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This step is to brighten the vocals and bring presence when mixing rap vocalsĪbove 5Khrz we have presence and that’s what we wantĪ boost at 9Khrz will usually do the trick –Īfter adding high frequencies you will need to use a ‘de-esser’ plugin to tame those ssss sounds.ĭon’t overcomplicate this step. You can try this if you’re having a difficult time with the compressor at first. Here is a quick go-to for first vocal compression A 3:1 – 4:1 ratio, a fast attack, a semi fast to slow release and a threshold that results with a 3 – 6db gain reduction.Ī lot of compressors have presets for vocals. Ratio – How strong is the compression being doneĪttack – How fast will the compression jump in and release – how long will it last
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Threshold – How much compression is being done Make sure you spend a lot of time here.Īdd an additional 2-4db very narrow cuts in between 300Hrz and 900Hrzĩ00Hrz-1.1Khrz make a -6-7db cut there for rap vocals. When you find annoying muddy frequencies cut them by about -2,-3,-4db either narrow or wide cuts. Slide a very narrow 10db boost in between 200Hrz and 1Khrz. If you are more of a talking style rapper right up close to the mic, then keep it between 120-150hrzĬut out muddy mid range frequencies next. If your mixing rap vocals are loud and yelling style rkinda far from the mix then keep it between 80-120hertz Refer to this chart of frequencies in a vocal range Solo the vocal track and keep it.solo until we start mixing the beat. They are proven and specialize in rap, hip hop and trap. I have two guys I use on a regular basis depending on my needs. I will say that I don’t particularly enjoy mastering and mixing rap vocals so I tend to outsource it as much as possible. That’s what I use, and it works like a charm. The best value mic right now with an all-in-one setup is the Rode NT1A microphone kit. Quick tip: If you want the hook to sound different than the verses, record it on another track. Now let’s learn more about mixing rap vocals. By someone much more knowledgeable than me. And if you’re looking for a soundproof solution for free then this article is real good. Our goal is to.get rid of background noise. Record so your vocals are averaging -18db. Gain is the volume of your recording, and you can usually see the volume fluctuate in the form of decibels (db). Don’t record your raps with the gain too high. The most important rule of recording, is not clipping. The recording portion is make or break on how well you’re mixing rap vocals. Audacity and Reaper are free to download. Download a beat you like and upload it into your DAW (digital audio workstation). But for the sake of this tutorial on mixing rap vocals, let’s start with the vocals first! Recording Rap Vocals So do you mix the rap vocals or the beat first? To be completely honest, it doesn’t really make a difference in the end product.
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