins will always be compatible.
By combining stock, paid, and free plugins, you can build a vocal chain with pro-level sound and capabilities on any budget. Next let’s explore the essential effects to include.
Crafting the Vocal Chain – 7 Essential Steps
Let’s walk through the 7 key steps to take when building your vocal chain, from basic correction to creative polish.
Tuning – The First Step to Pitch Perfection
Recommended: Antares Auto-Tune, Melodyne, FL Studio Pitcher, Logic Pro Flex Pitch
Before diving into sculpting and enhancing the vocals, it’s crucial to make sure the raw vocal take is properly tuned. Even the best singers go slightly off pitch at times, so light tuning keeps everything locked in.
Tuning is done first in the vocal chain because you want to work with the proper pitches before manipulating the audio further. Re-tuning flattened notes after compression or saturation has been applied often sounds very unnatural.
Manual tuning with a tool like Melodyne gives you surgical precision over each note in the performance. While extremely powerful, tuning each note by ear is tedious and time-consuming work. It’s often overkill unless you’re handling a wildly out-of-tune vocal.
For most use cases, an automatic tuning plugin like Antares Auto-Tune is the better choice. Auto-tune analyzes the vocal’s pitches and can seamlessly nudge off notes back into key. Set the target key and scale to match the song. From there, tweak the retune speed – values between 10-50ms generally give transparent, natural-sounding results.
Another option is the stock tuning/pitch correction plugins included in most DAWs, such as FL Studio’s Pitcher or Logic Pro’s Flex Pitch. While they may not offer all the advanced algorithms and features of premium auto-tune plugins, stock tools can capably improve intonation when set up properly.
Carefully listen after applying tuning – you want to fix minor inconsistencies, not destroy the natural character and expression of the vocal performance. Light, transparent tuning early in the vocal chain provides the foundation to then sculpt and enhance from.
Gating – Removing Unwanted Background Noise
Recommended: FabFilter Pro-G, Ableton Live Gate, Logic Pro Noise Gate
Vocal recordings often contain background noise – hiss, hum, bleed from other instruments. This can undermine the clarity and intimacy of the vocal performance. A gate effect is perfect for cleaning up unwanted noise.
The key control is the threshold, which sets the level below which audio gets cut off. For vocals, you want to set the threshold just below the singer’s quietest passages. This way, any background noise falls under the threshold and gets muted while the intended vocal remains untouched.
Watching the plugin’s visualization helps ensure you have the threshold dialed in precisely. The goal is to prune away as much excess noise as possible without chopping off the vocal itself as it naturally fluctuates in volume. Finding this sweet spot takes a thoughtful ear and careful tweaking.
High-quality gates like FabFilter Pro-G offer advanced features for transparent gating. Look for a gate that provides control over the attack and release envelopes so gating fades in and out smoothly rather than abruptly clipping. This creates a seamless, natural effect.
Don’t overlook your DAW’s stock gating either. While more limited in features, stock gates like Ableton Live’s Gate or Logic Pro’s Noise Gate can produce clean results when set up mindfully.
Gating early in the vocal chain prevents unnecessary noise from being amplified by later effects. A precisely gated vocal provides much better clarity for further processing. Tame unwanted background noise with the power of gating.
De-Essing – Taming Harsh Sibilance
Recommended: FabFilter Pro-DS, Logic Pro DeEsser, soothe2
Sibilance refers to excessive harshness on vocal consonants like “S“, “T”, and “Sh” sounds. This is caused by an over-emphasis of high frequencies, typically 7-14kHz. De-essing selectively reduces and controls sibilance.
Start by analyzing the vocal to detect the primary sibilant frequencies. Sibilance often falls somewhere between 8-12kHz but can vary based on the singer’s voice. Solo this frequency area and set the de-esser’s reduction threshold right at the level where only the sharpest consonants poke through.
The key is to catch just the spikiest transients. Keep the ratio or depth low – around 2-4dB of gain reduction. Too much de-essing sucks the life out of the high-end, so maintain a gentle touch. Listen carefully to ensure the tonal balance remains natural.
Advanced de-essers allow you to hone in on the exact problem frequencies rather than applying wideband reduction. This surgical approach prevents dulling the highs. Controls for the reduction envelope also help modulate sibilance smoothly and transparently.
When de-essing with care, the harshness is tamed to crystal clarity without compromising detail and presence. A precisely focused de-esser turns screechy sounding vocals into silky perfection.
Subtractive EQ – Surgical Tone Balancing
Recommended: FabFilter Pro-Q 3, Ableton Live EQ Eight, Logic Pro Channel EQ
Before sculpting a vocal’s tone with boosts, it’s wise to do some preparatory subtractive EQ. The goal is to address any problem frequencies in the raw vocal that could become exaggerated by later effects.
Start by high-pass filtering around 80-100Hz. This eliminates sub-bass rumble and mud that only clutters a vocal. Next, make small cuts of 1-2dB to slightly reduce any resonant peaks or boomy buildups. Targeting the 200-400Hz range often helps reduce muddiness and chestiness.
Listen closely for harshness as well – sibilant spikes around 5-8kHz are common. Apply narrow, surgical cuts to smooth out the upper midrange. However, avoid making the top end too dark. High-end air should be preserved.
The key is restraint – you want to rebalance, not radically alter the vocal’s inherent tonal qualities. Subtractive shaping readies the canvas for more impactful processing like saturation and compression down the chain.
An EQ like FabFilter Pro-Q 3 provides the precision tools for this subtle rebalancing. But don’t count out the subtractive capabilities of a stock EQ like Ableton Live’s EQ Eight or Logic’s Channel EQ either. A delicate touch prevents dulling the vitality of the performance.
Saturation – Warmth and Presence Through Harmonics
Recommended: FabFilter Saturn, Output Thermal, FL Studio Waveshaper
Once the canvas is cleared with subtractive EQ, it’s time to start enhancing. Saturation, or light distortion, is ideal for adding pleasing warmth and richness to vocals.
Tape and tube saturation are classic choices that complement vocals beautifully. They simulate the harmonic generation of analog hardware to thicken up vocals. Keep the amount low – you want more body, not an obvious distorted sound. Start with 10-20% wetness then increase if needed.
Focus the saturation in the 1-3kHz range, where a touch of pleasant grit makes vocals cut through a mix and gain presence. Boosting higher up risks harshness. Below 100Hz risks muddiness. That vocal midrange sweet spot strikes an ideal balance.
Tools like FabFilter Saturn give you control over the character and intensity of the saturation effect. However, your DAW’s stock saturator like FL Studio’s Waveshaper can also get the job done. The key is subtle enhancement via carefully dialed saturation.
A touch of harmonic sheen makes for silky, full-bodied vocals. Saturation brings out the nuanced colors and textures in a vocal performance. Just keep your hand light on the distortion amount knob for best results.
Compression – Shaping Dynamics and Adding Punch
Recommended: FabFilter Pro-C 2, Logic Pro Compressor, SweetVox
Now that the canvas is primed, it’s time for the core processor – compression. Compressing vocals serves multiple vital purposes:
- Glues the vocal to the instrumental bed
- Creates more consistent volume and dynamics
- Adds density, warmth, and forward punch
Start with the threshold set where compression just begins, a ratio of 4:1, fast attack, and moderate release of 100-200ms. This nicely rounds off vocal peaks while preserving crispness. Slowly increase the ratio if more squashing is needed.
Add a touch of makeup gain after compression to compensate for the volume reduction. A compressor like FabFilter Pro-C 2 makes this step easy with its auto-makeup feature.
For extra grit and thump, try parallel compression – route a duplicated compressed vocal track underneath the original. Heavy compression on the parallel track brings out vibey thickness. Blended subtly underneath, this leaves the vocal vocal’s clarity intact.
Don’t underestimate stock compressors either. Despite their limitations, they can still effectively wrangle vocals when set up thoughtfully. Listen closely and let the vocal’s dynamics and genre needs dictate settings.
When used with care, compression makes vocals pop right out of the speakers. Vocal compression requires an intuitive, musical ear more than technical mastery. Dial it in until the vocal just feels right.
Reverb & Delay – Adding Space, Depth, and Interest
Recommended: ValhallaVintageVerb, FabFilter Pro-R, Logic Pro Chromaverb
The final step is to give the vocal space and dimensionality in the mix with reverb and delay effects.
For vocals, a short, tight reverb in the 100-300ms range generally works best. Long, luscious reverbs tend to make vocals distant and washed out. Plate and room algorithms provide pleasing color without overpowering the dry vocal.
Whether you use insert effects on the vocal track itself or bus the vocal to a reverb aux send is up to you. Sends give you more flexibility and allow you to blend wet and dry signals independently.
Delays thicken and widen vocals nicely. However, long slapback delays can quickly become distracting and clutter the vocal. Try muting delays between vocal phrases to avoid muddiness. Automating the delay level is another good way to add interest only where needed. Doubling and panning the delay also opens up space.
Quality algorithms make all the difference for these effects. A reverb like ValhallaVintageVerb provides gorgeous sound right out of the box. Even stock effects like Logic’s Chromaverb can suffice when dialed in thoughtfully.
Subtle enhancement from reverb and delay goes a long way. Used wisely, these effects give vocals dimensionality and life without overshadowing the power of the performance.
Elevate Your Vocal Mixes With These Pro Tips
Let’s explore some bonus techniques to take your vocal chain to the next level.
Creative Effects
Don’t be afraid to experiment with creative sound design on your vocal effects. Some fun ideas:
- Heavily compress or bit-crush a reverb send for a distorted, lo-fi ambience.
- Add a modulated chorus effect on backing vocals to widen and animate them.
- Route small amounts of vocal through a guitar amp emulator for edge.
- Print long delays to a track and chop them up as rhythmic echoes.
These types of unique treatments add interest and vibes when used judiciously.
The Power of Sidechaining
Sidechaining your vocal to duck elements like reverb and delay when the vocal is present can work wonders. This tightens the vocal and prevents muddiness, while still allowing effects to breathe between phrases.
Most DAWs provide tools for setting up sidechain routing quickly. Sidechain compression on pads and synths under the vocal also creates space.
Careful Gain Staging
Set your vocal chain levels properly to avoid clipping or wimpy signals. It helps to keep vocals peaking around -12dB to -6dB early on for ample headroom. Trim levels where needed before hitting compressors and saturators to control gain.
Listen on Multiple Systems
Always reference your vocal mix on different systems – headphones, studio monitors, car stereo, earbuds, etc. This exposes how the chain holds up across various acoustics. Make tweaks to achieve great translation.
In the quest for mix perfection, these techniques will help you finesse vocal clarity, impact, and professionalism. Take your productions to the next level with creative vocal chain and thoughtful gain staging.
Mixing Vocals to Perfection with a Polished Vocal Chain
In this guide, we broke down a professional 7-step vocal chain that can take your mixes to the next level.
Here’s a quick summary:
- Tune the pitch for a solid foundation
- Gate out noise and clutter
- De-ess to tame harsh sibilance
- Subtractive EQ to clear space
- Saturation to add pleasing warmth
- Compression to add density and punch
- Reverb and delay for space and depth
The key is customizing this template for each singer and song. Not all vocals need heavy de-essing or tuning for example. Let the raw sound dictate the precise processing.
While we provided recommended plugin settings to give you a starting point, don’t be afraid to experiment. Changing up the order, trying unconventional effects, blending analog and digital colors – this is where creativity comes in.
There is no universal vocal chain that perfectly fits every mix. By learning what each processor does and dialing in your ears, you can learn to intuitively shape vocals. Mastering vocals is a lifelong journey.
The goal of this guide was to demystify the art of constructive vocal processing. With these fundamental tools in your toolbelt, you have the framework to craft truly world-class vocal sounds. Now it’s time to mix, experiment, and find what works for your unique voice and style. Trust your ears above all – they will guide you to vocal excellence.