Where can I look to learn audio mixing? Preferably with a focus on vocals.
Hey everyone!
So I've been writing poetry and ghostwriting lyrics for friends of mine for nearly a decade at this point.
Due to recent life events, I've gotten back into the hobby of writing my own songs.
Up til now, it's been entirely topline work. Sifting through instrumentals online until I find one I can't help but write for, then staying up until four am driving around for a couple nights and churning out lyrics. I've recently grabbed an entry-level DAW and a couple courses aimed at producing my own instrumentals. I'd like to be able to go beyond writing lyrics and get to a point where I can cover the whole process. It sounds fun to me to put money aside and casually build up a home studio! :)
One thing that's caught my attention recently is the different vocal styles that a lot of artists have. Not just in their delivery, accent, etc. but also in the way that the tracks are edited! Pardon the lack of jargon, but for some examples:
I notice artists like Hålsey tend to have a very "crisp" kind of sound,
artists like Joji tend to have a more "echo-y" sound,
and artists like Lil Peep do this cool thing where it sounds like he triple-layers his voice to give a more dynamic sound to his songs.
Are there any books or courses online I can look into to learn vocal editing? I follow along with YouTube channels like Roomie and Andrew Huang, so I've seen them play around with AutoTune a few times, but that's the limit of my knowledge.
Thanks!
Compression is often used on vocals. It should be in most DAWs as an effect.
Here is a link that shows common compressor settings for vocals.
I'm going to be creeping this thread once replies start coming in. Voice actor here with an interest in singing, and I've always wondered about this but never had the jargon to express it. I know exactly what you mean about Halsey having a very crisp sound where you catch a lot of the texture in her vocal chords. On the flip side, I've always wondered what Donna Lewis' raw tracks sounded like compared to the end result of her very echo-y and breathy songs.
@FreeLunch gave you really good answers for your specific questions, but may I ask what kind of mic, what it plugs into, and headphones you are using?
note: I have a pretty decent amount of home recording experience and a bit of studio real studio assistant experience.
That's a really solid plan. Focusing on, and spending tons of money on gear is a boondoggle in any case. Eventually, when you are ready, there are just 3 basic items you need. Mic, audio device, and headphones.
The first thing is probably the headphones. This is the one case where there is an actual gold standard and it's relatively cheap. The Sony MD-7506. Every single studio on the planet uses these. Having these will open up all kinds of details that you may have missed before.
After that I would recommend a decent condenser mic, a mic stand, and pop filter. Then you will need some USB sound device with an XLR style input.
But you are doing it correctly. Focus on the basics and don't become a gear-head.
Edit: phrasing
Can I recommend watching Butch Vig's series on producing Nirvana's Nevermind? He goes into a few things you mentioned in your post.