...using Adobe Audition or Cool Edit.
NOTE: When doing this, make sure you are only editing your acapella in Single-Track Mode
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT:
If your sounds don’t match(comes out one side more than the other) fix this by copying the good side(the side with longer and larger waves) and pasting it to the bad side(the side with shorter and smaller waves) this gives a stereo sound effect…but must be done FIRST
1. Noise Reduction
This is always my first step. Noise Reduction will eliminate that nasty unwanted hiss and hum in the background of your recording. First, record yourself on your microphone only saying "test one" and let the recording continue 5 seconds without making ANY noise in the background. After you are finished, highlight 0.300/seconds of the part where you are making no noise. While that is highlighted, goto:
Transform > Noise Reduction > Noise Reduction
Choose "Get From Profile Selection" and set the Reduction level to 95%. After you are done with that, hit Save Profile and put this file in a folder where no one will delete it. Now hit OK.
*NOTE: The next time you use Noise Reduction on your vocals, just open the original file you saved before with the Load Profile button and hit OK*
2. Silence *NOTE: To maximize both of these effect to the fullest capability, I highly suggest you Zoom In before Silencing or Deleting a selection* silence all your empty spaces in the track
3. 4:1 Compression
It is very hard to record a complete verse without being too loud at some point than other points. To fix it where this can be nuetral, a Compressor solves this. This compressor takes your vocals and fixes them where they are leveled out at 20dB which is perfect to use the steps mentioned after this and keep your emotion leveled. To use this goto:
effects > Amplitude > Dynamics Processing
Now select "4:1 -24 very fast attack and hit OK. You will notice immediately that your waveforms will visually lose some definition.
4. Normalization
I do not suggest using the Amplify option in Cool Edit simply because I have noticed it takes away from the natural feel of the vocals a little bit. I like to use the Normalize option instead. What this does is boost up the volume to your chosing by using either percentage or decibel calculations you put into it. To get into this option, goto:
Transform > Amplitude > Normalize
Make sure "Decibels format" is unchecked and set the "Normalize level" to 90%. Press OK.
5.Reverb
If you listen to ANY professional CD, you are going to hear a reverb. Alot of people think reverb is just a weaker version of echo, but reverb is a process that expands sound and echoing is the repitition of sound. I personally havent found much echo i like.. i feel overall in a simpler way reverb will give you more of a professional sound.
Effects > Delay Effects > Reverb
Alot of people use presets that over abuse the reverb effect. I recommend selecting the "Tight And Close" preset above the others. If you want your reverb to have more definition than the "Tight And Close" filter, then you can make it stand out with the "Vocal - Nice Presence" preset. I dont use either however i usually use settings like this
total lenght- 520
attack time- 10
high frequency absorbtion time- 1812
perception - 10
original signal - 100
wet - 20
6.Parametric EQ- go to Use the settings in that picture.. and then try adjusting them to get th sound you want..this works well for a lot of people tho.. this cuts out some of the bass in your voice and brings up the mid range for a clearer sound
http://members.aol.com/djxplicit911/images/paramic.jpg
7. finishing- Ive noticed this also seems to add an extra crispness to vocals.
go to- effects>amplitude>pan/expand then click on mono/expanding effect and click ok
8. Normalization
Almost the same as Step 4, but changing the level. Goto:
Transform > Amplitude > Normalize
Make sure "Decibels format" is unchecked and set the "Normalize level" to 95%. Press OK.
9. Mix Down- adjust the volume on the left side of multi track until the beat and vocals sound even without clipping. Which means that the volume bar on the bottom should stop just short of the red on the right side. Then mix the files down. Once there all you have to do is normalize to 99% and your done
Jacked this from somewhere else. Useful. I'm gonna be using it for my next drop.
NOTE: When doing this, make sure you are only editing your acapella in Single-Track Mode
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT:
If your sounds don’t match(comes out one side more than the other) fix this by copying the good side(the side with longer and larger waves) and pasting it to the bad side(the side with shorter and smaller waves) this gives a stereo sound effect…but must be done FIRST
1. Noise Reduction
This is always my first step. Noise Reduction will eliminate that nasty unwanted hiss and hum in the background of your recording. First, record yourself on your microphone only saying "test one" and let the recording continue 5 seconds without making ANY noise in the background. After you are finished, highlight 0.300/seconds of the part where you are making no noise. While that is highlighted, goto:
Transform > Noise Reduction > Noise Reduction
Choose "Get From Profile Selection" and set the Reduction level to 95%. After you are done with that, hit Save Profile and put this file in a folder where no one will delete it. Now hit OK.
*NOTE: The next time you use Noise Reduction on your vocals, just open the original file you saved before with the Load Profile button and hit OK*
2. Silence *NOTE: To maximize both of these effect to the fullest capability, I highly suggest you Zoom In before Silencing or Deleting a selection* silence all your empty spaces in the track
3. 4:1 Compression
It is very hard to record a complete verse without being too loud at some point than other points. To fix it where this can be nuetral, a Compressor solves this. This compressor takes your vocals and fixes them where they are leveled out at 20dB which is perfect to use the steps mentioned after this and keep your emotion leveled. To use this goto:
effects > Amplitude > Dynamics Processing
Now select "4:1 -24 very fast attack and hit OK. You will notice immediately that your waveforms will visually lose some definition.
4. Normalization
I do not suggest using the Amplify option in Cool Edit simply because I have noticed it takes away from the natural feel of the vocals a little bit. I like to use the Normalize option instead. What this does is boost up the volume to your chosing by using either percentage or decibel calculations you put into it. To get into this option, goto:
Transform > Amplitude > Normalize
Make sure "Decibels format" is unchecked and set the "Normalize level" to 90%. Press OK.
5.Reverb
If you listen to ANY professional CD, you are going to hear a reverb. Alot of people think reverb is just a weaker version of echo, but reverb is a process that expands sound and echoing is the repitition of sound. I personally havent found much echo i like.. i feel overall in a simpler way reverb will give you more of a professional sound.
Effects > Delay Effects > Reverb
Alot of people use presets that over abuse the reverb effect. I recommend selecting the "Tight And Close" preset above the others. If you want your reverb to have more definition than the "Tight And Close" filter, then you can make it stand out with the "Vocal - Nice Presence" preset. I dont use either however i usually use settings like this
total lenght- 520
attack time- 10
high frequency absorbtion time- 1812
perception - 10
original signal - 100
wet - 20
6.Parametric EQ- go to Use the settings in that picture.. and then try adjusting them to get th sound you want..this works well for a lot of people tho.. this cuts out some of the bass in your voice and brings up the mid range for a clearer sound
http://members.aol.com/djxplicit911/images/paramic.jpg
7. finishing- Ive noticed this also seems to add an extra crispness to vocals.
go to- effects>amplitude>pan/expand then click on mono/expanding effect and click ok
8. Normalization
Almost the same as Step 4, but changing the level. Goto:
Transform > Amplitude > Normalize
Make sure "Decibels format" is unchecked and set the "Normalize level" to 95%. Press OK.
9. Mix Down- adjust the volume on the left side of multi track until the beat and vocals sound even without clipping. Which means that the volume bar on the bottom should stop just short of the red on the right side. Then mix the files down. Once there all you have to do is normalize to 99% and your done
Jacked this from somewhere else. Useful. I'm gonna be using it for my next drop.
