Free Female Vocals – 1,338 Free female vocal samples. These samples could be just the thing to give your tune some personality, and because each line is supplied in soft, medium and hard variations (and with two harmony parts), you’ve got plenty of flexibility. Vocal Ad-lib Samples – 327 Free vocal ad-lib samples. Give your songs a. Auto-tune vocal VST is the vocal mixer’s secret weapon. MAutoPitch is one of the best auto-tune plugins around. It fixes pitch, corrects sour notes, and even gives you that iconic T-pain/Cher effect if you want it. The most advanced user interface on the market – styleable, resizable, GPU accelerated.
Of all the elements that need mixing, vocals are often the most difficult to get right. For one thing, they leave the deepest impression on most listeners. A good vocal line with well-crafted lyrics can make or break a song. But more than that, the human voice presents unique challenges. Unlike other instruments or electronic signals, human vocals rely on complex biology to function. No single take will be identical to another, nor will any attempt be “perfect.” Tone, projection, pitch, and pronunciation will always vary for better or worse. And no matter way you slice it, vocals need to both stand out and blend in. Fortunately, several types of vocal plugins can help mitigate the unwanted variation of the human voice, and enhance the natural qualities of it as well.
You could spend weeks scavenging the web for all the vocal plugins out there. But to save you some time, we’ve compiled the 10 best vocal plugins on the market right now. Some of them don’t even cost a penny. From vocal effects to compressors and de-essers, these vocal plugins will prepare you for any project. Let’s take a look!
The Waves plugins
Waves offers so many great plugins we could fill an entire list filled with only them. Their collection of vocal plugins runs the gamut, filling every need possible when mixing vocals. Rather than list them all, we’ll talk about four that make a huge difference.
1. Waves Vocal Rider
This little tool will save you hours on mix automation and compression down the line. The vocal rider essentially automates the volume level in real time so that the vocals don’t stray too far from an even volume. The plugin detects the vocal track as well as the rest of the mix, keeping everything in context. In other words, you won’t have to go through and manually adjust clip gain or overcompress your vocal tracks. Just let the vocal rider do the work for you.
2. Waves MV2
The Waves MV2 isn’t specifically a vocal plugin, but it’s especially useful when mixing vocals. Once the vocal rider we just mentioned does its job, the MV2 can step in and bring the vocals right up front. The plugin offers faders for both low-level and high-level compression with automatic make-up gain. This means you have full intuitive dynamic control.
3. Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter
Like the MV2, the Aphex vintages aural exciter works wonders at bringing the vocal track to the front. However, it does this in a different way. We’ve already discussed how aural exciters work. In short, an exciter acts as a harmonic distortion effect and phase shifter. Tweaking these parameters results in more clarity and brightness in the mix. The Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter is one of the best and most popular exciter plugins.
4. Waves Reel ADT
This plugin, an emulation of the artificial double tracking processor used for Abbey Road, serves a very specific function. If you’re looking for the stereo vocal sound the Beatles pioneered, look no further. Adobe premiere elements 12 portable download. The Reel ADT plugin was actually designed in conjunction with Abbey Road Studios. How’s that for authentic?
Other great vocal plugins
Now let’s get into some other vocal plugins (not made by Waves) to add to your arsenal–a de-esser, a reverb, and a synthesizer.
5. FabFilter Pro-DS
This de-esser has become the go-to for many engineers and producers. With a highly intelligent sibilance detection system, the plugin finds any instance of sibilance and highlights it on the waveform. You can adjust the threshold, range, and other parameters of the Pro-DS. Because the Pro-DS does such a great job of detecting and removing sibilance, it can also help limit other high-frequencies (i.e. drums or full mixes).
6. Lexicon PCM Native Reverb
For truly professional sounding reverb, you can’t get better than the Lexicon PCM Native Reverb bundle. In this bundle, you’ll find vintage plate, hall, room, chamber, and several other types of reverb. Each one offers distinct qualities with hundreds of presets. These plugins won’t come cheap, but they offer the highest quality, natural sounding vocal reverb.
7. iZotope VocalSynth 2
If you produce in the EDM, pop, or hip-hop realm, this vocal synth has it all. The VocalSynth 2 comes packed with five vocal processors, each with specific relevant controls. The plugin even offers Biovox, with controls that mimic or reduce natural human vocal qualities (breath, nasality, etc.) With hundreds of presets, you’ll find what you’re going for in no time. Plus, iZotope’s characteristically easy to use interface just adds icing to the cake.
Freebies
Even if you lack some spare change your vocals don’t have to suffer. Here are three more vocal plugins that are absolutely free.
8. Voxengo Oldskoolverb
Vellum 2 5 3. This one made it onto our list of the 25 best Mac free plugins, and for good reason. The Voxengo Oldskoolverb provides a vintage reverb effect for any instrument, but it perhaps works best on vocals.
9. Acon Digital Multiply chorus
Acon Digital makes great free plugins (see Acon Digital Reverb in our 25 best Mac free plugins list). The Multiply chorus is no exception. This plugin perhaps works best for background vocals, as it spreads the sound along the stereo field and adds warmth.
10. Flux BitterSweet
Perhaps the simplest of the vocal plugins on this list, the free version of Flux Bittersweet features just one knob. On the left you’ll see “sweet,” and the right, “bitter.” The more “bitter,” the sharper the consonants. The “sweeter” side reduces transients. If used on vocals, this plugin can emphasize harsh consonants for a punchier sound. It might not look like much, but this plugin can pack a punch.
Conclusion
The 10 vocal plugins listed here are certainly some of the most powerful tools you can have for mixing vocals. However, so many other great plugins exist, too. This list only scratches the surface. Still, it should give you plenty to mess around with until you’re ready to explore even more vocal plugins.
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Getting the vocals right in a mix is kind of everything. Even if everything else isn’t perfect, if you nail the vocals, you’re still doing ok and the artist will be reasonably happy. On the other hand, even if everything else is perfect, but the vocals are a touch off, it’s going to stick out like a sore thumb and you might lose the gig. Of course, we strive to get everything right — I’m just stressing the point that vocals are the one element you have to absolutely nail.
My approach to vocals changes based on genre, based on what sound I want — and I experiment with plugins and gear all the time. But there are some plugins I keep coming back to that one would see in a lot of my mixes.
1. FabFilter Pro-DS
FabFilter Pro-DS is easily my go-to de-esser. Spinning wheel in excel for mac.
For a long time, I was actually automating sibilance by hand because I didn’t like the graininess that I got from all the de-essers I tried. FabFilter Pro-DS in wideband mode is as good as automating by hand.
The split band also sounds great and works well on taming harsh tones that can show up around 3 kHz, not just sibilant tones higher up.
2. SoundToys EchoBoy
I spend an inordinate amount of time designing my ambiences, particularly on vocals. It’s not uncommon for me to have three to five delay throws that I automate between throughout a record. EchoBoy gives me the versatility to create a number of delays — from subtle ambience around the vocals to overt effects.
I can do very tight delays for rap vocals, smeared “pa system” delays for rock vocals or highly diffused and spread delays for pop. Basically, I feel like I don’t have many limitations outside of my own creativity.
3. Klanghelm MJUC
I’ve tried a lot of different compressors for vocals, and while there’s a number of hardware pieces I love, I haven’t found too many in the software world. Oddly enough, the one that I keep coming back to again and again is the Klanghelm MJUC, which is one of the least expensive options available.
It’s super versatile with a great tone. It’s transparent enough to not distinctly change the tone, but just colored enough to give the voice a little extra magic. I can’t imagine a genre where this compressor wouldn’t work. And even if I were using some of my very expensive outboard, I would still likely be using this compressor as a parallel return.
4. Waves MV2
There’s usually a point in my mix where I love my vocal sound, but I just want it to be a touch fuller and a hair more forward. This is where Waves MV2 is my finisher. The Waves MV2 has a “low level” limiter which does something really interesting.
Instead of taking level above a threshold and attenuating, it takes level below the threshold and turns it up, keeping the louder signal exactly where it is. This effectively brings the vocal forward without actually turning it up louder. Even setting the low level up to just 2 or 3 adds a distinct amount of body to a vocal.
5. Avid Lo-Fi
Surprisingly enough, the stock Avid Lo-Fi plugin makes this list. Sometimes a vocal comes in too clean to really stand out in the right way. I use very subtle amounts of Lo-Fi to add grit to a vocal or shift the tone ever so slightly darker.
A very common use is for vocals that have a boxy low-mid. I want to get rid of the boxiness so I EQ out the cruddy low-mid, but then I’m missing body in the vocal. I use Lo-Fi to bring some of that body back. Sometimes a touch of distortion also helps the ear find a sound in the mix, so it’s also a good tool for getting a bit of presence in the vocal without having to make EQ changes.
Vocal Effect Plugins
6. Lexicon Vintage Plate
This one is close. I use a lot of different reverbs for a lot of different vocals for a lot of different reasons. And most commonly, I use my hardware Bricasti, but if I had to pick only one reverb to have for vocals in the box, I’d go with the Lexicon PCM Vintage Plate. With this reverb, I don’t believe I’d ever run into a vocal that I couldn’t make sound incredible.
7. Boz Digital Hoser XT
There’s a number of EQs I use on vocals. I use the FabFilter Pro-Q 2 for surgical stuff pretty often. I use Waves Q10 for background vocals very frequently. But if I had to pick one that I use more than anything else, it’s probably the Boz Digital Hoser XT. It’s punchy like SSL-style EQs, but a broader band like API-style EQs, which kind of makes it the perfect vocal EQ in my book.
If the vocal is recorded fairly flat, I love pulling in a bit of “larger than life” smile curve with the broad low and high shelf and then tightening things up by getting rid of any boxy or harsh tone using the two bell bands. It’s a process I do very often.
8. Wavesfactory Spectre
I have a lot of techniques for making a vocal sound rich in a certain frequency range. I will use parallel processing — either band-limited compression or saturation — that targets that range. It’s a bit of a process to set up and it’s a little tricky to dial things in just right. Getting a vocal to sound rich is even trickier when the vocal was not tracked in the best way possible. However, Wavesfactory Spectre has made this process much easier. Spectre works like an EQ but instead of boosting frequency content it boosts harmonic energy at a target frequency. This is exceptionally useful when it comes to getting vocals to sound full in the lower mids.
Top 10 Vocal Effects Plugins
Turn the playback level very low with the entire mix going. Listen to the vocals. If they sound thin or diminished in any particular frequency range, grab Spectre. Set the “Mix” to 100%, and dial in just enough of that frequency range to make the vocals stand over the record. Then turn the “Mix” down to a lower percentage until the vocal seems to glue itself back into the track again. I find a little bit goes a long way. A dB or two boost at 30 to 50% is usually plenty. Experiment with the distortion algorithms — I find myself going to “Warm Tube” very often. And set the Quality to “Best.” Instant rich vocal.
Bonus: PSP B-Scanner
A lot of Pop and R&B vocals benefit from a bit of chorusing/modulation. It gives them some tonal movement, texture and a sense of spread. My favorite choice for this process is the PSP B-Scanner, and I don’t believe this is at all what PSP intended for the plugin. But damn if it doesn’t sound sexy tucked under a vocal 12dB down.
Mount and blade warband damage types. Now, I didn’t list this in the primary seven because I don’t believe this plugin would work well for Rap or Heavy Rock. I can’t exactly call this one a “favorite” for everything, but I had to at least mention it.
If I had nothing other than these plugins listed, I don’t believe I’d have any restriction in mixing any vocal, from Top 40 Pop to grimy Punk-Rock. I’d be happy as a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch, and I’m pretty sure that’s not even a real expression.
Mixing Vocals Tutorials
How to Creatively Deal with Comb Filtering on Vocals
Getting the vocals right in a mix is kind of everything. Even if everything else isn't perfect, if you nail the vocals, you're still doing ok and the artist will be reasonably happy. On the other hand, even if everything else is perfect, but the vocals are a touch off, it's going to stick out like a
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