Old 04-14-2021, 06:02 AM   #1
Jae.Thomas
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Default harsh vocals in a mix

Hey everyone.

I have a nagging problem in a recent mix that I just cannot resolve.

Here is the mix:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vboigtvmlw...aster.wav?dl=0

Now, you might find a NUMBER of issues with the mix, as you all know what you're doing and I'm working on my own stuff WHICH I HATE DOING (I mix other people's stuff just fine)...

But I am concerned about the vocals. At first, they were too "full" and taking up too much space. Then they were feeling totally thin. Now,
They are decent to my ears, it might be lacking body, and there is DEFINITELY this upper mid range weirdness.


I just recorded vocals for a different song, no issue.

I just recorded someone ELSE's vocals for their song, no issue.

Just this song.

One thing - these are first take vocals, and I was too close to the mic. There WAS a pop filter, but this one weird resonance is bothering the hell out of me. It still feels harsh but im too scared to take away the presence.

Am I hearing this wrong?

What would YOU do?


Is there a slate tutorial that would apply to this particular subject?
thanks guys!!! (And gals, and enby pals)

ALSO

someone did some mastering for me on this track, and it's like mine has this "cloudiness" compared to them. What am I doing wrong? I feel like this is a mix issue.
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Old 04-14-2021, 06:20 AM   #2
martmix
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im not a expert but to me the vocal-track sound just fine..as well
has the mix

good song sound good
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Old 04-14-2021, 06:41 AM   #3
ramses
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Vocals fighting a bit with the drums? I guess you'll have to make a choice. What will dominate the lower mids, vocals or drums? If you go with drums, then the vocals will have to be kind of on the thin side perhaps. If not, you can allow the vocals some more bottom end, and sacrifice some of that low mid punch in the drums. I like the song!
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Old 04-14-2021, 08:41 AM   #4
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Interesting REM feel.

Vocals are perfectly legible and clear. I'm not straining to hear anything.

You'll have to be more descriptive. than "weirdness." That's a very broad term.

If you’re the singer, then you're bound to hear things none of us will. It's just how we hear our own voices.
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Old 04-14-2021, 09:10 AM   #5
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I hear what you're hearing, but it's not as bad as advertised. Some multiband compression and/or a DSEQ/Soothe style EQ lightly towards the top end should take care of it.

You can get away with more overall compression on the vocals too.
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Old 04-14-2021, 11:03 AM   #6
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I would try to clean up some mud/boominess in the drums. And then there are some frequencies in the vocal that I would try to control, either multiband compression (ReaXComp) or spectral editing. Not too annoying, but still.
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Old 04-14-2021, 12:15 PM   #7
Jae.Thomas
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I just can't pin it down. To me it sounds harsh and/or thin.

But I don't want to mess up the vox so that they are TOO full and take over the mix. I will try a few more things for my own sanity, even though the ME is working on it now.

thanks for the suggestions

I will show the mastered version once it's ok and you guys will see what I mean more, I just didn't want to share it until he was done and ok with it
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Old 04-15-2021, 12:54 AM   #8
fred garvin
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Cool song, nice work.

I ended up cutting around 1350, 5 db, q =.22. Suddenly you sounded a lot less tense.

Obviously that's quick and dirty, as suggested above a multiband or dynamic compression based approach might well be better, or a milder cut on the actual vocal track, I notice that cut interferes with your intelligibility a bit on your quick bits. But that's where your resonance issue is IMO.

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Old 04-15-2021, 04:56 PM   #9
kirk1701
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jae.Thomas View Post
I just can't pin it down. To me it sounds harsh and/or thin.

But I don't want to mess up the vox so that they are TOO full and take over the mix. I will try a few more things for my own sanity, even though the ME is working on it now.

thanks for the suggestions

I will show the mastered version once it's ok and you guys will see what I mean more, I just didn't want to share it until he was done and ok with it
Okay, I see what you're saying. A dynamic eq like NOVA focused somewhere between 1 and 2k would soften the small amount of strain you're hearing.

I would also try some kind of gentle tube-style saturation. I like Kush Audio 458A, but you can use pretty much anything. It doesn't even have to be tube, but I like what tube algorithms do to the midrange. Klanghelm IVGI is a great freeware saturator in general.

You're looking to just add a bit of weight to the mids and shine up the top. Tubes are excellent at this particularly in the hi-fi world. It's also very rock 'n roll to allow a small amount of dirt on the top end.
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Old 04-16-2021, 03:10 PM   #10
jsaras
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I'm listening in a tuned environment and the vocal sounds perfectly fine. There's a very slight fizziness that's common with condensers, but it's not a defect and it's not anything I'd try to correct.

The bass drum is too ringy/sloppy for my taste. That could use some gating IMO.
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Old 04-16-2021, 04:56 PM   #11
Jae.Thomas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jsaras View Post
I'm listening in a tuned environment and the vocal sounds perfectly fine. There's a very slight fizziness that's common with condensers, but it's not a defect and it's not anything I'd try to correct.

The bass drum is too ringy/sloppy for my taste. That could use some gating IMO.
that's a good point!!! thank you!!!
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