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Old 02-02-2011, 08:40 AM   #1
dkeatscary
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Default Techniques for double-tracking vocals?

I am working on a song where the bridge will sound much better with double-tracked vox. I'm a decent singer, but frustrated with the deviations between the two tracks I've recorded. They're slight, but take away from the overall effect.

I'm wondering what techniques have been tried by other. In listening to tracks by The Script and Keane, I hear double-tracking everywhere, and it just sounds so damn GOOD! What am I missing? Is it an EQ thing? Autotune? Should I simply duplicate the main vocal track and nudge it a couple of milliseconds? Stereo widening effect??

Any suggestion gratefully appreciated.

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Old 02-02-2011, 09:00 AM   #2
Lokasenna
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Making sure the two takes are in tune with each other is really important. My preference would be to sing it once, Autotune it to hell, and then use that as a reference to sing two more "keeper" takes. They may need a bit of tuning, but that reference will keep your singer much steadied.

If timing is an issue, slip editing will be your best friend. Typing out an explanation on my phone would be a pain, but if you Google "Reaper slip edit" I'm sure something useful will come up.

Regarding the idea of copying it and nudging the copy a few ms, this can often sound great in stereo while killing your mono image. I'd probably keep one track just in the center, apply this to a real double, and pan the copy opposite from it.
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Old 02-02-2011, 11:42 AM   #3
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It takes a lot of practice, but I am a much bigger fan of singing it over on a separate track. To me it just feels warmer and better to have two to work with than duplicating the first and nudge. Usually I will do several takes of the first track then comp them to get the best of the best. Then I will do the 2nd track singing along with the first. This way the 2nd one will be closer to the final version of the first. Try different monitor levels. Some have better luck with the first being pretty loud vs the 2nd, and others do better the other way around. Do several takes of the 2nd and comp that one separately to better match the 1st.

When I am done I usually put these both in a folder and then have a single compressor/eq on the parent and adjust the volume/pan of the 2nd track to fit the sound I am after.
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Old 02-02-2011, 11:48 AM   #4
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We used to do this in the studio live in the old days. Time was expensive so what you had to do was practise the part so much you would sing it almost the same s twice.

No comping, no editing, just practise. The other ways work, but I always think it's good to know what you are doing before you hit the red button
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Old 02-02-2011, 01:30 PM   #5
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What kind of variations?

I have a track where I am going to double the vocal an octave above if I can. I was thinking about ducking maybe the lower track sidechained to the octave track (or whatever) to try to stop sibilant sounds and other "hard" sounds from flamming (or something) against each other.

Never done it - don't know if it will work - just chipping in.
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Old 02-03-2011, 06:00 AM   #6
dkeatscary
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Lokasenna, I did what you said and ended up with a super-nice sounding double. I know there are tools out there -- I think Antares makes one -- that do this thing for you. I'm guessing that it pitch corrects the original and then "humanizes" a copy, changing it ever so slightly to give the impression that it's a second, separate vocal recording. My doubling on this song was mainly just a bridge, but for a song where all of the vox are double-tracked, I would be interested in trying a software tool to save time.
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Old 02-03-2011, 06:22 AM   #7
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Take out the consonants of the backing vocals

Also for thick vocals try lowering the playrate of reaper a few cents before recording and then putting it back up after for proper classic chorus effect
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Old 02-04-2011, 10:23 AM   #8
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Doubling is hard. Trying to sing it straight on will lead to small differences, if you dont try to null them.

Since its a bridge and I suppose its stronger in dynamics, focus on open vowels and make consonants as short and light as you can, making the second track even more "consonant less".

As Tedwood said: plan exactly how you will sing the part and then practice it until you do it perfectly.

A carefull non-cher style auto-tune afterwards and you're done. :P
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