Mix with the Masters
Sidechain reverb swells for dramatic vocal depth
Catherine Marks demonstrates her 'Swell Reverb' effect on vocals using Valhalla VintageVerb and Avid BF-76 for sidechain compression. By applying a long decay reverb and typically keying it off the snare, kick, or a click track, Marks creates a dynamic swelling effect that adds dramatic depth and interest to the vocal track. Even with the return level kept low and subtle, this technique effectively enhances the vocal dimension without clouding the mix. Initially used with subtlety, it became more pronounced in Manchester Orchestra's album 'Million Masks of God', where vocal reverbs prominently swell and pump in the background, enriching the overall sonic landscape.
Mix with the Masters
Increase intelligibility with parallel compression
Tony Maserati employs parallel compression to enhance the vocal's intelligibility. He uses slow attack and fast release settings with a 12:1 ratio, aiming for 4-7dB of gain reduction. Additionally, he applies De-essing to prevent the parallel from becoming too aggressive, and cuts some lower mids and lows for clarity. He also automates the level of the parallel path during different sections to maintain vocal clarity throughout the song.
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Bring drums upfront with parallel compression
Sylvia Massy enhances the drums' prominence by adding a parallel compression path. Like with her kick/snare parallel compressor, she is using the Avid BF-76 as an 1176 emulation, set to longest attack, shortest release, and a 4:1 ratio. The compressor gets fed by all drum tracks, including overheads and rooms, not just kick and snare. This increases the drums' sustain, loudness, and excitement, effectively accentuating the ambient sound of the kit and bringing out "the room within the kit". Massey mentions that she typically automates the parallel paths throughout the song, often increasing their level towards the end to amplify the song's dynamic build-up and ensure the kick and snare remain prominent.
Mix with the Masters
Lift the energy of the lead vocal with a breathy double
Tony Maserati demonstrates how to lift the energy of a lead vocal by adding and bringing out a breathy double using a combination of EQ, compression, and harmonization. He starts by using the Waves Renaissance Equalizer to remove unwanted low-end frequencies, creating a breathy quality in the backing vocal. This helps to add clarity and presence without muddiness. Next, Maserati employs the Avid BF-76 compressor to push the breathy double upfront, ensuring it sits prominently in the mix. This enhances the vocal's energy and makes it more engaging. Finally, he uses the Waves Doubler to widen the vocal, adding a subtle harmonizer effect that enriches the overall sound.
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Bigger, deeper drums with reverb and compression
Sylvia Massy adds ambience to the drums by blending reverb on the snare, overhead, and kick with compression on the room mic. Utilizing Valhalla VintageVerb's drum plate preset, she enhances the depth and size of the drum sounds. Concurrently, she applies crushing compression to the mono room mic using the Avid BF-76. This technique not only fills the gaps between drum hits but also adds thickness and body, enhancing the overall impact of the drums. By balancing the expansive quality of the reverb with the intensifying effect of compression, Massey creates a drum sound that is both big and cohesive.
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Add weight and punch to kick and snare with parallel compression
Sylvia Massy uses the Avid BF-76, a 1176 emulation originally released by Bomb Factory, as a parallel compressor to add weight and punch to the kick and snare. The parallel path is called "Spank" and is part of her template. The compressor attack is set to longest, release to shortest, ratio is 4:1, gain reduction averages around 4-7dB. This approach enhances their transients, making them more prominent and pushing them to the forefront of the mix. Note: Massey is using the term "sidechain" instead of parallel compression. Typically this refers to compression triggered by a separate key input, which is not the case here.
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Tuck in a hihat with sidechain compression
Mick Guzauski demonstrates how to use sidechain compression with the Avid BF-76 to make a hi-hat sit well in a busy mix. By routing the bass drum sample into the sidechain input of the hi-hat's compressor, he creates more movement and ensures the hi-hat tucks in nicely with the rest of the elements. This method also adds rhythmic interest without overpowering other instruments.