Layering Vocals - You're Doing It WRONG!

Layering vocals is tricky business - here's how to do it right!
Lewitt LCT1040 microphone system: sweetwater.sjv.io/jrzkma
My band is @InVirtue
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[@treyxaviermusic]

How do YOU layer your vocal tracks?

[@RokDAWG1]

The correct answer is always, “DO AS MANY AS IT TAKES! GET IT RIGHT!”

[@bohemianhh]

On a scale of 1-10? Muffaletta. Nah, mine's more like a plain ham and cheese, but after watching this, I think I can incorporate some vocal lettuce, some vocal tomato.. maybe some vocal mustard, might even double the vocal meat with some power-metal vocal prosciutto. I refuse to do vocal mayo, though. Too poppy.

[@Mrvegas6666]

You displayed my process completely when I record my three vocalists in my project.

[@Hetriani]

Who cares how I USED to do them?...I'm doing it like THIS from now on! Lol🤘🤘

[@totalitartombola7415]

With the stoner band just a dub, with the metalband, sometimes all-in Blind Guardian. Personal record: 28 of me me ME

[@TheSmeltork]

Lmao. That mic costs as more than my entire studio setup.

[@intriguedviewer501]

Production, subject matter, personality... Trey is running a clinic on how to make a great KZbin video with this one.

[@bohemianhh]

What a lot of people don't get is that this has been done almost as long as non-destructive multitracking has existed (at least since the early 70s). It's not a 'fad' or a 'modern' thing. I remember one of Freddie Mercury's studio engineers talking about how amazing Freddie was at perfectly multi-tracking vocals.

[@royjohnson3361]

Manual doubletracking was invented by Les Paul (I think, citation needed) and was in use in the 1950s. The Beach Boys and the Beatles did it a lot with vocals. Artificial Double Tracking (ADT) was invented specially for the Beatles during the spring of 1966 by Ken Townsend. What I don't get is why don't DAWs have some form of built-in ADT?

[@bohemianhh]

@@royjohnson3361 Thanks, Roy. Great info!

[@eduardomelo6046]

i dont get how Trey doesnt have millions of subscribers at this point. keep bringing up this top tier content, man

[@treyxaviermusic]

someday. the cool ones are here now, everyone else will be late to the party

[@grs177]

But my mom says I’m cool!

[@ForsellOfficial]

I'm getting a lot of early Shinedown from the way it sounded with the additional vocals! Sounds great man!

[@TeaspoonUlysses]

I'm in the middle of recording a track and now I need to add more...thanks for the tips, guys.

[@DJKuroh]

The only thing I hated about my band. It was impossible to get our singers to do overdubs or any kind of layering. Leads, harmony (not even 3 part), done. And we were a Dream POP band. Vocals really matter in pop and should be the star. You can lead a horse to water and all that lol

[@ratatatuff]

But aren't the vocals in dreampop pretty much in the background and supposed to be just a layer of sound?

[@DJKuroh]

@@ratatatuff I'll say indie (dance) pop with a dash of dream pop. Chvrches meets Beach House.

[@LintBisquick]

How does that work? Those layers should be stacked!

[@DJKuroh]

@LintBisquick it works like "damn i can never listen to these songs again because we brought our A-Game, but the vocals sound a little phoned." They sang everything like we did it live. That worked great for road testing songs, but the studio was the time to go wild, and they had zero desire to. It's very frustrating. Who I work with now is the total opposite. He'll give me like 14 vocal tracks lol

[@DrDannyMannGuitar]

Happy to see that this pretty much mirrors the approach that my bands and I take! Thanks Trey and Alex

[@niteshades_promise]

great use of the wilhelm scream😂 i love that scream. never gets old.🍻

[@roommother3398]

Great content! Nice to see Alex make an appearance you two really work well together. Layer up GongGang!

[@joshuagodinez5867]

Live layering - get the bassist, keyboardist, rhythm guitarist, and if he can handle it, the drummer all singing during the chorus.

[@upStomp]

This reminds me of Jane's Addiction's "Ritual" album. Where Perry's voice was double tracked to increase the chances that one of the takes would be in tune at any given time. Because his lines were so inconsistent, it created a very distinctive effect and became part of the album's charm.

[@treyxaviermusic]

Definitely created a signature sound for him, Ozzy too

[@ShatterScript]

Something I was wondering about for my own tracks, full of info, thanks for this guys!

[@aprilkurtz1589]

thanks for this, trey. it was cool seeing how you layer harmonies, we did ours almost the same way, from the lead to the harmonies. We double tracked the lead vocal, but not the harmonies. never thought to add a lead vocal an octave down. very helpful tip! great video, trey!

[@Hetriani]

This was such an informative and helpful video! Actually watching the process while explaining why, and how made it click for me and I'm sure it will for many others! What a killer tune too! In Virtue!🤘🤘

[@treyxaviermusic]

Thanks!

[@Thepaulislame]

Thanks for the tips Trey and bandmate fella!

[@LewisGale]

Cool vid, would've been nice to hear each layer isolated too especially the harmonies, but learned a lot that I'll be using going forward. Nice one

[@A.Moortal]

I’m honestly impressed by how good the single track sounded. But yes great production tips!

[@jos25582]

I like how you show an example in real time. Sick song btw!

[@johnkelley7676]

I support your cause. I love this channel and I will be subscribing. Excellent work boys.

[@ChadBillAnderson]

Gonna send this video to all of my client bands from now on before they track

[@ShawnSharkey4]

So much fucking talent, and I watch the contest videos on my way home from work. Keep it up, cheers!!

[@maximethetiot2703]

Hi 👋🏻 I’m actually working on a cover with a friend, soon, I will record her voice, and I never done it before. This video is very instructive !!! Thx you so much guys !!! 😂👏🏻🔥

[@dadbodmetalgod]

So good to see you and Alex still making music! While I love the new direction of the channel, I do occasionally miss tag-team of old. Rock on, Dudes 🤘

[@GuitarTabsDaily]

Great video dude! It’s all about the layers 😤🙌💪😊

[@dejanpodmajorski]

This is actually one of my favorite videos on youtube 🔥

[@FREISTUDIOS]

Great video and song Trey, thank you!

[@CreativeMindsAudio]

nice! been a while since i've seen alex on a channel plus a while since seeing the garage studio here. Great tutorial! literally just talking to someone about how to multi track guitars.

[@Rightchickenwing]

3:37 I love the harmonies during the bridge

[@mrobsolete530x4]

The vocal layering that the singer for The Contortionist does is so crazy and perfect while also being subtle.

[@josephharvey1762]

How would you describe it? I love, love, love The Contortionist (esp. Clairvoyant)

[@urvasbethud8849]

Extremely tight singing! I am impressed.

[@Rightchickenwing]

8:32 but then how do the live performances go when there are so many less layers? A difficulty many bands have I'm sure

[@treyxaviermusic]

Well, it's a pretty limited choice - you can either have good backup vocalists, or have backing tracks to fill them in, or go without them entirely. I don't think people should make their decisions in the studio based on what it'll sound like live though, you should just make the best recording you can

[@Skeleton_Dork]

@@treyxaviermusic Every metal boomer would like to know your location

[@musicmaestrodj]

Awesome video! One thing that would have been nice to include was how you panned the layers as its an important part of the process. You've got a new subscriber now. 😎

[@treyxaviermusic]

Welcome! All the pairs are panned hard R/L, only the double/octave of the lead is in the center

[@yungvirticus]

Happy to see the influx of content, sir!

[@treyxaviermusic]

my content is always in flux. no wait

[@TROY-ue4vx]

i like the song and i'm not normally into this genre, great voice!

[@nedim_guitar]

This was really cool!

[@wheelman717]

What a strong voice. Awesome

[@juniorclaudio7012]

Yeah man!!!! For more content like this! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@sVieira151]

I personally think the ideal number of vocal layers are found on modern Devin Townsend choruses. I mean if you were to expand all of the vocal submix layers into individual recorded tracks. 😂

[@Dylan99781]

As a supplement to this video, I really recommend watching Hardcore Music Studio's video titled "Pro Vocal Layering Secrets". It focuses more on where to apply layers in the arrangement, like what was alluded to at the end here, with famous pop songs as examples

[@JayslowEntertainment]

I have that same mic, and I've struggled over and over trying to get the right sound from it.

[@akmetalhead95]

Awesome video! It would be cool to see how many vocal layers are on each part of the song. Since the chorus is the "biggest" part of course, you'd have the most layers there, but how many layers work best in the verses, bridge, etc? That's one thing I'm trying to figure out as I learn how to write songs in my DAW and record my voice.

[@myronmosley2167]

Use your ears. There’s no magic number for anything in recording, mixing and mastering. If it sounds good, it’s enough. If it doesn’t sound good do more or do something else. Don’t get hung up on how many layers of vocals you need or how many db’s to boost or cut. If it sounds good it doesn’t matter how many or how much you did or didn’t do something.

[@BryanMorrison675]

This is useful. Thanks!

[@treyxaviermusic]

I like being useful!

[@who_is_dis]

Bro - you're genuinely a great vocalist

[@treyxaviermusic]

Thank you!

[@lionnonny]

I concur. 😊

[@sridharraju7588]

This is the video I needed.

[@user-lr3zs7pq1i]

You are genius, watching u from haiti

[@connerstines1578]

Double track vocals have been extremely common since the 60s.

[@pcLumsy1]

That's a lot of vocals 👌👏💯

[@agirlsname7159]

I like imagining the gong master reacting to this song in a Treyception. Would he have any advice or just say "It's perfect...you win."

[@Rightchickenwing]

Yes, tis a great song!!

[@jeremythornton433]

Great video! I do have to wonder though, how many tracks of vocals would there be in an average Queen song? Not a Bohemian Rhapsody thing but a regular song. Or a Van Halen song.

[@Ryan_Messenger]

cool stuff 👍

[@tophertaylor68]

More studio stuff with Brother Alex 👍

[@SleepyJames]

This song is fire

[@tjlovelady]

Thanks for the tutorial but the song is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@miscalt]

I just really need a video that doesnt rely on thousands of dollars in studio equipment for the result - the search continues

[@Rightchickenwing]

When is the next single?!?

[@RokDAWG1]

My last ep, my producer made me do like a billion takes. I’m glad my voice was strong or I would have lost it.

[@micahperrego3334]

Perfect

[@thebadbandito]

Great video

[@itsonlyrocknroll12]

Umm, how we’re the tracks panned? Did I miss it? Like hardpanned left and right?

[@saberreiter8569]

stacks stacks stakcs stacks (of layers)

[@eweesplace]

Great info whilst being corporate Dannys

[@IndyRockStar]

Scream! Featuring Trey's Bare Feet.

[@budgetgitarr5351]

7:50 I guess the song is called Cream now

[@idanshahar]

Damn tenors Cool video guys!!

[@alexnasla]

Trey is definitely not a tenor lol. Baritone for sure.

[@Kcutthth]

I’m working on a track and the chorus sounded…flat. Hard to describe. Going to do try this now

[@adownbeatexegete1549]

We're doing EVERYTHING fucking wrong!

[@MatthewSwasta]

Letterman visited Billie Eilish..something like 86 takes spliced together on, whatever tune that was. That blew his mind.

[@maknoxx]

did you replace the double with the octave down ?

[@treyxaviermusic]

In this I did, you can have both if you like

[@Dimitar_Tsanev]

The parts with the most layers and harmonies on them sound a lot like what Jonathan Davis has been doing on the last 4 Korn records...

[@Miriamchoi25]

sibilance ✨ ✨ 😂😂

[@TheWelhaven]

It’s easy to go overboard with layers and harmonies. It’s like eating a cake, you don’t want it all the time. Listening to an Alice in Chains album makes my ears tired.

[@Rafaelinux]

Scraym!

[@nickwilson6888]

Fancy microphone!? Just change the speakers in your cabinet!!

[@ChernobylAudio666]

ALEX!!!!!!!!!! Also hi Trey

[@Drewtootrue]

🤣🔥

[@memesouls8653]

Laughs in Breaking Benjamin…

[@christyd_]

What does _left_ or _right_ means when recording doubles?

[@treyxaviermusic]

That refers to the panning in the stereo field

[@saltyapostle44]

Realize when he was singing it was already heavily compressed. There was no real difference between the quiet parts and the loud parts.

[@treyxaviermusic]

Yeah that's why Alex was there, he applied all the processing so it would sound closer to a finished product

[@saltyapostle44]

@@treyxaviermusic 👍👍

[@LintBisquick]

Sounds great, but live you better have some players that can bring some BGV's otherwise you may have to resort to tracks.

[@treyxaviermusic]

Yeah but I also don't think that should ever stop you from making the best possible recording. You can cross that bridge when you get to it, if your song blows up you can worry about it then.

[@LintBisquick]

@@treyxaviermusic True. Lately I have been struggling with overproduction vs more stripped down stuff. Solid point though and that Chorus has wormed its way into my brain.

[@mhoff7722]

That mic costs more than my amp rig lol.

[@treyxaviermusic]

It's spendy, but it's also basically several mics in one. Lewitt also makes a bunch of other awesome mics that are much more affordable

[@mhoff7722]

@@treyxaviermusic I do like the Lewitt dual capsule for guitar. Haven't tried a vocal mic yet though.

[@Lord_Swoledemort]

You could title this video better. It’s such a quality video but the title is poor.

[@Dingbotz]

Each to their own but for someone so musically-educated, it's quite disappointing to see it going to waste on such monotone, melody-deficient type of metal.

[@treyxaviermusic]

I’ll encourage you to check out the rest of my discography, this one I was going for a simple sing-along chorus

[@jme214]

What has Yrey become? Yrey is no longer grounded. Yes his mixes sound nice. But who hurt him?

[@dzikoo]

I prefer one layer to be honest. It sounds more “organic”. Allows you to appreciate more Treys voice.

[@roberttalbott4268]

First comment first like 😂😎

[@JDY517]

Sooooo we just need a $3500 mic 🤨

[@treyxaviermusic]

You can do the same basic idea with whatever mic you've got

[@JDY517]

@@treyxaviermusic I know brother… just being an ass 🤷🏻‍♂️ and a little jealous of that mic

[@treyxaviermusic]

it's a damn fine mic

[@thejeffrandallproject6470]

@@treyxaviermusic so which brand/model mic did you use in your own studio recording vocals for “Scream”?

[@takeshikovacs935]

Good production tips but…. seems more like an ad for a microphone. Thumbs down on that one.

[@ShadeHope1969]

First off, My favorite singers are all DEAD, Second,If you cant play your material live without Tracks go lay down somewhere,in my book, YOUR DONE.

[@troysmithfr]

Lmao

[@treyxaviermusic]

sounds like your favorite singers won't be able to play their material live either, but they've already taken your advice and gone to lay down somewhere

[@bohemianhh]

@@treyxaviermusic TEH BROOTALZ!

[@MickH60]

I'm a boomer and that's the most boomerish thing I've ever read......!!!

[@user-yk4gd1fl4z]

Wut?

[@chrismusix5669]

Maybe that is exactly why it is called a 'chorus'? ≽ܫ≼

[@michaelistoma8356]

good song though