The Easy Way to Perfect Live Vocals, Use a Live Vocal Processor
If you participate in karaoke or watch the latest hit show “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” then you have witnessed how good - or bad - a live vocal line can sound. In the live environment many things contribute to how good your live vocals sound. The size of the room, placement of monitors, the monitor volume, equalization; literally hundreds of variables can contribute to the live sound of a vocal. So what can you do to make your harmonies sparkle and your live vocal sound the best ever?
Why Does My Voice Sound Funny?
If you don’t like the sound of your voice live, through amplification, you are not alone. Many a vocalist struggle with how they sound in a live setting. That is because we are used to hearing our own voices primarily through the bones of your head. Your ears pick up more internal vibrations from your voice than they do external vibrations. It is these vibrations that your ear converts to sound you can hear.
To compensate for the way your voice sounds, many vocalists request the live engineer add some kind of vocal effects like chorus, to their voice. This gives a voice more thickness and can also take away the punch of the vocal. Instead of adding lots of processing, try using a mic preamp and EQ (equalization) first. This will help to boost the signal without affecting the original signal heavily. If you can’t get the sound you want by using this simple technique – or if you are looking to significantly change how your voice sounds – then you should try adding in a vocal processor.
Correcting Pitch and Vocal Dynamics for the Performing Vocalist, Live (On the Fly)
Managing vocals during a live performance is completely different than managing them in the studio. A studio’s controlled environment helps reduce the issues that were mentioned before. A studio engineer typically knows the environment of the studio, the dead spots and hot spots in the room, the dynamics of the room and is usually aware of how to EQ out any room issues.
When playing out, in many cases each night is different. And because of variables like the ones described above, equipment placements and the like, getting the live sound to be consistent is a constant challenge for a live engineer – even if they know the room.
In getting a great vocal – both from the mains and on the stage – is a bit of an art. You want to stage volume loud enough to hear well and not too loud that it causes problems with the mix. This is why many vocalists use wireless monitors on stage. Most of us don’t have that luxury, so we fall back on tools like a live vocal processor.
There are many units today that can handle live vocal processing. Common features include chorus, doubling, pitch shifting, compression and even “gender bending.” Gender bending is a feature that allows you to alter the signal to sound like the opposite sex, without sounding like a chipmunk.
Another interesting feature that is becoming popular with solo acts or duos is the ability to harmonize in multiple parts to provide backing vocals. To get the proper harmonies, the signal of live instrument like an acoustic guitar is routed into the vocal effects processor. This allows the unit to process vocals based on the accompanying instrument.
Final Thoughts on Vocal Processors
Unlike the studio environment where you can use mastering processors to make things perfect, with all the variables in play during a live performance you need good tools to pull off near perfection. Anytime you use effect processors as a tool to clean up your signal, you risk loosing some of the signals characteristics. Processors are now so affordable that nearly any musician or studio engineer can afford to purchase one. From the Digitech VL2 Vocalist Live vocal processor to the TC Helicon Voiceworks vocal processor, you can find something to fit your budget. And like any effect in your stage arsenal, if you use it wisely it can help make your performance the best ever.
