The Thick Lead Vocal Trick - TheRecordingRevolution.com

[@recordingrevolution]

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[@whackoization]

Sometimes when I'm mixing a single vocal track and want it thicker I just basically clone the channel and pan them and add some channel delay/latency like 6 to 8ms and just lower the volume on the panned channels alot. It's easy and fun, just don't go crazy with the volume cus it will sound really bad otherwise :D Just wanted to put it out there incase anyone is interested. pees out

[@theiriscen]

5 yrs old comment. Are you still alive ? If so, good looking 👍🏾 Otherwise tell jesus im sorry.

[@ginobi0707]

Just had a try, it sounds cool! thanks for ur advice :D

[@hokkym.6348]

Does it sound good in mono?

[@JackMahogoff1129]

Just so we are clear, I love your tv music show too...

[@dylanc6276]

I LOVE YOUR TV MUSIC SHOWWWWWWWWWWW!!! Yessssssss!

[@andrescrespo9810]

C mamó

[@BillyCosmosis]

"I love your game show / I love your movie show / I love your TV music shoow-whoa / And I love your sales show/ I'm lovin' the way, the way your lettin' go, I love your TV music show." Eat your heart out Cole Porter.

[@jannagraham1155]

Billy Cosmosis lmao u just killed me

[@Shadowfly325]

This is a diff way of thickening up vocals. I'm used to making 3 vocals (1 main, 1 copy of main, and one dub) and panning two left/right (50% or greater) and leaving one in the middle for thickening. I def wanna try this method!

[@gmurda]

***** nice, i found a stereo sample works too

[@daveleopard]

I love how the comments go from "this vocal and lyrics suck" to "the singer is amazing and I love this song!"

[@00Kie00]

A great example of great mixing of a terrible song

[@38zambrano]

haha, you're a mind reader

[@ternitamas]

it has kind of an 80's band sound, but a very bad one haha

[@nslouka90]

Sounds like the music industry to me haha

[@xxMarshallcaxx]

Those lyrics touched mt heart

[@monkeyrobotsinc.9875]

lmfao

[@caded1873]

Monkey Robots Inc. hey I was wondering if you would be on my music tv music show?

[@AsDevilsDo]

Hhahhhaah

[@ginob615]

Absolutely amazing effect! Definitely needed to add an EQ on top of that chain to get it to sit perfectly

[@jhcm96]

“Take it away and it’s definitely gone.” Fucking words of goddamn wisdom.

[@RaBob]

This is great production advice. Those who despise autotuning (which includes me) but don't understand the point of this video need to get their heads out of their own backside and realize this is an update, with plug ins, of the old school analog tricks invented at EMI in the mid 1960s that came to be known as ADT... artificial double tracking. Thanks for this video, well explained tools and thinking points for audio production artists in the digital age.... And those who are too think to understand that this is a very well explained audio production tutorial, you can ride out of here on your high horse.

[@RitualAbuseTX]

"I love your tv music shoooooow"

[@ericlam2867]

so funny

[@monkeyrobotsinc.9875]

worst god damn lyric ever made

[@prod.808sorcerer]

Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang Gucci gang

[@caded1873]

I love ur tv music showwwww

[@danielwaern]

Damn, I know the vocals in the video are only used as an example. But I ended up laughing til I cried instead of learning something!

[@1971SuperLead]

99.99% of all vocals on the radio have been doubled to thicken them up. Ever since I bought a doubler I've noticed that doubling has been wildly popular since the sixties.

[@36hunters]

This is a great tip, especially for choruses. Almost like recording two takes!

[@JohnieLopez]

Love the melody and song....very nice. Great singer, nice tone

[@davidmcdonnough]

Just heard this same exact vocal trick done on Beyonce & JayZ's opening number at the Grammys. I was asking my wife if she heard the hard tuning on the delay chanel, and then stumbled on to this video... Thanks Graham

[@TheMattd546]

Now I like this effect better then just making a copy and sliding one over a bit, which can be very dangerous with phase issues, this here is perfect

[@PharaohLawLess1]

Thank you so much for posting this. You're really teaching me. I gotta call you professor, bro. Thanks again!

[@sentientfootwear]

Great, clear tutorial Graham, and straight to the point - too many of these mess around talking about all sorts of extra stuff we really don't need to know. Good job buddy - off to try it now in Logic.

[@calimusic2007]

So glad to see this video Graham as I have several songs that I need to thicken the vocals. One video showed how to do this for pop style song using Antares harmonizer, but by using your method I am able to avoid the "if I only had this plugin" syndrome and accomplish what I need.

[@AlienTechAudio]

actually this is a very useful trick. and it doesn't have to be used to create a completely synthetic sound. i was playing with doing this today actually. here is the thing, you can duplicate a vocal track and position a copy of it slightly offset to the first one to get a slap delay, which does make the track sound fuller in spots, but the problem with doing this is it throws certain frequencies out of phase since its a duplicate of the exact same material

[@strykerproductions3554]

This was SOOOO helpful! What an amazing trick! THANK YOU Graham!! 🤘

[@jamessanders2007]

Nice! Even more effective than doubling or tripling up because you matched to modulation on the wah guitar. Well Done Graham. love your stuff always.

[@PlavoTkivo]

One of the best tricks for vocals I've learned in a while, thanks!

[@hydroparadise]

The T-Pain Effect (iZotope) works very nice with this concept. It does create a nice affect when slamming against the raw vocal.

[@monkeyrobotsinc.9875]

the thugs cant sing effect

[@2sylnt442]

Are You Racist🤔

[@ErikSeverinson]

Nice trick - helped the tone a lot. Hard to mix any vocal that sings F# over Dm though.

[@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

Any note works over any chord if you do it right, heard no jarring dissonance here personally.

[@Sungodv]

Graham, every toot I listen to, I think to myself you are a really good mixer/engineer.

[@jjjuhg]

recorded vocals used sound like could be your own voice. I like the cool way of explaining. thanks!

[@MrMandojack]

I ran across the idea myself by accident one day while learning Garageband, but didn't have an autotune plug-in. Used a phaser and nudged the two tracks a few ms apart in time, and eq'd both sides of the stereo duplicate differently. Really fattened up the vocal track I was working with.

[@BettyAlexandriaPride]

Am I the only one desperate for a complete copy of this song YEARS later? 😭😭😭 (In other news, I found a similar effect in garage band using a spreader plug in).

[@leedentonmusic]

Did you ever find out what song this is?

[@ImagineCraft7]

If you want it to sound even *more* thicker, I'd suggest turning up the gain a little bit and enhancing the stereos a bit

[@whackamole5893]

Nice idea on thickening...I had done other things but I like the idea of killing the vibrato and making it flat as this further enhances the audible sound spectrum by making it fuller...gonna try this!

[@FinalSagacious]

Make a copy of the original track - Then mix it as you please - make a copy of the mixed on, and pan those mixed hard left and right. Then pull them forward in the project slightly in mm's as you see fit. That way you also get the 'stereo' delay as in that Ch33rs Saga

[@davepowell6903]

As always Graham... great information for those of us who want to keep learning. Thanks so much and keep up the good work!

[@indyola]

Yeah thanks. I have gotten corrected on that a few times here now I think. I had been thrown by the "tremolo" arm on a guitar which has apparently been misnamed. Also the fact that vocal vibrato is often more of a volume modulation that a pitch modulation when done correctly.

[@Maxwerm]

Yamaha SPX 90 does this very well. You can also simply copy the take to another track and apply a small (6cent or less) detune to one or the other then pan them to taste. If you want to really go crazy, copy the track again and move the third copy ever so slightly back in time and pan it center, with the other two left and right (or any variation thereof). You can also achieve the panned delay blending by using aux sends - verbs and delays can be very finely tuned in this way.

[@TheRiteHand]

Great take on ADT!! I would have never thought of autotune.

[@JamieClark]

Fun source material this time! Made the whole thing much more enjoyable (but still equally educational!)

[@Edwinkev]

Still the best teacher ! Thank you!

[@jaredesposito8994]

Hey man, your videos are great. Could you do a vibrato lesson video perhaps?

[@rickspyder1]

that's the best trick I've seen yet...killer vocal...still a bit of eq but really interesting tune excellent work

[@Roiboscrafter]

dude his voice is like insanly satisfying to listen to

[@Mikraver]

Really, one the most useful tips I had for years. Thanks a lot, Graham.

[@jdolaktv]

"Those lyrics are horrible!" You all are aware of this thing called an example, right?

[@acmullane]

Lamborghini Live - do you have any examples of your work available

[@gusdee4844]

Tha Beat Makerz it's not even bad lol wtf Sounds pretty good.

[@naught101]

@Tha Beat Makerz: Evidently everyone does though.

[@1835msd]

really 80's throwback sounding...I like it.

[@stevedobson2710]

This tutorial is very good.. If you will look for beat generals in youtube they now have even more detailed tips on these techniques though.

[@sp3ktr3]

I use the same stereo widening effect in Logic Pro using the Sample Delay plugin that's built in. Set one side to 0 and the other to 768 samples more or less for desired effect and it helps widen any mono source and makes it stand out more.

[@my_sideproject3815]

I love your tv music show Graham!

[@inbr66]

Hi Graham! It´s kind of funny how i found this page. I wanna learn how to do my own songs for a long ,, long time,,and today I´ve just look it up on youtube and found you in 5 min,, and I got stuck couse when you talk and show howe to do things for the best sound.. I get all that you are sayin´ without problems,, you are a good teacher and that´s important, and that the voice you have don´t get me bourd, My thought have always been´that I want to learn all of it,, so that i can help people with good sound in the studio, OMG for now i´m gonna stop wrightin´ couse It gonna end like a long book, so Graham awesome to have find you ,, now ,,,,,Here I go,,, Im gonna learn all of it ,,, That´s my gole,, C ya soon !!

[@qunch5421]

"I love your TV music show". I'd love to know the lyrical context for what I just heard. Good tutorial.

[@tannerqualls5102]

You are the man. Thanks for all you do to help

[@starsandguitars2050]

Great tip!. I'ved used the delay trick before , but not the flanger. Thanks!

[@unrealwaster]

Great tip Graham. That will help me to no end!

[@juninhogomesgt]

Your channel is awesome (even though I understand around 70% of what you say hehe). Your tips are greats. Thanks for the videos. Greeting from Brazil.

[@jedirocker8]

"Take it away and it's... it's definitely gone." haha Love you Graham! Awesome vid man!

[@PRSOne]

You could also use parallel compression if you want the vocal track to stay centered. Like everything else in music production, it depends on what sounds good to you. I think it sounds fine in this track, though I wouldn't use it for a 3 track acoustic record.

[@danielbentley7117]

Parallel compression is a different feel and has a different purpose. It's not the same vibe as doubling since it doesn't sound like 2 takes. Still useful obviously but wasn't what Graham was trying to achieve here.

[@zippyzee]

i don't understand the overwhelming admiration in these comments... you play around enough on protools, this kind of processing comes naturally.

[@jordanboyce6574]

This sir, Is BRILLIANT!

[@theycallmedub]

Damn.. instant eargasm

[@Braillionaire]

That’s clean man. Digging that. Thanks for the good video!

[@charlestern]

Subtle, yet amazing as usual!

[@IsiahKendall]

that is an awesome trick! my mix sounds so much more fuller!

[@TaylorSappe]

Your solution will have the same effect as a delay plugin on a single track. If you pan one left and one right you won't get a true stereo effect. Just a delayed left and right signal. A better solution would be to add a stereo chorus or cloner plugin and subtly mix it with the dry signal or do the same to an auto tuned track to mix with the original track.

[@hotcurry99]

This has given me great ideas. Thanks Gray ham

[@videosongman]

Great Tip! And cool sound (the song has a very 80's throwback tonality). =D

[@SticksNkicks]

. Very effective! Thanks for sharing! The comments here explains why most can't get a good mix.

[@jasongoldstein97]

Hello Graham, Very nice doubler. Good video. Thank you.

[@JemileDancer]

thanks man ...the vibrato tip was key for me ..as i am usin reason's neptune auto 'er...thank s alot big thumbs up

[@ProToolsAvidSchool]

This is a way of making the vocal sound thicker, But theres also different ways to get the vocal up on front, Like in your face even 3 times more effective then this method, The problem is that when you trow up a reverb plugin or a delay on your vocal, It rounds up your vocal and it makes it sound way in the back!

[@MikeVlcek]

Great tip. On a different note, I'd only like to point that I think whoever has tuned this vocals messed a bit with the scale. Song starts with an Em and then goes to Dm, but if you pay attention to the melody sung by the girl, you will notice a major D scale, which is quite odd for a Dm chord. Or maybe I'm just seeing things. Keep up with the good job! :)

[@JackH342]

'It's subtle… but it's there!' sounds like a Jack Black quote. Interesting video.

[@giantessmaria]

Singer has an amazing voice!

[@PurpleBoiEnt]

I love it!!! Sounds so great i gota try it

[@patatuli]

Thank you Graham, you just saved me some trouble :)

[@empowermph]

damn, i thought that was a girl singing. awkward

[@ImagineCraft7]

It was... it's justin bieber XD

[@empowermph]

ImagineCraft7 no, we have to stop this. I know Justin, he's a good guy, just young with a lot of money and girls, he takes lots of jealousy and criticism, but he's cool, financially supports a lot of people, adults. he's not homo, just makes songs for teenage girls at a big profit.

[@ImagineCraft7]

Em x Photon Yeah he was... until he went to jail and became a badass thug! XD

[@empowermph]

ImagineCraft7 no, that's what they all do for publicity, get wild to stay in the news, forefront of the mind when new music is released. Its all business. Miley, Bieber, fake Jay Z vs Solage fight, fake Kanye paparazzi fights, its all stunts for marketing. I dont agree with it, but it matters to them, good or bad press, they see benefits.

[@ImagineCraft7]

Em x Photon Menwhile in *Reality*, Justin Bieber gets arrested and Miley cyrus starts to twerk because they are just too desperate for publicity.

[@knecjones42]

This was good. Don't understand why people saying otherwise.

[@amadeobuccinioni]

I love the song! The trick’s cool too!

[@Officialsput]

thanx it help out cant wait to check it out on my next sessions

[@rh666]

Truly it becomes better!

[@theiriscen]

Why everyone dislikes the singing ? It's actually dope. Or people hating as some sort of gag joke ?

[@waterkeeper03]

80's as all hell... RIGHTEOUS!

[@the16thLeVel]

Thanks bro. I recently saw that stereo delay trick on Pensado's Place.

[@giantessmaria]

From a producing tip and trick standpoint, your knowledge of this stuff is very cool and a valuable thing for the understanding of the parameters of PT's and whats possible to suit your creativity and imagination. That said: This type of stuff is literally killing off the humanness aspect in music today. so heavily produced and unattainable at a live performance...i mean what the ultimate goal, to remove the human from the peace of music all together? Again, this is by no means a criticism of your wonderful shares here, just more of an observation of where technology is dragging us...

[@AlienTechAudio]

however, if you duplicate an audio track, nudge a little bit to create a slap delay, and add a very slight auto tune effect, it will vary the start position an frequency of the second track enough that phasing on a specific frequency doesn't happen. then just turn the tuned track down until it is just barely audible. now you have all the clarity, definition, and characteristics of a single vocal track but you have the richness and fullness of a doubled track.

[@kernjames]

It is crazy that this video is 10 years old. Still valid information though.

[@jubalmichael1853]

Could you please explain again in detail step by step what you have done. 1.After you recorded vocal what did you do.2. What did you do at INSERTS A-E(effect) and SENTS A-E(effect). Thank you

[@iamjuliuswilson]

"subtle, but its there" lol

[@coleoehlers]

IDK if you do this but could you make a video on how to eq and mix like brass instruments and saxophones? Thanks! I love your videos

[@heathantonio6781]

That's a great melody!

[@SavingKingsBand]

the autotune track sounds like glados from portal haha

[@BarryB1117]

dudes voice sounds 80's rock-ish...tuff !!

[@ARE_YOU_SICK_OF_YT_CENSORSHIP]

sounds like some of the 80's vocals, dope

[@jayount]

great vid, what song is this?? I love it and would like to hear more!

[@lifewhyz]

We demand the full song!

[@muzzyband]

Thanks alot! This really help me with my mix

[@hmongmeatball846]

i love your tv music show!!

[@traida111]

love the way you did that.

[@HellfireBeats]

I guess I'm more curious as to WHO he's singing to. I mean, is it a woman or is it MTV/VH1? Or are TV Music Shows something that woman have to impress men now-a-days? Great mixing tip though!

[@tobytruman33]

Hellfire Beats He said "he" in 3:25, so...

[@HellfireBeats]

Lmao

[@NiiloSirola]

Hey Graham, it would be interesting to hear your take on soundstaging (if that's what it is in English), I mean like how to place the instruments in a listening space with EQ, different reverb sizes and tones, etc.