Marc Daniel Nelson showcases a powerful technique for achieving deep but clear vocals using a combination of delay, reverb, and a sidechain compressor.
He chains an Acustica Lemon delay with a large Valhalla plate reverb, placing a sidechain compressor at the end. The compressor, keyed to the dry vocal, provides around 6dB of gain reduction with medium attack and release settings. This setup ensures the vocal remains punchy and clear, allowing the ambient effects to swell naturally during pauses, adding depth without overpowering and cluttering the mix. Nelson also fine-tunes delay panning and feedback to enhance spatial effects.
The video covers the entire signal chain, including delay panning and feedback, reverb pre-delay rationale, and before/after comparisons of the ducking effect. This approach enhances vocal clarity and depth, providing a rich, immersive experience.