When tackling projects with loosely recorded backing vocal stacks, it's not uncommon to feel the need to slap Auto-Tune on all of them to make things snap into place, especially if there are particularly wayward takes that bring ambiguity to the top line.
In these instances, we may be asked to push our tuning plugins or tuning methods beyond what we might consider to sound natural. Hard tuning on stacks can kill the richness and depth of the layers, ironing out the differences that made them sound choral to begin with.
Here's a quick, simple idea that will liven up your 'perfectly' tuned vocals while disguising some of the tuning artefacts. It also potentially allows you the scope to use quick and dirty tuning settings, speeding up workflow, which can be a major benefit.
Auto-Detune
Once you have your vocal layers tightly in tune, they may now sound a bit bland and stiff. Consider introducing a touch of random imperfection back into the mix. Try routing them all to a bus and then dial in a chorus or flanger to gently 'detune' the stack. This may seem counterintuitive after you've taken the time to individually tune each vocal, but we're making an omelette here.
In the example below, I've chosen ValhallaSpaceModulator, an excellent free plugin. Using the DetunedChrous setting, which is perfect for the job.
I find that taking this unified approach, applying the effect to a bus, somehow sounds more realistic and less phasey than applying it on individual tracks. It's also much quicker to dial it all in.
Perfect Imperfection
Here’s another scenario to consider: an example of a small backing vocal stack from a recent session. The pitching on these recordings was very precise, as was the timing. I applied the same concept to make them a bit more 'off,' creating a thicker choral effect. So, this tip can work both ways!
The process is surprisingly simple yet delivers impressive results, particularly in masking tuning effects on overly tuned vocals. It can be a bit of a lifesaver when working with tracks that have baked-in tuning.
Thanks for reading, subscribing, and recommending. I’m doing this purely out of curiosity, as a bit of a mental exercise. Sharing thoughts to make way for new ones.
Things to look forward to in future posts:
Vocal chain processing, fx, perspective
Mixing while arranging, arranging while mixing
Prepping vocal tracks for mixing… Zzzzz
Dealing with low end: Volumes 1-∞
More quick, quality suggestions
I’ll also be roping in friends to share their top studio tricks or mixing tips, so this little corner doesn’t become too one-sided.