While I have frequently utilized double vocals, many have started off originally intentioned to be a single vocal track. Unfortunately, most mediocre local bands can rarely sing their way through a decent sounding vocal. In the overdub sessions, I'll frequently keep more than one lead vocal. Then when we go to mix, I'll put them both together which always makes twice mediocre half as bad. In that respect, both vocals usually match quite closely and the levels are frequently kept equal.

What you want to avoid is too much proximity effect. So make sure you use some high pass filtering. You'll also find less of a need for aggressive equalization since you'll have to start dealing with more additive sibelance which may require De-Essing. Crunch the crap out of it also. Since the harmonically related frequency beats will make your levels go screwy.

Sometimes 5 to 15 ms of delay on one of the vocals can thicken it. But you won't need any VFO.

Many software's have a dynamic equalization feature. So in answer to your second question, yes. That along with other highly specialized frequency manipulated dynamics can change " perceived loudness". This is frequently accomplished by inserting equalization networks in front of dynamic range limiters detector circuit. All of these permutations are basically related to different kinds of spectral processing of dynamics. For those adventuresome folks, used Dolby 361A noise reduction units actually make for decent multiband spectral compressor/expanders. And no, I haven't heard any plug-ins that can do with that old horrible noise reduction unit can do. So find yourself a used one and start screwing around with the adjustments on the circuit board.

No noise reduction for me
Ms. Remy Ann David

thanks for the info Remy. very helpful. i checked out the dolby unit on ebay and can't seem to find any individual units available, they're all being sold in lots of 4 units typically. i'll keep checking it out, but in the event that i can't find any single units available, are there any dynamic eq plugins that you would recomend?

thanks again,
joel

TC makes a nice suite which I like. I think their aggressive setting on their compressor isn't as aggressive as it says. But I like it when it comes to software compression. But then I also like the IK multimedia T-Racks plug-in. How do they refer to it? Analog mottling for incompetent analog engineers trying to record digitally. Or something like that?

I'll frequently just create/draw/modify my own compressor/limiters, from the Adobe Audition resident dynamics processing feature. Enough parameters to play with to generally get what you want or need. Sony and all the rest have similar dynamics processing capabilities. So extra plug-ins aren't really all that necessary if you know what kind of processing you want. I also particularly like the Bomb Factory 1176 RTAS plug-in in ProTools. Yeah, I think it sounds a lot like my hardware 1176's. So in that respect, a well modeled emulation since my software settings appear to virtually mimic how I tweak the rackmounted versions.

If anybody has a working meter they don't need for an old 1176, let me know? I'm looking at the poor little dead one right now.
Ms. Remy Ann David

1. isn't that akin to asking which combination of yellow and blue would make for a nice shade of green?

2. that device does exist. i use waves trans-x.

jeff dinces