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After youve recorded vocal tracks with proper microphone placement/technique and gain adjustments/levels, what should I apply first? I usually stick with EQ with high pass/low cut filter, compression, and a few delays n chorus here n there track by track. Then I run a group of tracks, like all of the vocal tracks for a verse for example, and send them to aux/submix bus tracks with compression and necessary delays or reverbs if needed.

So my question is as Im mixing, should I apply the EQ first? The compressor first? Whats an effective order for mixing the vocals?

Comments

Paul999 Thu, 01/12/2012 - 21:49

If I am ITB it is not a matter of which comes first it is a matter of "massaging" the signal. I will usually roll of some lows first then I'll compress a little I tend to add a delay pretty close the the beginning of the chain. I will then eq a bit and then compress a little more. Sometimes I'll run 2 compressors in a row and sometimes 2 eq's. The idea is a little, a little, a little.

Le Vab Fri, 01/13/2012 - 05:44

First EQ. Try to find the necessary frequencies.
Low cut to the steepest setiing you can find. Sweep through from low to high and let your ears decide which frequencies you need and which not.
In other words: cut or roll off the frequencies you do not need. Make it clean and give it the right frequency package.
Then compress (as Paul999 stated) little by little.

MadMax Fri, 01/13/2012 - 10:21

The only rule, is that there are no rules.

The guideline I try to adhere to, is to listen to the vocal, RAW, and see how it sits in the mix with just faders. After that, I will indeed generally start with an EQ.-(trimming away the unnecessary stuff), then compression, then a verb and/or delay to define the space that either feels appropriate to the mix, or is just the exact opposite. If I'm doings things in "traditional" order, and it's still not happening... undo it all and see if you have any luck from some other direction.

rocksure Sun, 01/15/2012 - 03:39

Le Vab, post: 382620 wrote: First EQ. Try to find the necessary frequencies.
Low cut to the steepest setiing you can find. Sweep through from low to high and let your ears decide which frequencies you need and which not.
In other words: cut or roll off the frequencies you do not need. Make it clean and give it the right frequency package.
Then compress (as Paul999 stated) little by little.

Yes I agree nine times out of ten ..the first step is to roll off unwanted low end frequencies, then EQ what is left to suit what is needed, then compress the now EQ'ed signal.

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