Best Way To Level Volume on Vocal Track

[deeprooted]

Im using DP6 with a Mackie Onyx Firewire mixer and recording straight from the mixer into DP. Some of the vocal tracks I do have variations in the overall volume, most from performance, other times from trying to move closer and further away from mic during quiet and loud parts. I have successfully used the bite volume controls to manually even out each track, but that can take quite some time to do.

Does anyone know of a good plug-in in DP, a compressor, limiter, whatever, that can handle this without loosing quality in the track?

[Siryne]

Automation is your friend. Use a good compressor like UAD LA2A or something that meets your needs and style of music. Then automate the tracks and do your "rides" with a fader or draw the automation. Good mixes take time. Also-don't crush the dynamics out of it.
Peace!

[Radiogal]

Use "set bite gain" for different parts in the "audio" section.
Quick and easy. Even more nice as one can "see" the volume as the waveforms size changes. Make a shortcut command for it and you´re even faster!

[cbergm7210]

Use "set bite gain" for different parts in the "audio" section.
Quick and easy. Even more nice as one can "see" the volume as the waveforms size changes. Make a shortcut command for it and you´re even faster!

Rdiogal, you're just a "Set Bite Gain" fanboy!

(Just joking here, everyone...no foul intended)

[Prime Mover]

Bite volume is one way, another is "set bite gain" from the region > audio menu, it's a similar non-destructive edit, the advantage being that it visually changes the waveform in the sequence. As for compressors, "dynamics" is a simple basic compressor that is just fine for most cases. "MW Leveler" is more advanced but can yield very acoustically clean results, it is a bit of a black box though, so you'll have less immediate control. The "MW Compressor" is another option, but being a multiband, it typically is more useful for mastering.

[cbergm7210]

After you adjust any major bite swings with set bite gain, take any quality comp and set the attack and release to something long (150 and 1500 ms for ex) and set the ration really low, like 1.2 or 1.3 to 1. Bump your threshold down so it's working most of the time and it'll act as a leveler of sorts. Then after that do fader moves on the automation.

Also, use EQ automation to adjust tonality for each track as singers moved closer and farther away from the mic. (Roll lows back as they get close, etc.)

[mhschmieder]

I didn't realise "set bite gain" is non-destructive! I'll start using it now. And now that I have a MacPro, I can start using mix automation, after ten years in the wilderness!

Both of these approaches are superior to compression. Except when used as an effect, compression is more of a shortcut than a solution, to a track whose volume varies wildly. And of course this applies mostly to vocals tracks, or guitar tracks where all the parts were done on one track vs. split for chorus/verse/solo.

[philbrown]

Does anyone know of a good plug-in in DP, a compressor, limiter, whatever, that can handle this without loosing quality in the track?

After doing all I can with volume ramp automation I either use UA's LA2A or PSP's OldTimer (set at a slow gentle setting) for this kind of thing. DP 7 has an LA2A knockoff as well that I haven't had a chance to try much. I instantiate these as post rather than pre so they are compressing the automated track. Sometimes a fast compressor as well. "It depends". Trying to level out a track that has a lot of dynamics with only plug-ins will just result in frustration in my experience. Automation is the answer in those cases. If the vocal is really even to begin with then you can sometimes get away with comp/limiting by itself. You almost always need some automation though for a lead vocal in my experience.

This may sound strange, but when I get used to a performer I can sometimes do a rough volume ramp automation visually by just looking through the track and making educated guesses about the volume to at least get in the ballpark. Then listen through (obviously!) and tweak it.

If you have really disparate sections like whispery verses and screaming choruses it's sometimes easier just to split them out to 2 completely separate tracks and treat them as the 2 separate performances that they basically are. They'll usually require quite different EQ/comp/effects settings anyway. Ditto for a special effects kind of bridge - like say you're going for a completely different telephone EQ effect or some other stunt thing in a particular section - easier just to split that out to a separate track rather than trying to automate all that.

[Prime Mover]

By suggestion of a friend, I started going the "old fashioned" route: I bought a RNC Compressor and a BlueTube preamp, and started compressing vocals before they enter DP. That way, my overall level is much hotter, and the noise floor is lower. I'm really liking the result. It's a lot simpler and sounds better. I rarely use compression in DP anymore.

I'll be honest, like or dislike compression, I have NEVER once gotten a vocal track to work without it. The human voice is just so dynamic. When it's at its most expressive, I find the voice has way too much dynamic range for the average track to handle, especially if you have any kind of thick arrangement. I once in a while see people who say, "I'll never use compression, that saps the power out of a track." I think, "welcome to the real world". Don't hate compressors, learn to use them properly, and they can really bring new life into a vocal track. If you've had bad experiences, try again. If it goes against your religion, tough. I know I'm being harsh, but I can't tell you how many newbie producers come up to me and tell me that compression is the work of the devil.

[mhschmieder]

Vocals are the exception to all of the rules.

RNC should give you fairly transparent results with vocals, so if your ears are telling you it works, that's what counts.

I tried the Summit TLA-50 last year but didn't find it remotely transparent, and after toying with the idea of getting a Rane, Symetrix, or RNC compressor *or even a Distressor), ultimately decided to stick with my pure audio path approach and ITB mixing.

I am about to embark on a Death Metal project, as producer/engineer, however, and may find some new tricks are necessary.

[Phil O]

For in-the-box compression, don't forget the Rocket from Stillwell. I find it's ultra-fast attack and side-chain input very useful at times. Great for ducking, if you're into that. (talk about evil)

Phil

[Prime Mover]

I am about to embark on a Death Metal project, as producer/engineer, however, and may find some new tricks are necessary.

The death metal growl is a totally different animal than normal vocals (no pun intended). I have no idea whether you're going to need a compressor or not. When at full intensity, I can imagine that the dynamic range of the voice is much less pronounced, so you might find that compression isn't all that neccessary. But it might be, I could be wrong. Guitars... distorion = compression. If it's hardware, you'll be receiving the compressed signle, if it's software modelling, you'll be compressing it internally... don't bother unless it's already part of your workflow. Only thing I usually compress the hell out of is bass guitar, but many bass amps already have built-in compressors (mine doesn't and I line-in anyway). Death Metal is super compressed everywhere, but some of it simply by nature of it's full intensity playing. It's not like classical piano which can be as aggressive as death metal, and as laid back as a sleepy kitty.

Unless you're producing Opeth, or another DeathProg band, you're probably gonna have a fairly easy time with levels.

[bolla]

By suggestion of a friend, I started going the "old fashioned" route: I bought a RNC Compressor and a BlueTube preamp, and started compressing vocals before they enter DP. That way, my overall level is much hotter, and the noise floor is lower. I'm really liking the result. It's a lot simpler and sounds better. I rarely use compression in DP anymore.

+1
Compression is our friend.
A few things to try if you are unsure about using compression as you record.
Patch the output of the preamp to a compressor but also send an un-compressed signal to another track. Record both. That way if you stuff up you can always go over to the uncompressed version. Usually the singer will prefer to monitor themselves with the compressed version.

Within a phrase there will be variations in level. On a macro level there are also changes in level and intensity from verses to chorus', low to high etc. Most people tracking vocals seem to go for one setting and leave it at that. Changing the level of the feed into the compressor can help stop the compression being too hard in the chorus and not enough in the verse as an example.

In the analogue world I often have the vocal mic coming in to a channel and then send that channels output to a compressor - then to tape/computer.
This way you can ride the fader up and down between sections or on individual notes and affect the amount of level going into the compressor. After all, the finger was the original (digital ) gain controller.

[philbrown]

For in-the-box compression, don't forget the Rocket from Stillwell. I find it's ultra-fast attack and side-chain input very useful at times. Great for ducking, if you're into that. (talk about evil)

Phil

+1!
The Rocket is great. I've recommended it to several friends. Probably the fastest compressor I own. The attack time is in MICROseconds, not milliseconds. But mostly it just sounds good and amazing bang-for-buck ratio. The impetus knob can add some of that magic fairy dust when dialed in just right.

[kassonica]

Well what i've been doing of late is this...

Plugin chain is this:

Trim

URS Saturation

MW EQ (for EQ cut's and HPF )

Leveler 1 (1db reduction slow vintage)

Leveler 2 (2-3db reduction fast vintage)

Leveler 3 (1-2 DB Modern fast on limit mode)

Stillwell EQ High end boost

Any other vocal volume changes I ride with automation...

I can tell you it sounds pretty good.