Holy Grail Rap Vocal Chain | Logic Pro Edition

In this tutorial, we'll recreate the famous rap vocal chain used by superstar artists like Big Sean, Drake, Dr. Dre and many more... mixing with stock plugins included in Logic Pro X 🎚🎛
🎛 Mixing Presets & DAW Templates
NEW Divine Mixing Vocal Chains Ultimate (StudioRack): bit.ly/vocal-chains-ultimate
UPDATED Divine Mixing Vocal Chains SR (StudioRack): bit.ly/vocal-chains-sr
UPDATED Divine Mastering Chains SR (StudioRack): bit.ly/mastering-chains-sr
Divine Mixing Waves Template (Logic Pro X, Cubase & Pro Tools): bit.ly/waves-template
Divine Mixing Vocal Chains - Logic Edition (Logic Pro X): bit.ly/vocal-chains-le
🎹 Synth Presets & Drum Samples:
8oh!8 Bass Presets for Serum - bit.ly/8oh8-presets
Urban Dreamscapes for Serum - bit.ly/urbandreamscapes
The Niche Kit (Creative Drum and Loop Kit) - bit.ly/nichekit
🔈 My Studio Gear
seandivine.com/studio
🎶 DistroKid - My Favorite Music Distribution Service: bit.ly/distrokid-sd
*I have the Musician Plus plan
💬 Let's Connect
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Instagram: / seandivine
Disclosure: My videos contain affiliate links to products and services I use and recommend. I may receive a small commission on sales through these links, at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support as this helps me continue to create content for the channel!

[@asartheloved]

You just saved me a million hours and so many sleepless nights bro !!!

[@ACelebrationofLIFEMendoza]

Thanks so much Sean!!! always such a joy to learn from you

[@gbengaakinnola677]

the flow is dope man!!!! nice beat as well.

[@jaycole1900]

Learning so much from you Sean. Thanks as usual

[@punkemogeekrock]

Great! Thanks Sean for doing this!

[@tj-introoutrobed8136]

This is great!! Thank you so much, Sean! 👍🏻

[@amenaza1119]

Thanks for all the tips you give us in your videos! Peace

[@hesretnu]

Love this so much!

[@dos_theanonymous_one]

Great intel. Very helpful. Give thanx Sean. Nuff respect.

[@KontrabanMuzic]

You so on point with every video and well spoken with detail. I enjoy everything you put out and tons of knowledge

[@SeanDivine]

Appreciate that Kontra! Glad to help.

[@kkaner181]

Thank you for this great content!

[@KenFoxmusic]

Sounds Great Brother. I love the NT1 as well

[@lotimadeit]

Really informative one💯 Simple and effective🔥

[@xelent1]

Nice work Sean!

[@user-fz2mu9co6g]

Sounds good 💯

[@andre.1860]

Always great job 👍 thanks for that video

[@lotimadeit]

How did you watch a 14 minute video that quick?😂

[@buckybarz3779]

You sound good bro. Also thank you for getting straight to it. You got a new sub! 💯

[@saint_alpine]

duden you're a life saver

[@seymourceikemusic6699]

Great video. Thanks for the useful information. ✌️

[@geoenriquez1879]

Preciate this 👌🏼

[@t3agray]

never stop!

[@buckybarz3779]

Thank you for this. 💯

[@jalenboyette1488]

Peace & love from the 704. Great video, appreciate the knowledge!

[@JrumBeats]

Crazy dope flows on the beat Sean, God bless you my friend. Wishing you well!!

[@SeanDivine]

Appreciate that bro!!

[@djtortilla5312]

Here to say the same bro!!

[@Nic-tg2ei]

Hey Sean, this is really useful thanks. I don't rap, but it takes my voice into something I can work with at last.

[@SeanDivine]

🙌

[@frankeyzzz9068]

I like shadowing your mixes/masters 🔥

[@OfficialBXLLY]

interesting. let’s go. cheers bro

[@EvangelicalDj]

I appreciate what you do Bro

[@happysinha]

Thanku so much ☺️

[@Tirkey24]

Superb

[@DonHajicek]

Thank you! Subscribed.

[@McEw]

Song is fire bro

[@Jvaldes609]

Man you are amazing!

[@SeanDivine]

Appreciate you J!

[@Mrnuttenbutter]

bars alone got my subscription

[@HamoLive]

dang this made a difference!

[@indirecords7438]

Sean learn so much from you bro. For so long you been guiding. Thank you ever so much. Love from India. ❤️💯💯💯💯🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@SeanDivine]

Glad to hear that Indi 🙏

[@wendellboynes8072]

Song is dope !!

[@SeanDivine]

🙏

[@athomesongwriting]

Logic Kicks so much A$$. It has everything you would ever need. I learned a lot from you. Thanks!

[@caobone]

Thank you for the knowledge man, got my vocals sounding much better 🗣🎙

[@SeanDivine]

Glad to hear it man!

[@weirdosquaaad]

Real talk I hope you see this Sean, thanks for all the knowledge man. Your vids are always a good watch

[@SeanDivine]

Glad to help Dax! 🙏

[@weirdosquaaad]

@@SeanDivine my brotha ✊✊✊

[@yangadjonne5466]

Respect 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@DreErdna]

Dope!!! U killed that verse too!!! #Spittin

[@SeanDivine]

🙏

[@iamthemembrane]

You're a dope rapper man! Nice work! Thanks

[@SeanDivine]

Appreciate that man 🙏

[@BradcruiseUSA]

Yeah m8 great stuff all around thank u 🙏🏽

[@Darksagan]

Damn sounds nice.

[@47Libra]

Nice

[@kendallhoulder5139]

THANKS SEAN !!!!!

[@SeanDivine]

You bet :)

[@kingzthevessel7281]

Great video.

[@SeanDivine]

Thanks!

[@floyboymusic]

This stock preset sounds goooood! Ill be using it

[@SeanDivine]

Have fun 🙌

[@stephenhobbsmusic]

AYEEE RODENT1 GANG IN THE HOUSE! BEEN ON THE RODE TEAM SINCE THE NT1A WHEN IT WAS NICKEL AND UGLY

[@peezyy3]

That needle on the stock compressor has the fastest response time I've ever seen on a plugin lol. That 144hz monitor refresh rate is definitely working

[@SeanDivine]

LOL

[@JEtienneMusic]

Hey Sean I can't wait to get my hair done so I can rock my Divine Mixing hats. Also never noticed the slight Mac Miller-esque quality to your rap vocal delivery

[@SeanDivine]

Appreciate that J!

[@timstrel1]

Nice verse my man!!!!

[@SeanDivine]

Thanks man!

[@jacksongroves7667]

Thank you bro love your lyrics all praise to The Most High

[@SeanDivine]

🙏

[@dieserbenni4864]

thx

[@mikenorrismusica]

Cool-isimo video. Stock plugins in Logic are just fucking fantastic.

[@the-real-rabizzlethedoctor]

I love utilising the Distortion on the Logic Compressor 😃😉

[@candormind3159]

Sounds like a nice song

[@SeanDivine]

Thanks!

[@gnarlyrides]

Great vocal chain. Thanks for this. What‘s on the bus 2?

[@SonOfGilo]

That reaction at 10:73 after flipping the bypass after adjusting the EQ + Drive LOL. Looked surprised yourself lmao...

[@aayjay2782]

I'm in Greensboro Sean. Would love to meet and greet about some engineering and rekording tips. And maybe even book a session with you as well.

[@dspoet1]

This is dope. Can you do a part for fx like Reverb & Delay

[@brandonhenry8271]

Gratitude mista

[@RomeoRuizMusic]

Hey Sean. Thanks so much. I’m new to learning mixing and am a new subscriber here. I appreciate the time you put into the videos. I’m wondering, and I know this may be a newbie question , but can you get similar results with some of the Waves plugins like the Q10 for eq and some of the CLA compressors ? Thanks so much. I have a Mac with older versions of the waves diamond bundle that was given to me running Cubase 6.5 as a gift so I’m trying to really optimize what was given to me. Really appreciate it a lot.

[@PRODBY24X7]

I would say yes just find the alternatives

[@j-new6278]

Dude nice job, good information. Nice flow too. Think I heard Charlotte an MB on that... I'm over in MB. You doing shows? I'll come out

[@SeanDivine]

Thanks J! Hopefully at some point!

[@raphaelfernandez6818]

Perfect video, perfect timing. Thanks Sean 🙏 just a quick one too, im having a bit of difficulty getting a specific type of vocal to sit right in an otherwise chaotic mix (think NEW MAGIC WAND by Tyler).. the voice is pitched down and very croaky (like a “morning voice” almost). How do you think I should add some body to the voice without it competing with the heavy bass and busy midrange within the synths? The top end of the vocal is really shining through but I’m just having trouble with cutting that body through in the master..

[@SeanDivine]

Thanks! Depends on the instrumental mix. I'd start by turning down the synth or EQing out the mids interfering with the vocal... or sidechain it :)

[@GloveBunniesVideos]

Great video! Really helps to have these listed out. How different would a pop vocal chain be?

[@SeanDivine]

Not that much different in terms of overall tone / approach. The core of most vocal chains aren't genre specific... compression style, effects processing are where the approach changes the most in my experience!

[@GloveBunniesVideos]

@@SeanDivine Thanks!

[@lesasduzouglou8412]

I really appreciate your videos sir but I'm in Africa and I don't speak English so for a French speaker how to do it? for your Masterclasses. I really want to learn you are the ideal person

[@davidsmarttmusic3744]

💪🏿

[@BZDthemc]

Did you have a plugin on bus 2 , just curious what the intention of sending bus 1 to bus 2? Love your content been following for years and you've made the learning process much easier. Thanks Sean!

[@SeanDivine]

Glad to hear it’s been helpful 🙏 bus 2 is a very small plate reverb, just to add a little space!

[@AZANlA]

the vocal sound like that pop rapper jack Harlow

[@l_ord9]

Great in-depth tutorial. Quick and easy to grasp. Thank you. Also there was a bus send you were adjusting. What was that doing?

[@SeanDivine]

It’s a very small plate reverb

[@l_ord9]

@@SeanDivine Thank you Sir.

[@jakestoneshow]

I had a Rode NT1 ! For my vocals I didn't like it and I had to do a lot of EQ to get it balanced. So, I tried a different pair of pants on and I got a Neumann TLM 103 and it's been a game changer for my vocal tone/ range.

[@WestSideChris805]

I'm in the exact same boat with you 😂 Exactly like this.

[@SeanDivine]

Nice! I'm a bit surprised you prefer the tone of the 103 if you didn't like the NT1. The 103 is very top heavy and has a whistle in the sibilance, in my experience :) Whatever works though, every voice / mic combo works differently!

[@jakestoneshow]

@@SeanDivine i did notice it was a little top heavy so i flipped it upside down and threw it an PF8 globe thingy and so far im reeealy liking the tone. I had a lot of overly low bass issues with the RODE - I still have it though

[@lequidbit9385]

Ive been using this the last couple days and it works really well. Can you give more details on the pre optimizing process? Maybe an example of you doing it?

[@SeanDivine]

I'll see what I can do!

[@lequidbit9385]

@@SeanDivine Thank you.... These videos are gems. Appreciate you

[@deadlycontent503]

need this for waves or a new preset pack

[@MixingInActionStudios]

Can you do a studio one version?

[@ThinIce365]

It's interesting to me that you have an attack of 0 for the compressor. I'm still learning about mixing, but I've normally only seen such a fast attack used with parallel compression. My understanding is that if the attack is too quick you lose some of the transients, but maybe you can tell me more about your decision making. Appreciate you bro

[@SeanDivine]

It depends on the context of the vocal. Generally speaking, in tracking I’d use a slower attack. Here with a softer opto comp in the mix stage, the fast attack will work to tame some of the sharp transients. I’m also doing a more noticable gain reduction for effect. The opto is usually used more subtle in the analog realm :)

[@ankeviousoliver4472]

Imo id love to see your distance/mic placement and if you have a chain for recording. The sound is really clean.

[@SeanDivine]

Thanks! Recorded the vocal at the computer, just as you see me in this video (with an NT1 mic and light compression). This video may help - kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHKnaayGeJelgZo

[@ankeviousoliver4472]

@@SeanDivine oh yeah that was very helpful. Ty

[@Starkillers]

This was a fun back-to-the-basics tutorial if you owned a 1073 what would you use to get the saturation from logic's version vs say the UAD version ?

[@SeanDivine]

For the logic version, you get the saturation with the output drive. On the UAD, there's modeling happening under the hood and also depending on where you set the preamp gain.

[@ProducerRyan]

Clutch

[@pharaohonthetrack2008]

Can you do an advance industry Migos x lil baby x Future style vocal chain mix with only waves plugins?

[@SharpChaotic1]

Do you do mixing services for pay if I want a specific sound

[@SonOfGilo]

Whats the proper way to get several songs (EP/Album) to all match volume levels in preparation to drop a project for streaming.

[@akablenzy]

Thanks bro! One question, whats in bus at the end of the chain?

[@SeanDivine]

Just a light reverb (space designer) to add some space!

[@byronmarshall7398]

If I used the Antares Mic Mod, instead of doing the pre-process of the EQ at the beginning of the chain, will it give me a similar result?

[@tj-introoutrobed8136]

We need your hat!! 🧢

[@DZ-qi2vc]

holy Shit, for what I bought waves plugin bundle 😂😂😂

[@theafroseas2196]

I need the chain pls

[@mdstudiomiso1979]

👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@outdatedproductions6703]

Should I record my vocals with this vocal chain or no?

[@pakk10_]

336 ❗️

Hello, I have a question, how do you compress the voice so that it looks flattened?

[@SeanDivine]

That's the result of tracking with compression. The idea is to control the dynamics, being careful not to "flatten" them too much :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmixYp6qmZuqkM0

[@royalinvasionproductionstv6370]

So usually I put a neve preamp plugin on my USB mic input in Reaper(FrontDAW), if I also use a eq/preamp like the one show here, I can remove the other as that would probably be too much saturation right?

[@SeanDivine]

No rules. Whatever sounds best but yes, 2 saturated neve pres would be a bit much for my taste.

[@redtyga10.o39]

Yssir

[@xyadxyad1168]

Hey I noticed at the very end you sent Bus 1 to Bus 2 but didn’t show the effects on that channel. Was that just a bit of reverb or some other effect?

[@SeanDivine]

Yep, light reverb (.5 sec plate) just to give it some space!

[@xyadxyad1168]

@@SeanDivine Thanks, great video as usual

[@DarkDekuVigilante]

what did he have on bus 2 that he was sending to the vocal chain?

[@SeanDivine]

A small plate reverb :)

[@maltliruoqs-stonelock682]

man, i got the NT1 and i still don't like how my recordings sound.. I'm banging my head.. i don't know what it is. I have an Element24 so it aint my interface.. should i be working in higher sample and bit depth? maybe that would make a difference? Your vocals sound so much better than what I get....

[@SeanDivine]

Higher sample rate / bit depth would be a negligible difference, if any. What do you not like about the sound you're getting?

[@kerose]

So I think it’s just my room. I have treated it as much as I can. But I think I’m still hearing a lot of noise . I have a big desk and a wall of monitors but they are behind the mic so the reflections hit the blankets behind me. lol. But even with the treatment. I have acoustic panels on the walls too… it just sounds like I have top end harshness. It’s like no amount of deessing will suffice. I’m going to address the room treatment further. Also I think I have to come to terms with my voice. It’s higher pitched and raspy…. And I really attack the mic. So I can probably work on my technique. I’ve had 3 different mics and “w” sounds always sound like wind…. Off axis , three mics. It’s gotta just be how I pronounce “wh” sounds.. Rant over. Anyways. Been following your content for as long as I can remember. Always helpful

[@pacobestsofar8819]

Whats up Sean just wanted to shoot you a message reguarding some mixing and mastering just wondering if you provide your services? Would love to get some work done by you! Hope to hear from you soon!

[@SeanDivine]

bit.ly/divine-mixing-mastering

[@larrytan73]

why do alot of studios use a hardware pultec and a 1173 instead of the software.. is there a difference!? thanks!

[@SeanDivine]

Generally, it’s the tubetech / 1176 and 1073 :) there is a difference between hardware and software but it’s become more subtle. Just depends on what you’re going for!

[@CSkibaRun]

Hey Sean. What was on Bus 2?

[@SeanDivine]

Space Designer (very small plate reverb)

[@beatdivisionbyjorsidesign3727]

At 12:43 a send to bus 2 appears, is that the reverb we hear?

[@SeanDivine]

Yes, it's a 1.0 sec plate reverb :)

[@OSdahl]

What mac do you own?

[@SeanDivine]

Macbook Pro 14 Inch kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZ3RkJSeg697rtE