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Old 05-07-2017, 06:44 AM   #1
sjs94704
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Default Best VST's for vocals! Suggestions?

I have Reaper as it comes when first downloaded. (v5.40/x64 rev 584a8e (Mar 23 2017).

I am a singer and am using it to record my favorite songs. I am getting my music from a karaoke website that has a way better quality sounding music than the 'typical' karaoke quality we are used to!

I am familiar enough with what VST's and other plug-Ins are and that they can be used to put effects on any track.

I have been doing some investigating on YouTube about how to record vocals and I'm pretty sure that I have a good handle on the concepts.

So far, however, I am getting what I will call a "Flat" sound as if there are no effects at all! What I am hoping for is to get some useful tips on what VST's others here have used to help give vocals just a little bump to sound more rounded out and what I will only call full and rich sound if there is a way to do that!

I am seeing so many choices that I would be grateful for some kind of guidance here. I have a really nice condenser MIC and all the right other equipment to make good quality recordings, etc., so equipment wise I'm good!

At the moment I have the following on my mixes:

-ReaEQ
-ReaComp
-Master Limiter
-ReaTun

If you could offer a list of other VST's that you have used to get a similar desired result and in what order you put them I would be grateful. And if you feel I might consider removing something please let me know that too!

There is one VST I tried called ReaVerborate, which is OK, but I have found that it was the source of that 'hollow' sound I posted about before and would appreciate some suggestions on what setting for that VST I might be able to adjust so I don't get that kind of result I would appreciate it!

Thank You,

Steven Schuyler
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Old 05-07-2017, 07:58 AM   #2
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I recommend you to download VOLA and some other plugs from this page: http://sonic.supermaailma.net/plugins . It's better to use JS versions, since they use less cpu(vst consumes more cpu because of GUI).
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Old 05-07-2017, 08:39 AM   #3
sjs94704
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Default Thanks for the response and info. That helps a lot! - BUT....

As a matter of fact, I have already downloaded those. In my plugin list, there is one that says 'JS'.

The question now becomes (and remember I'm a newbie!) I see a few EQ choices. The ones I see are:

-3-Band EQ
-3x3 EQ
-3x3 EQ (1-Pole Crossover)
-4x4 EQ
etc...

What criteria do I use to determine which of all the choices I have here is the right one for my purposes?
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Old 05-07-2017, 12:03 PM   #4
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Well, I'd use some vst versions of EQ, because those stock JS(yes, others you can download here: https://stash.reaper.fm/tag/JS-Effects) are not so good. Btw, this pack(not only EQ) is must-have. There are some great free EQ(ReaEQ too), such as:
http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/
http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-vos-slickeq/
https://2ndsenseaudio.com/plugins/
http://ddmf.eu/freeware/
http://www.pcjv.de/vst-plugins/eqs-filters/electri-q/
http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?id=1021
http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php...alizer&id=1076
http://soundbytesmag.net/sb-plugins/
https://www.meldaproduction.com/MEqualizer (but you have to download the whole pack to get it)
https://www.audiocation.de/plugin
http://photosounder.com/splineeq/download.php

Free plugins news: http://bedroomproducersblog.com/
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Old 05-07-2017, 03:19 PM   #5
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There are thousands of free plugins out there that might help...but I can understand your confusion. How to choose ?

Now I know this goes against the prevailing view that you need the perfect set of perfect plugins to make decent music but if I were you I'd start with the basic Reaper set that you already have, they're mostly pretty good. But, and this is the critical part, experiment with them a lot until you learn how to use them properly.

If your voice is reasonable and you can sing in tune you're almost there. For a start you shouldn't need ReaTune unless you really can't sing in tune and if that's your problem then training your voice will do a lot more good than trying to patch it up with technology. You really don't need MasterLimiter on a vocal track so that can go.

As for the others, ReaVerbate is a perfectly reasonable reverb. You just need to be subtle with it. Turn it up too far and you get the hollow noise you complain about. But reduce room size and wet level and it sounds better. I prefer ReaVerb with some good IRs but you can get into that later. ReaEQ is as good as any EQ once you've learned to use it. You shouldn't need much compression either but if you do ReaComp will be fine. Again just keep it fairly subtle.

If you want more detailed answers then try posting a short track of your voice recorded with no FX and point us to a reference track with what you want your voice to sound like (this can be something like a Youtube link if you like). At the moment we have no real idea what you're working with or what you're aiming for.

Steve
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Old 05-07-2017, 03:58 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slipstick View Post
There are thousands of free plugins out there that might help...but I can understand your confusion. How to choose ?

Now I know this goes against the prevailing view that you need the perfect set of perfect plugins to make decent music but if I were you I'd start with the basic Reaper set that you already have, they're mostly pretty good. But, and this is the critical part, experiment with them a lot until you learn how to use them properly.

If your voice is reasonable and you can sing in tune you're almost there. For a start you shouldn't need ReaTune unless you really can't sing in tune and if that's your problem then training your voice will do a lot more good than trying to patch it up with technology. You really don't need MasterLimiter on a vocal track so that can go.

As for the others, ReaVerbate is a perfectly reasonable reverb. You just need to be subtle with it. Turn it up too far and you get the hollow noise you complain about. But reduce room size and wet level and it sounds better. I prefer ReaVerb with some good IRs but you can get into that later. ReaEQ is as good as any EQ once you've learned to use it. You shouldn't need much compression either but if you do ReaComp will be fine. Again just keep it fairly subtle.

If you want more detailed answers then try posting a short track of your voice recorded with no FX and point us to a reference track with what you want your voice to sound like (this can be something like a Youtube link if you like). At the moment we have no real idea what you're working with or what you're aiming for.

Steve
I agree. You should work to get a good vocal in a mix with perhaps just ReaEQ, ReaComp, ReaVerb, and a good recording, especially since your music is already mixed.
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Old 05-07-2017, 04:37 PM   #7
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Default Thanks for your replies ..... And .......

Thank you to slipstick for your information. It helps me to get a better idea of a direction to head towards. I will take your advice and see what I can do with it!

As a follow-up question, in regard to vocals at recording time, what are your feelings about monitoring them with the FX applied vs. just singing without and adding the FX later?

Once again, I've seen conflicting opinions on this subject in the variety of ideas I have found on YouTube.

Also, just so you know how I arrived at the VST's that I mentioned I applied to my FX track, I have been watching several different videos on YouTube about recording in Reaper(R) and those VST's were the ones they used in their presentations, so I figured "What the Hell"?

Anyways, this is certainly a FUN adventure! I will keep the questions coming as I make my way through this project!
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Old 05-07-2017, 05:09 PM   #8
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what are your feelings about monitoring them with the FX applied vs. just singing without and adding the FX later?
Some FX's add delay to the sound, so it won't be convenient to sing and listen to your voice at the same time. Moreover, you can add FX's to input FX chain to record your voice with it(destructively).
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Old 05-07-2017, 06:56 PM   #9
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If this monitoring-only Fx is a reverb, then it depends on the singer, some prefers the stage illusion, and some will have more confident when there's no cloud disturbing their view.
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Old 05-08-2017, 09:36 AM   #10
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hello, try playing around with this

https://www.kvraudio.com/product/adt_by_vacuumsound

dave
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Old 05-08-2017, 10:18 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sjs94704 View Post

As a follow-up question, in regard to vocals at recording time, what are your feelings about monitoring them with the FX applied vs. just singing without and adding the FX later?
Just to add my 2 cents, as a lifelong vocalist with a few years of formal training, I (personally, everyone is different) would NEVER record vocals with fx in the mix. I would also NEVER record vocals without having one ear of the headphones off of my ear. When you rely on the voice you're hearing through the headphones for monitoring yourself you will almost always be singing a little bit off key because you can't hear the natural reverberation of your voice in your own head and it can really mess with your ability to tell if you are on key or not. Same with listening to fx while tracking. It just reduces your ability to hear accurately what is being recorded. And isn't that the whole purpose of monitoring?
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Old 05-08-2017, 10:34 AM   #12
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Default Thank You mibo1022 for your thoughts ...

I totally get what you're saying and it makes sense to me. I will start doing that and let you know how it works out!
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Old 05-08-2017, 11:53 AM   #13
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Quote:
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Just to add my 2 cents, as a lifelong vocalist with a few years of formal training, I (personally, everyone is different) would NEVER record vocals with fx in the mix. I would also NEVER record vocals without having one ear of the headphones off of my ear. When you rely on the voice you're hearing through the headphones for monitoring yourself you will almost always be singing a little bit off key because you can't hear the natural reverberation of your voice in your own head and it can really mess with your ability to tell if you are on key or not. Same with listening to fx while tracking. It just reduces your ability to hear accurately what is being recorded. And isn't that the whole purpose of monitoring?
If I can get away with it, I always prefer recording vocalists without headphones at all.
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Old 05-08-2017, 12:29 PM   #14
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If I can get away with it, I always prefer recording vocalists without headphones at all.
That would be ideal. How do you keep their timing in sync if they have no phones?
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Old 05-08-2017, 12:40 PM   #15
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a decent microphone of course is essential to go with the decent voice
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Old 05-08-2017, 01:04 PM   #16
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That would be ideal. How do you keep their timing in sync if they have no phones?
Monitor through speakers rather than headphones.

Works fine if you've got a dynamic cardioid mic facing away from the speakers. I prefer the bleed of full-range speakers over that horrible tinny noise that can come out of headphones anyway.

It all depends though - some vocalists prefer headphones.
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Old 05-08-2017, 07:18 PM   #17
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Careful with the reverb, it can make vocals sound fake pretty fast. I always use a tube warmer either vat or an actual tube amp. I've come to find out less us more with effects... And don't be filled by the volume, usually when u add an effect, you think it sounds better but it's really just lowder. Keep an eye on your levels after everything u do
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