The Best Way To Compress Vocals

[@takemeseriouslyplx2124]

This explains it so much easier why it's important to use more than one compressor, I've never really understood it before

[@inthemix]

I am so glad this made it click!

[@tenesinsixtiliev]

@@RobyMBeki first cut the cake then eat it not the other way around

[@bennie.379]

same!!!!

[@bl_summers]

+1

[@ketkozy]

@@inthemix Thank you so much for creating the InTheMix KZbin Channel! As a video editor, I would have been completely lost without your content. Your tutorials have been invaluable in helping me learn how to incorporate basic sounds to enhance my videos. I truly appreciate all the knowledge and guidance you've shared! God Bless you!

[@MATroiano]

HE DID IT, HE SAID THE THING!

[@bananaclub69]

Which thing?

[@somedude8604]

Everybody always asking how's the mix but nobody ever asks what's in the mix

[@EnnuFL]

@@somedude8604 nobody chex the mix until it's too late

[@ramalshebl60]

✨in the mix✨ that was smooth ngl

[@scottelliottguitar344]

An 1176 style into LA-2A style is a great way of doing this for anyone wondering what compressors to use 🙏🏻

[@DeltaWhiskeyBravo13579]

Yep. That's what this combo was famous for. I like emulating that myself with my Pulsar Audio 1178 into the UAD LA-2A Silver. If it were my fave 1176 blue stripe, even better.

[@frogetbrotak7902]

Or LALA by Analog Obsession. It's the free alternative to LA2A and it's amazing.

[@f.herumusu8341]

I use the same chain to process bass, it should work for most sources if applied thoughtful.

[@mikedonald2018]

I used 3 compressors first we have waves 76 pre amp with a little eq then into ssl virtual mix rack la 2 a comp 50 gain 35 peak reduction then into a 1176 style fg 116 then into a ssl channel eq for some eq then into a softube cl1b comp as a main compressor then reverb delay and whatevr that’s my main chain

[@RiccardoCipolletta]

I really wish you keep doing these short but esplicative videos because you are not just "a random guy on the internet that said..." but someone I personally trust in this topic

[@douglasromanow2879]

For a purer tone, ride the vocal's track level, relying less on compressors altogether.

[@staticminimal]

In the Mix is truly and by far the best KZbin Channel for producers who have massive talent, but are stopped by the struggles of mixing and Mastering or other things you can't do with talent. There's is so much to learn, but it's this kind of learning you can't stop, because you want this moment again, where your own quality goes x100, because of ONE THING YOU DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE! In the Mix is responsible for some moments like this in my producing "carrier" and I'm forever grateful 🙏❤️ Thank you bro, you deserve everything 👏💯🎶

[@SorooshMhs]

I like doing volume automation first, to get the parts that are very loud or very quiet, first, and then compress. I get better results that way

[@marjinal0617]

its the best method but very time consuming, waves mv2 or vocalrider could achieve same results

[@SorooshMhs]

@@marjinal0617 not really time consuming. Just a few minutes and i’ll have the vocal automation done for one track

[@devinvenne]

​@@marjinal0617 Autoformers leveler section also does a really good job

[@Oleg_K.]

​@@SorooshMhs Do you print the vocals after volume automation or do you just get the envelope out of the way in your DAW and keep working on other stuff?

[@SorooshMhs]

@@Oleg_K. i use clip gain, so directly on the items, rather than the volume automation envelope. and no, i usually don't bother printing after adjusting clip gain

[@churricardo1457]

You can also use Melodyne to either lower the peaks or to turn up the silent parts nowadays, just leaving the compressor for stylistic effect

[@namegoeshere1]

I never get good results with that portion of melodyne. Ima give it another go though based on this comment.

[@smokeybeatz4379]

For a long time, I never really grasped or understood why anyone would use more than one compressor This really made it click for me Thank you

[@Valca.Design]

You're a freaking legend for this, that's even my compressor so I know EXACTLY where to start. Thank you.

[@DJPastaYaY]

I have recently started working with more vocals in my projects now so this for sure helps. Thank you!

[@guitarplayer5932]

first thing on my vocal chain is waves vocal rider , then slight compression to tame peaks , then eq etc i dont rely so much on compression it can so easily be over done

[@SandraRodri-d4s]

If you’re too lazy to do a clip gain, using a limiter to cut off peaks is real smooth, they way you get a more even signal before going into the compressor

[@dantepatel]

I use 4 compressors total on my vocals now 😅. Multiband is really good and you can run a hard compressor in parallel- only using a small amount of the compressed version.

[@theomnitorium7476]

I'm on four as well. A parallel one, same as you, and then a soft one on the vocal bus to pull up the reverb between words.

[@GlitchmanVGM]

Great video! I like bite-sized tips like this! And wow, you even made the video loopable! 😄

[@inthemix]

I can’t help but make them loop!

[@BeatsByGemsmiff]

@@inthemixits cool and well done

[@RTKBAND_]

i like to use limiter on vocal to really catch those crazy peak, and still using 2-3 different compressor depens on how dynamic the overall song and don't forget the powerfull automation for more dynamic control in your mighty finger adjustment

[@direkleandro7887]

Never thought of that. How do you set it up and where on your vocal chain do you put it?

[@JoePenaProductions]

This Tip is the Best advice I can use right away. In my weekly narrations, I have spent way too much time fine tuning a dynamic vocal template. -- After watching this, I went straight to two previous narrations, applied this technique to both, and boom! Just the tweak I need to my workflow. -- Excellent. Thank You.

[@gfgood]

And that's why ... If you're processing vocals... Nice loop :)

[@mattott]

Came here to say this! 👏

[@Automagi]

Also came here to say this, because important!

[@OloffMusic]

Hi Michael, would love to see a video on mixing rap vocals, although I know that's not your usual thing. But I think it's quite a different set of parameters to work with and I'd love to see your approach.

[@LachlanN2307]

You're killing it with these shorts man thanks for doing what you do ❤

[@davidxiu8020]

Thankyou for the tip Michael.

[@GalacticTravelers]

Upward compression works great as well.

[@loonaya]

Yeah, I do exactly this and I also automate input gain on the highest peaks by a couple of dBs

[@DT-cw6fe]

Dude, i use your stuff like a college course. I really appreciate all your info on your channel.

[@xthiagojunx]

If you want the forbidden way you could slide the parts that are too loud or too quiet and boost or lower their volume(dB) manually. But this way you gonna spend a lot of time and you can change the phase a little so you have to put fade-in & fade-out. and there is one more down side that When you boost the dB you boost the noise of the audio too. Just to show that there is other ways to do the same thing on mixing.

[@dafrovenom]

Music production final boss

[@NevHayze]

Noice! Yeah, I have to work out a lot of hollow sounding voices. Almost like they’re in a big hallway… 🤷🏼‍♂️ I need a better mic.

[@iam_myster_e]

Wow greatest tip in a short ever🎉

[@VirginHolyFire]

It’s called serial compression and should always be done when mixing for all music that will be mastered loud🙂👍

[@magicalmaybe7651]

You can also do vocal levelling with volume. That way its never crushed.

[@tooomuchsausedrippen9720]

Thank you, so simple I couldn’t understand because people would make it complicated

[@Inserthandlenamehere42]

I do this with a limiter... set the ceiling then boost the gain

[@-Dominique]

You can add gain

[@ladyshaymusic.official]

Great Video! So many times I've seen tips like these, and this one hits the mark. 110%❤

[@leifomusic]

I've been producing forn over 20 years. I've honestly never really thought of using a second compressor. I alweays did a limiter/compressor combo. I tried your way, just now in Cubase 12 Pro, using a fabfilterPro C-2, and then I use an A.O.M. Invisible Limiter. But I'm going to keep using your tip for a month or so and see which one sounds better overall. Thanks for the cool idea :) - leifo

[@leifomusic]

AH I forgot to mention that Expanding Compressors would also do the same deal. Sorry, I had a brain fart lol. - leifo

[@belgradeboy1977]

If you can spend some extra time, use clip gain a bit to smooth out the drastics on the vocal track before you engage compressors

[@SleepyBobsleigh-ob4hk]

Well explained

[@Daring2Win]

Thanks. I always feel I'm doing something wrong/amateur (which i obviously i am) when using multiples of an effect. I'm absolutely guilty of squashing entire mixes! Thanks again.

[@HauntedHawker]

Been using this trick for a long time and it’s a great one.

[@LidtAfdethele27-Hits]

It's a great technique but you could in this showed example do a bit of gainstaging before using the compressors.

[@user-uu2xy3se6c]

Can you please do a video on centring your vocals in fl studio and not aligning vocals because that’s different. No one on KZbin has this type of video

[@adkisy4412]

Genius. Keep em short video coming. It really helpful Champ

[@GB_RECORDZ_zZ]

These tip is fire❤

[@BUSTINJHAX]

Great explanation, that was very informative

[@mohammedkarrouch3158]

So helpful, wanna more tips like this

[@gforceink]

Can also use Vocal Rider and then a compressor or even stack them. Works well top

[@Pax30001]

Thanks for sharing!

[@angieblackstellar]

Thank you 🥰

[@vewilli]

Super tip!

[@BlubbBlubbBeats]

That was really helpfull thanks ❤

[@CalvinoSinclair]

never thought of this

[@ZAGROSRODI]

U Are the best❤

[@lorenzobove3660]

bellissimo❤️

[@Masshud]

😊ThankYou.Man

[@RLT_Official_Music]

Any chance?….You could do a step by step tutorial of this???….Not just talking about it, but showing the process at the same time?!….Thank you very much!!!!

[@nearn0where]

would vocal rider be also a good tool for that?

[@Kong_Wonka]

Why not just put a limiter and then perhaps getting the vocals louder or keep them as they are? I would love to know :)

[@RichSoundsMusic]

So take the lows and bring them up and the high peak lower to match eachother to meet in the middle?

[@OrdinaryPigeon1]

This man is a wizard

[@x0recordsllc]

1176 with a la2a will compress either way and still cut above the beat

[@MusicMRpro]

Great tips!

[@louie2g]

Best channel ever

[@rockpadstudios]

nice tip

[@Note_Creator]

🤯 lightbulb moment. I wondered why multiple compressors were used.

[@tcheckanotheroneabraham3264]

good job

[@C_Corpze]

I weirdly enough never thought about stacking compressors to create smoother sound.

[@ptkk21]

If you want that pop, radio-ready vocals, there is no dynamic range. You compress to achieve one, single block of a waveform. 1176 - slowest attack, flastest release and you dig into that signal, like you're looking for diamonds. 12-20 db of reduction with the ratio of everything between 4-8. The dynamics of a pop song are not to be found in vocals but in an interesting arrangement and sound FX of the whole song. Unless ofcourse you're mixing an opera or a Hans Zimmer's soundtrack.

[@dagb7271]

Thanks

[@rome8180]

Clip gain, man. It only takes about 15 minutes to go through an entire lead vocal and turn down the loud parts and turn up the quiet parts. And since it's not an automated process, you can get it EXACTLY how you want. You can do things like bring up just the tail of certain words, which no amount of compression will achieve. You can still compress afterward, but the compressor will have a much more even signal to work with.

[@chozen_666]

Okee but what if you use soft clipper before compression does it help to reduce vocal pikes? 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@Six2Nine]

Edit your vocals manually. Bring them to a certain average level. Then use compression.

[@garyloewenthal]

I find this to be a practical, time-saving early step on processing vocals, especially vocals with a wide dynamic range (which is most vocals in my world). It's a weird analogy, but I liken it to picking up large items by hand before vacuuming a rug. Once volumes are within a range, I usually use compression for more fine-tuning. I do the same thing for guitar fills and other tracks that have widely divergent peaks and valleys.

[@francobuzzetti9424]

i started doing this out of lazyness cause i heard about manualy automating every word before compressing. and i just went " nah, i'll slap a compressor before the compressor" but then after that second comp a use another comp and get rid of any humanity on that vocal, that's why i suck

[@AMARDEEPDS]

how to do this using fl studio stock plugin

[@strive4impact]

So you duplicate the track and run different compressors on each track, correct?

[@aubreymontyf.l.3766]

Hi , tiktok compress my music, how to mix it so that it works well with tiktok compression?

[@lostsoulsoftheabyss1771]

Bros a vampire producer

[@stefanfeegres9942]

😂

[@JHNJSPH]

Gems

[@seanbeco5133]

Sometimes i even use three two compressors and rvox

[@thelifeofalii333]

Cheeky “and that’s why at the end 😆”

[@neilmaile2442]

Cool

[@Heart_Beatss]

what is the plugin that you are using

[@felixhuber6639]

If you're using parallel compression for the vocals, would you load the first compressor that tames the peaks on the original track and the second compressor on the send channel?

[@jeypsocampo97]

Hey in the mix! Can I ask if the order of the compressors should be in the same order as presented here? Thank u

[@Londowa]

10/10

[@ban_droid]

just like what martin garix said, "this might sounds stupid, but i use two compressor"

[@Zeala_Isaacs]

❤❤

[@dysfunctionalcow]

Handsome 😊

[@shockmaticproductions6368]

I would personally prefer clip gaining the performance first then compression follows

[@NaimAneas]

Clip gaining?

[@the_ante_meridiem]

Can we use limiter instead of the first compressor?

[@lilaccentawarangi-pekepo8849]

Show us how exactly

[@onlyjonesy8]

could also just clip gain

[@ThisIsVersatile]

💯

[@primeeye]

What should i do when my beat plays and record in the channel i set my vocals to. The beat is in a different track in the mixer same as the vocals but after recording my vocals and beat plays together in the same channel. My beat is under my vocals u hear the beat and the vocals blended in the recording u can't hear the recorded vocals alone

[@EF-mj9gw]

Can u tell me the chain? Or just add compressor after another? I usually use compressor after fixing eq, so basically after eq i add two compressor right?

[@riqibeats1272]

🔥

[@musiciansimon8562]

What does this mean stacked in series?

[@SEKTORMYNE]

Parallel Compression.

[@danilorg]

I use automation.