Absolutely Do This To Your Vocals

[@johncostigan6160]

This is such an improvement in accuracy and time spent! I've learned a lot from you.

[@BILLY-px3hw]

These sound perfect, like vocal pads, I really like the natural vocal sounds, if you listen to the Bee Gees you can hear the slight imperfections, because there is no way in hell that they were cutting tape to edit background vocals to end perfectly like we can nowadays

[@davebops2478]

Fabulous! Bob, your videos over the last few months have convinced me that lots of little but important things raise the quality of a mix. I take a lot more care and time editing nowadays, and it does make mixing a lot easier; it's more work but definitely worth it. As I've said before, your videos are superb and it's a shame more people aren't benefiting from them - thank you so much!!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Dave!!

[@michaelcottle6270]

Makes me appreciate the miracle of 'Pet Sounds' even more...

[@BobbyHuff]

Brilliant!

[@watsonstudios]

That's a good technique that is friendly across different DAWS but since I also use Cubase, I like to use the warp tool for this. Also, the cross fade technique you use here may not work with more complex vocal lines with lots of syllables. Another fun trick is to fade the beginning hard consonants on most if not all of the backup tracks, getting rid of all "S"' and "T"s and "D"'s etc. so that only the lead vocal has the hard sounds. This avoids all the hard sounds from stacking up and minimizing the work of lining them all up perfectly. 🤓

[@HenryMittnacht]

Yeah! Also live in my band we let the leadsinger do the consonants alone, all the backgroundvocals avoid them at the end of the phrases/words!

[@derekmidgley]

I've done that too. It's a great trick. I only leave breaths, t's, s's, etc. on the lead.

[@YannisFyssas]

Yup an all those suggestions - they work very well and are also my go-to vocal cleanup tricks. here's another : use teh Waves declicker or de-clipper on lead vocals to remove some of the non-tonal harsh consonants then the vocal is way smoother without all those hard sounds !

[@caltezza]

Awesome golden nugget! Thanks Bob!

[@shayeasy]

great stuff. attention to detail but always with a musical purpose and the editing skills to get it done quickly and easily.

[@caseyhayes2004]

Super Tip!!! Gonna try this for cleaner harmony beginnings and endings!! Awesome!! Thanks!!!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Casey

[@vl292]

Great stuff. Awhile ago i heard from a singer that fiddling with the starts and ends is not good practice. It made my day, or actually the whole week.

[@therealjamesmarchant]

Another great piece of surgery from the doctor.

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks james!

[@sepperoxx]

Great stuff!

[@mikeloosen53]

It makes me feel AWSOME! as a weekend warrior hack (so to speek) when I watch you’re super educational videos that I luv so much! And every once in a while I’m doing something like you, “before” you showed me how!😊 thanks for ALL! You do for us doc B!!!!🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks for the kindness Mike!

[@mikeloosen53]

@@BobbyHuff just tried the "Bonham on a Budget" technique you gave to us a while back!!!! So COOL!!! Thanks!!!

[@TheGRider56]

Very cool and important information. Thank you, Bobby!!!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks G Rider!

[@ulfsvensson9710]

So neet! Big difference, actually. Didn't expect it to be that much beter.

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Ulf! It makes a big difference!

[@derekmidgley]

This is so important. Especially if we're not the best singers in the world!

[@BobbyHuff]

Agreed Derek!

[@PeterGreenProductions]

Beautiful Bobby, thank you so much❗

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Peter!

[@michaelorr430]

You make it look easy Dr.Bob!

[@BobbyHuff]

Hahaha. Thanks man.

[@billyhughes9776]

Great stuff Bobby -- thanks again!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Billy!

[@SmudgeTAC]

Nice Demo !!

[@dodo13500]

I learn so much from you Dr! 🙏 Thank you!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks DODO!

[@screamingpirhana]

Thanks for the tips. I'm a harmony fanatic too, so this will help.

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Don!

[@matthewpritchard6109]

Aaah! Why didn't I know this a couple of years ago when I was getting into multi-layered 'ahs' and 'oohs' and wondering how to do exactly this! Great vid, so useful. Will definitely be using this one. Keep up the good work Doc B!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Matthew!

[@paulnagel8161]

Loving all the detail. Thanks again for another great tip!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Paul!

[@YannisFyssas]

Free warp mode in cubase is a way better and easier way to accomplish this - it will however speed up/slow down your vibrato but for BGS you probably vari-audio the vibrato out (mostly) from BGs anyway. Thanks for all the videos, they are awesome

[@TimE_5150]

Practical perfection!Thanks Bob, this again is great stuff.

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Tim!

[@KyleBrianAbbott]

If you update your cubase - there's a feature that does this automatically with time stretch ;)

[@BobbyHuff]

Yes correct. This is the only way I could show this concept across all DAWS and without having to buy a plugin.

[@BobbyHuff]

Sorry about the spelling on the thumbnail….Sumner messed it up!

[@TOMIVALEN]

well that was werry funny i gues

[@twango63]

Learned a lot as always. Bob, you are my man

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Twango!

[@STOLGUITARS]

Great vid Doc Bob

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Stol!

[@roynichol3751]

Awesome thank you !

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Roy!

[@studiogorilla]

Melodyne! Always great videos, Bobby!

[@BobbyHuff]

Yes agreed Chris. Vocalign as well! I thought this was the best way to show this concept that would work across all DAWS.

[@pipelineaudio]

if we were all blessed with singers like these in the local screamo scene kidz bands

[@asawiggins]

This is great! Typically, I do this with Melodyne or vocalign; a little stretch or squeeze here or there. I LOVE learning multiple ways of doing things… because every now and then, elastic audio type editing can make vibrato go wonky or sound synthesized. Sometimes a little hand editing like this is the best way to keep things natural. Good one, Dr. Bob.

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Asa! For me this is usually the cleanest way with the least amount of artifacts.

[@beautysfield]

Great stuff as per usual. Simple, but it all adds up. Keep up the great work. Cheers, Simon.

[@BobbyHuff]

Many thanks!

[@irecki1]

Cool trick!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Irecki!

[@benperry490]

Nice! always great mix techniques especily like the vocal stuff you demo, FYI check your thumbnail title...surigcal?

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Ben!

[@philiptoner8719]

Actually- it reminded me of a cross between how deep is your love and the the great vocal from "I'm not in love"

[@BobbyHuff]

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!

[@robertdurhammusic]

Very old fashioned way of editing. Used to do this back in the day. Defo a great tool set to master for across daw’s but vocalign for batch vocal timing is what wifi done for the internet. Doesn’t hurt to know these methods if you can’t afford the plugin. Nice job mate.

[@BobbyHuff]

Yes I use Vocalign and Melodyne but this is the only way to show the concept across all DAWS. You don’t have to buy a plugin you can use a cut, and crossfade tool.

[@11000038]

Personally I liked the natural fade as the voices drop out. Also this as someone else commented these ooos and ash's are simple in comparison to proper vocal lines with hard consonants. It does work well if that's what want.

[@BobbyHuff]

Its really the same concept though with more complex vocal lines. Tighten them up and you will hear a big difference. Thanks Tim.

[@brianshaddock5483]

Nile Rodgers was concerned about this when he was arranging the vocals for "Modern Love." It was the '80s, after all. His worries ended when David Bowie assured him "I know when to go out."

[@BobbyHuff]

I’m a big Nile Rodgers fan! Bernard Edwards too.

[@NikolajChristensen]

We all love you Dr. And this is a great, working approach. You could also consider upgrading beyond Cubase 3 and use audio warp :). Just pulling your leg :)

[@BobbyHuff]

Hahaha. There are multiple ways of achieving this but this way is applicable to all DAWS.

[@NikolajChristensen]

@@BobbyHuff yeah and that's the beauty of it. I have noticed that the best of you lot seem to rely less on tools and more on skill and talent. Something to keep in mind for the rest of us.

[@MalikAmer87]

Great video, i usually edit the endings, and for a long time I thought i was just over processing the stems 😅.

[@BobbyHuff]

Hahahaha

[@jessefillmore]

DOCTA BOB ! Hey Bobby , do you know if there is a plug in of some type that can change a vocal track into a different person ? Like they do with A.I. . I do my own vocal harmonies and I try my best to change my tone with manipulation on my part and Eq'ing . Could you imagine having a plug in that could sound like David Crosby or Timothy B Schmit ect ? A prime example of different harmonies sounding better is David Gilmour's "A boat lies waiting" . Graham Nash and The Croz sing the harmonies during the beginning and DG does his own harmonies at the end . DG is a great singing but those GN and DC harmonies are some of the greatest ever recorded .

[@BobbyHuff]

Every BGV I HAD WOULD BE TIMOTHY B SCHMIT! Haha. Look for plugins that you can change Formant such as Little Alter Boy. They won’t give you Timothy B Schmidt but they can alter your voice enough to separate it from your lead vocal tone.

[@mainsailsound983]

Interesting. I have been cutting them but using stretching. I'm going to try this next time. Thank you!

[@BobbyHuff]

There is no correct way just do whatever you feel most comfortable with and gives you the least amount of artifacts!

[@Al69BfR]

What would it sound like if I use Audio Warp or Auto Align? Or even some external plugins like Vocalign or Melodyne? Audio Warp would be the tool that would have come to my mind in this case to align start end end of an „Aaaaah“ in the background vocals.

[@BobbyHuff]

Yes ALL those work! I thought this was the best way to show the concept that would work across all DAWS!

[@officialWWM]

I have a question about vocal doubles. If I record 2 or 3 doubles, do I process them all separately, or do I just send them to a group and process them as one vocal? Thanks in advance.

[@BobbyHuff]

You can do either or both. I usually process all of them separately and then send them to a group with a touch more eq and/or compression. Good question.

[@officialWWM]

@Bobby Huff Thanks so much for your quick answer. Maybe you could do a video on this subject? Strangely, there seems to be very few good ones that I can find 🤷‍♂️

[@gilbertnorum4366]

🎤🎸Somebody Get Me a Doctor! 🎶

[@BobbyHuff]

Love that song!

[@gilbertnorum4366]

@@BobbyHuff RIP EVH🙏

[@michaelparson-mcnamara782]

I must be in good company, since I like doing this kind of editing. I really get "busy" with "last chords", too. So multiple guitars and bass ring out and fade away together........ LOL

[@BobbyHuff]

Great Michael!

[@BobbyLouxMusic]

Hey Doc, I’ve watched all your how to backing vocal vids, but when you first solo’d that one track it sounded like there was a specific affect almost like a synth pad mixed into that solo’d vocal? It wasn’t quite an auto tune tone but a bit hi fi’ish. Am I hearing things? Was that your Type A plug or a synth?

[@BobbyHuff]

Very very very good ear! Type A was on the channel.

[@mrmorpheus9707]

The Doctor is in....pay attention!!!!

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Morpheus!

[@ardiris2715]

This is how I tighten a doubled part with a high strung guitar. I had to learn it cuz my arthritis destroyed my technique. (:

[@BobbyHuff]

Fantastic! Sorry about your arthritis!

[@ardiris2715]

@@BobbyHuff I've become one helluva slide player. (:

[@rodgre]

It's interesting to me that you crossfaded that edit with a linear fade and not a smoother, gradual fade. I'm used to PT, so I typically leave the crossfade preference to be "equal power", versus "equal gain", as it always sounds better (less-detectible) to me. Bobby, what do you think of the Vocalign plugin for this sort of work? I find that it has saved me so much time when it comes to lining up doubletracked or harmony/background clusters for this sort of thing.

[@BobbyHuff]

Yes I love Vocalign and Melodyne also but felt this way was the easiest to show across all DAWS.

[@mcadder]

Thank you for another great and interesting video. However, this time I must say that the choir sounded better before the stretching and crossfading.

[@davidkeller8084]

Can't you do this quicker and easier in Vari Audio?

[@BobbyHuff]

There are many ways to achieve this concept but this was the only way to show it that would work across all DAWS and without any specific plugins.

[@JakeyWakey]

I just timestreatch, but yeah editing vocals is the slowest part of finishing a song.

[@BobbyHuff]

Time stretch works too!

[@cary3428]

👍🙏

[@BobbyHuff]

Thanks Cary!

[@georgyj111111]

Revoice Pro saves you hours.

[@BobbyHuff]

There are many ways to achieve this concept, but this is the only way to show it that would work across all DAWS and without a specific plug-in.

[@sandersonstunes]

this isn't as much of a problem as Ts and Ss. Those stand out more than anything else.

[@BobbyHuff]

Consonants should DEF be aligned!

[@MackAxyzz]

...brian wilson did it without all that fancy technology ha

[@BobbyHuff]

Yes they paid attention when to start and stop notes!!

[@MackAxyzz]

@@BobbyHuff ...as jed clampett would say; they didn't have any of those 'modern corn-veniences' back then ha...keep up the good work man; God bless you brother ;>

[@BobbyHuff]

@@MackAxyzz thanks my friend!

[@TOMIVALEN]

there a better way to do it with tool in cubase named sizing apply time stretching ,much faster and precise

[@BobbyHuff]

There are many ways to achieve this concept, but this is the only way to show it that would work across all DAWS and without a specific plug-in.

[@oliverschmidt4831]

that´s not the best way to edit those tracks. stretch, don´t cut. much cleaner. and start at getting the beginning right, then you need just one stretch (or cut, if you insist...) for the ending.

[@BobbyHuff]

Yes, there are many ways to achieve this concept, but this is the only way to show it that would work across all DAWS and not require a specific plugin.

[@SandNigah]

The gimmick is funny, but way too much imo

[@BobbyHuff]

Gimmick? This really works.

[@darryldouglas6004]

That was beautiful. Were all those tracks sung or were some copied and pitched up or down?

[@BobbyHuff]

They were all sung. Only way to REALLY do it properly.