What plugins are in your vocal channels?

[Codyeatruck]

I always double vocals, big fan of that shit. I want to start using a single vocal track and doubling for effect only. Other than compression and light eq, I can’t get vocals to sit well without doubling.

I use a shure sm7b —> golden age pre 73 —> motu 8pre —> logic

I recently spent a few days in a studio for the first time with my friend’s band and the engineer was using mic emulators to get what I’m talking about. He was using UA plugins I think, I have waves plugins with the abbey road stuff and other randoms..

Any advice? What’s on your vocal track(s) and what do you put on the vocal buss?
Heard good things about the abbey road plugins but I haven’t fucked with them yet.

Also, suggestions on a telephone effect or a light vocal distortion (or anything interesting)?

Just getting back into music after a year long loss of passion, I apologize if I blow this thread up with questions.

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

i like compression, reverb, even a nicely placed (subtle) echo for similar effect.
i like using filters over eq's and def some drive or something too.

i mainly use the built-in stuff from live, u can build some nice chains or racks or whatever they call them. save them for easy use/swap.
i used to use some plugins but i've found that i can get the same or better from the built in stuff at a much lower CPU cost (usually) than plugins.
the glue and the other compressions in live are dope

[cobascis]

I can't recommend SoundToys enough. IMO the best plug-in company by a long shot. All of their stuff is great--on vocals I typically run their Decapitator for a little bit of edge, and the Echoboy or Echoboy junior for echo / verb. Their new Little Plate has also come into heavy rotation. I also use the Devil-Lov deluxe to add some life into a vocal take. All their plug ins have a mix knob, which eliminates the need for bussing to mix in the clean signal. Their Sie-Q EQ is also on basically every vocal mix I do these days.

[Wes Mantooth]

I'm producing my band's EP and what I've liked to use on vocals, using Logic X:

Focusrite Red Compressor - I use this on a lot of tracks, I'm not an expert with compression and I don't like to use a bunch but I can dial in sounds I like fairly easily.

Slate Mic Preamp FG73 - Give some drive and saturation, we like having the vocals a little dirty

Slate Virtual Tube Console (New York) - Adds some extra saturation and upper mid edge

Slate FG Bomber - I have no idea how this dynamics processor works but I love it. It's probably just making up for my lack of knowledge and mixing experience but it's been super helpful for me to get vocals and snares to really pop.

That gives us our base vocal sound with some saturation and distortion but you can definitely dial those back too.

I like using a delay plug-in to just give the vocals a slight slapback. Might be a little excessive if you already doubled vocals but worth a try.

[ognoy]

SoundToys-fanboy here as well!
I'm mixing a indie rock song by a friend's band atm, and Decapitator and EchoBoy is the only plugins on the vocals. And it sounds really good!

[D.o.S.]

Holy shit Wes Mantooth!

[rustywire]

UA, softube stuff make for a capable stand-in without access to the actual hardware.

A common, effective vocal chain: mic > pre > 1176 > meq5 > la2a > eqp1a
1176 with Dr Pepper settings
Reductive mid eq as needed, probably 7khz, slight boost around 1.5-3khz
La2a in comp or limit [try both and pick which you like better while setting -1 to -4dB GR]
Lo sculpting to taste and wide Q boost at 10khz for a ridiculously smooth final curve and final phase correction [actual transformers in the signal path are my preference and recommendation]

On the buss, Fairchild and/or SSL g comp

[Wes Mantooth]

Holy shit Wes Mantooth!

Glad you're still here! Spent some time wandering about other corners of the internet and then wondered why I'd even bother, ILF is the best, returning to my routine of wasting my work time here.