

Vocals also need to be sitting at the right frequencies to truly stand out. Of course, there’s much more to good-sounding vocals than simply volume. This can be done via mix automation, where highly specific sections can be altered in terms of volume, EQ, compression, and more. It’s a good starting point, but further tweaking might be necessary.

If a section of the song calls for the singer to really belt it out, compression can help keep those notes from clipping.Ĭompression is just part of the equation, however. Using a compressor while mixing vocals allows you to set thresholds in order to better control how loud the vocal audio will go. Vocal compression helps level the playing field, so to speak, to prevent extreme jumps in volume. One way to achieve greater consistency while mixing vocals is to use compression. You wouldn’t want to have to turn up your speakers during one part and then frantically turn them down during the other. Despite this inherent difference in performance and volume, the listener will want to hear both parts equally well. In particularly dynamic songs, vocalists might sing very quietly in one part and yell in others. While some vocalists are better than others at maintaining a steady level, no one is perfect. Use compression when mixing vocalsĪs just mentioned, humans are anything but consistent. And with these four tips, you should be well on your way. Mixing vocals is a lot easier now than it was before with DAWs, plugins, and modern effects. These disclaimers shouldn’t intimidate you, however. You also need the vocals to remain at a consistent level throughout. You need the vocals to stand out while also not overpowering the other song elements. Mixing vocals play a big part in this pursuit.

It follows, then, that we should want the vocals in our songs to stand out as well. Our brains hone in on language and search for familiar words and vocal tones. Most people will first notice whoever is singing, rapping, and speaking over the instrumentation. To understand this, it helps to put yourself in the role of listener. If you primarily play an instrument you might not want to hear this, but vocals are in many ways the most important part of a song.
