Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals

Author
razor
Max Output Level: -59.5 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 1557
  • Joined: 2004/05/10 16:53:27
  • Location: Irvine, CA
  • Status: offline
2018/09/18 17:37:16 (permalink)

Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals

Hey All--
 
I've got a fairly good arsenal of EQ plug-ins, but I'm not feeling the love on my current track (male vocals).
 
I've got UAD and SSL, and then the built-in CW stuff. What do you use that you like for male lead vocals? (It's sort of a AC/ soft rock genre).
 
Always!

Stephen Davis
 
Cakewalk by Bandlab
Windows 7 Pro 64-Bit
ADK DAW - (out of business 2018)
Intel i7 4930K CPU
Core i7 SB-E MOBO
16 GB DDR3 RAM
7 TB Storage
Layla 3G SoundCard (11.5 ms Roundtrip Latency)
UAD-2 DSP
WaveLab 8 Pro 64-bit 
Sound Forge 10 Pro
#1

11 Replies Related Threads

    batsbrew
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 10037
    • Joined: 2007/06/07 16:02:32
    • Location: SL,UT
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/18 19:04:19 (permalink)
    using Waves Vitamin at present.
    https://www.waves.com/plu...io-tracks-with-vitamin
     

    Bats Brew music Streaming
    Bats Brew albums:
    "Trouble"
    "Stay"
    "The Time is Magic"
    --
    Sonar 6 PE>Bandlab Cakewalk>Studio One 3.5>RME BFP>i7-7700 3.6GHz>MSI B250M>G.Skill Ripjaws 4 series 16GB>Samsung 960 EVO m.2ssd>W 10 Pro
     
    #2
    razor
    Max Output Level: -59.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1557
    • Joined: 2004/05/10 16:53:27
    • Location: Irvine, CA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/18 22:33:36 (permalink)
    batsbrew
    using Waves Vitamin at present.
    https://www.waves.com/plu...io-tracks-with-vitamin
     


    Thanks!

    You reminded me that I own Waves Maserati VX1. I think I'll give that a try!

    Stephen Davis
     
    Cakewalk by Bandlab
    Windows 7 Pro 64-Bit
    ADK DAW - (out of business 2018)
    Intel i7 4930K CPU
    Core i7 SB-E MOBO
    16 GB DDR3 RAM
    7 TB Storage
    Layla 3G SoundCard (11.5 ms Roundtrip Latency)
    UAD-2 DSP
    WaveLab 8 Pro 64-bit 
    Sound Forge 10 Pro
    #3
    Zo
    Max Output Level: -25 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 5036
    • Joined: 2008/01/25 20:49:55
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/18 22:39:13 (permalink)
    For cleaning , any parametric , ssl will do it , for tone

    Neve ( v series , sheps 73 or any other neve emu )
    Eq 495 (overloud ) is a pure beauty
    Sly fi api style eq
    Softube summit eq
    Puigtec or pultec style
    Harrison and Helios

    All those eq s have fixed values but those values are super musical and spot on , it works or not ...

    For sale  (PM me) : transfert ilok included
    Eventide Ultrachannel make offers
    Softube Summit EQ
    IK Neve 1081 , Neve precision Comp/Lim
    EastWest Goshtwriter
    Soundforge Pro 12
     
    #4
    Fleer
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 8715
    • Joined: 2014/08/29 10:17:45
    • Location: Boston/Cambridge
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/19 00:25:48 (permalink)
    FabFilter Q2. Always.

    "We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl" (Wish You Were Here)
    #5
    markno999
    Max Output Level: -62 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1450
    • Joined: 2007/08/27 18:09:30
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/19 00:32:47 (permalink)
    Give the UAD Maag EQ4 a try, sounds amazing on vocals.
    #6
    Leadfoot
    Max Output Level: -47 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 2817
    • Joined: 2011/04/26 11:08:38
    • Location: Indiana
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/19 00:56:04 (permalink)
    I actually use the Quad Curve most of the time. I try not to mess with the vocals too much. I just try to make sure I get a good initial recording. After that, maybe a tiny mid boost, along with HPF and LPF.
    #7
    Grem
    Max Output Level: -19.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 5562
    • Joined: 2005/06/28 09:26:32
    • Location: Baton Rouge Area
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/19 01:34:03 (permalink)
    If there is no eq frequency that needs to be fixed, I stick something on them like Zo for some character. Try different ones and see what works.

    I always try the maag 2 and t would have to be my fav. That and a Pultec emulation.

    Grem

    Michael
     
    Music PC
    i7 2600K; 64gb Ram; 3 256gb SSD, System, Samples, Audio; 1TB & 2TB Project Storage; 2TB system BkUp; RME FireFace 400; Win 10 Pro 64; CWbBL 64, 
    Home PC
    AMD FX 6300; 8gb Ram; 256 SSD sys; 2TB audio/samples; Realtek WASAPI; Win 10 Home 64; CWbBL 64 
    Surface Pro 3
    Win 10  i7 8gb RAM; CWbBL 64
    #8
    Sidroe
    Max Output Level: -55.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1954
    • Joined: 2010/11/10 18:59:43
    • Location: Macon,Georgia
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/19 11:34:44 (permalink)
    I have used a chain of the included Cakewalk prochannel plugs until I picked up the Nomad Factory Analog Rack on special a few weeks ago. The chain in that rack right now is the preamp, gate, pultec eq, enhancer, channel compressor. The Pultec is just incredible for that round, smooth vocal that I couldn't achieve with the SSL eq.
    I also have the Pulgtec freebie that replaces the Cakewalk prochannel eq. I drag it from the fx browser to the prochannel strip, not the fx bin!! This way it gets wrapped as an fx chainer and I can use the other prochannel plugs in the strip however I choose.

    Sonar Platinum, Sonar X3e, Sonar X2a , Sonar X1 Expanded and 8.5.3 (32 and 64 bit), Windows 10 on a Toshiba P75-A7200 Laptop with i7 @ 2.4 quad and 8 gigs of RAM and secondary WD 1 Tb drive, Windows 10 desktop, Asus i5 @ 3.2 quad, 12 gigs RAM, 1 Tb drive, 1 500 gig drive, MOTU 24io, 2 Roland Studio Captures, Saffire 6 USB for laptop, Soundtracs Topaz Project 8 mixer, Alesis Monitor 2s, Event BAS 20/20s, Roland Micro-Monitor BA-8s, and 45 years worth of collecting FX, Mics, Amps, Guitars, and Keyboards!
    #9
    bitflipper
    01100010 01101001 01110100 01100110 01101100 01101
    • Total Posts : 26036
    • Joined: 2006/09/17 11:23:23
    • Location: Everett, WA USA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/19 12:20:36 (permalink)
    MDynamicEQ 90% of the time, Pro-Q2 the other 10%.
     
    Vocals can be all over the map from instant to instant, especially when a dynamic microphone is used.


    All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. 

    My Stuff
    #10
    razor
    Max Output Level: -59.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 1557
    • Joined: 2004/05/10 16:53:27
    • Location: Irvine, CA
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/19 21:36:10 (permalink)
    Hey all - a lot of good recommendations here. Thanks all!
     
    My vocal take is actually good, so, not a lot of correcting needed from my Rode NT100 condenser mic--just the HP and LP roll-offs. I just used some compression to even out the levels a little.
     
    What I was hearing is, I just thought it needed a little polishing, if I can use that term.
     
    What I ended up doing is sending less signal to the reverb bus, and added the Maserati VX1 at the beginning of the fx chain (not really a chain-a bus insert). I've now got VX1 (zero comp setting) -->  Lexicon MPX1 reverb --> UAD Pultac Pro EQ --> UAD Precision Bus Compressor. Might seem like a strange grouping with more than one EQ and reverb, but I dialed them in to taste without overdoing it. 
     
    I like the parallel compressor technique, but the above seemed to sit well in the mix, so I'm good with it.
    post edited by razor - 2018/09/22 03:19:56

    Stephen Davis
     
    Cakewalk by Bandlab
    Windows 7 Pro 64-Bit
    ADK DAW - (out of business 2018)
    Intel i7 4930K CPU
    Core i7 SB-E MOBO
    16 GB DDR3 RAM
    7 TB Storage
    Layla 3G SoundCard (11.5 ms Roundtrip Latency)
    UAD-2 DSP
    WaveLab 8 Pro 64-bit 
    Sound Forge 10 Pro
    #11
    monomox
    Max Output Level: -90 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 6
    • Joined: 2018/01/25 22:32:51
    • Status: offline
    Re: Favorite EQ Plug-In for Lead Vocals 2018/09/25 20:12:46 (permalink)
    I use PRO Q2 at the track level and Waves Vitamin Enhancer at the bus level. VE introduces harmonics and has stereo widening capabilites, so it's mor than an EQ
    #12
    Jump to:
    © 2024 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1