Vocal effects and manipulations…?

Started by D. Davis, November 09, 2014, 01:55:12 AM

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Jordan

I actually really like modulation effects on vocals in PE. It may be cliche, but I like it that way. Sometimes it's a bit much - for example, that song on Divine Legions Beyond Psyche by Strom.ec, I'm not sure what it's called, and I don't currently have a CD player to find out. I like that style of vocals a lot better than hardcore/metal style vocals, which, with some exceptions, I find clashes with the general PE sound.

GEWALTMONOPOL

The times I've tried fuzz it's sounded awful. Like donald duck. Not recommended. Unless you want comedy of course.

Ages since I heard Legions Beyond Psyche but the vocals could be going through an MS10. I know that can sound really good. Never did it myself but Stab does it a lot.

Otherwise there's the classic phaser. Cliche perhaps but so what if it sounds good? Take your pick among all the greats who've used that one.
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FreakAnimalFinland

I think most of fuzz or heavy distortion sounds quite lame. Especially with high pitch screaming. I remember when I first time heard deathpile split LP with Discordance, and first impression of flanger + distortion scream didn't make me think of robots, but little sheep! haha... Perhaps also because it was so up front. I don't care much of the *really* cheesy robot effect. but tasteful use of all those normal electronic effects as chorus, phaser etc work for me well. It's matter of finding settings that contribute overall feel of song and blend vocals into atmosphere.

I think main thing is not that vocals are clean narration on top of totally "unrelated" electronic sound, but ability to make vocals be also interesting sound element, besides the delivery of words. Certainly not always happening...

I've found that best way to distort vocals would be simply good type of overdrive. And often better results than any pedals, are things like analogue tape recorder input gain. You get raw and ripping overdrive, but not overall distortion what would make it flat. 4-track recorders, tape decks with microphone inputs, various kind of other recorders. And like GEWALTMONOPOL mentions, very good vocal distortion (and overall tone on frequencies) can be achieved with taking vocals through synth. MS-10, MS-20.. endless possibilities on latter one. Also good to filter many kinds of noise.
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tiny_tove

agree

Fuzz usually turn vocals... aehm Fuzzy
Disrtortions on vocals works mostly if you really want inhuman voice that, for my standards, I prefer in other kind of atmospheres... There are exceptions of course.
Yeah, vocals through MS20 (or better anything through Ms20) always win.

I think it's important to develop your own vocal style and understand the limits of your voice (possibly without hospitalization)...
The problem I have with recording vocals is that is the only thing I cannot do in-house and having long breaks between recording sessions, which means that every time I return to studio it is like going to the gym and everything becomes weaker and painful. and this is why whenever I try to record something for samplers, or single tracks vocals sounds weak...
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Cementimental

Best vocal effect is actually having a powerful vocal performance as opposed to just muttering thru some guitar pedals :)

Anyone use actual vocal fx units in their stuff? there's some interesting stuff out there these days. I got an old TC Helicon Voice One rackmount thing from a car boot sale a few years back, it can do subtle autotune, really high quality pitch shifting etc but also stuff like adding raspiness, subtle random timestretching (intended to make harmonies more realistically imperfect) which get pretty interesting/unpleasant when you crank the settings up to 'wrong' amounts.

GEWALTMONOPOL

#21
Quote from: tiny_tove on November 13, 2014, 12:24:08 PM
I think it's important to develop your own vocal style and understand the limits of your voice (possibly without hospitalization)...
The problem I have with recording vocals is that is the only thing I cannot do in-house and having long breaks between recording sessions, which means that every time I return to studio it is like going to the gym and everything becomes weaker and painful. and this is why whenever I try to record something for samplers, or single tracks vocals sounds weak...

Very true. For those of us who have neighbours to consider it's hard to maintain the vocals. I've suffered headaches after studio sessions due to that. Last year I was rehearsing for a month in a house in the middle of nowhere where I could go full pelt. The difference in power and control at the end of that was significant.

Quote from: Cementimental on November 13, 2014, 12:52:26 PM
I got an old TC Helicon Voice One rackmount thing from a car boot sale a few years back, it can do subtle autotune, really high quality pitch shifting etc but also stuff like adding raspiness, subtle random timestretching (intended to make harmonies more realistically imperfect) which get pretty interesting/unpleasant when you crank the settings up to 'wrong' amounts.

Could you share a photo of that one Tim? It sounds interesting but the "TC" part also sounds like it could be very expensive.
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Cementimental



Yeah, it cost about £1000 when it was released in the 90's but I got mine at a car boot sale for £30 :)

A lot of this sort of gear can be relatively cheap second hand these days since the whole autotune thing has become much more software-centric and affordable.

TC now do a bunch of vocal fx units in desktop/pedal form for live use, around £200-300ish, I think this star trek looking thing is functionally similar to my rackmount but more controllable and with delays + other stuff too:

Quotehttp://dt7v1i9vyp3mf.cloudfront.net/styles/news_large/s3/imagelibrary/L/LS_TC_Helicon_VoiceLive_Touch_01.jpg?HRjP52_IMIwU_O9AAqwqfSfLEFWmYR1A=&itok=R-qrnv2H

tiny_tove

I have the TC repeater, got it as a bargain still new. I quite like it but have not used too much yet...
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Leewar

A 10 watt practice amp, slashed speakers and generally fucked, or a cheap karaoke machine, its a good way to add background sounds to vocals

ironfistofthesun

I'm a heavy vocal manipulator...in fact doubt if there is any ifots track I have done dry. my aim has alway been to convert the voice and the words into further possibilitys. I will probably route and re route again and again until I have something unusual. strangely I have lately been repulsed by delay fx's to the point of removing  records off the stereo when I hear it ... 

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Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on November 13, 2014, 08:56:37 AM
... It's matter of finding settings that contribute overall feel of song and blend vocals into atmosphere.

I think main thing is not that vocals are clean narration on top of totally "unrelated" electronic sound, but ability to make vocals be also interesting sound element, besides the delivery of words. ...

THIS. I think this is spot on. I've heard a lot of clean vocals on noise/PE records, and sometimes it sounds great, and sometimes it's boring as hell. For me, it's crucial to have vocals be a part of the atmosphere, like another instrument. I try to match vocal effects with the theme of the lyrics and the tone of the synth. Still human, but affected. I listen to Atrax Morgue, Taeter, Minotaur and Grunt tracks, and the vocals add to the mood and clarify the intent from song to song. When you're working with minimal composition, vocal effects add to the character. 

tinnitustimulus

I've been messing around with therapeutic binaural beat recordings and over blowing them on my rickety 4track and then doing vocals. It does really nice panning effect buthavn't really made anything releasable with yet, as I'm not vocal oriented.

As for vocal practice, I've been using the car. Each time I'm in the car alone for long time I end up screaming out of boredom, trying different things. At the end of every trip I have fry in my voice, so I've been trying to limit that.