Eminems Layerd Vocals

[Shwaz]

There was a thread a year ago about layered vocals, but I wanted to talk about the actual engineering of the effect. A Rollingstone article last year said eminem uses three vocal tracks, a whisper, a regular, and a yell. I have tried to do that exact thing, but I just can't get it to sound cohesive. It ends up sounding like three seperate tracks rather then one vocal track. Anyone have any tips for this type of effect?

 

[Loose Cannon]

...MY 600TH POST...

For one thing,
Em probly has a soundproof perfect hum-free studio. And a lot of time to make records. And plus all the equipment he's got, he's gonna make it look easy, even if its not. You hafto be perfectly on point to be able to make it sound like 1 vocal track.

Listen to 50 Cent's "Guess Whoz Back" Album. Listen to the voice overs. He probly was doin that shit at a real good studio, but it didnt sound like 1 track.



If you dont have an endless supply of money, the next best thing in my opinion would be spendin a lot of time in the studio. Not only tryin to get shit on point, but tryin to learn new techniques. Learn from your mistakes.

 

[elkito]

use as many tracks as u want
do a double track of the lead and pan L + R
try grouping them all to a stereo compressor together
course if it aint sung properly then its gonna sound shit whatever u do lol course u could cheat wiv 'voc-align' and auto tune plug ins

 

[erkl]

most hiphop usually has at least 2 vocal tracks doubling up on all the emphasized words/lines.. u can hear it alot on ODB's shit, which i like cuz he doesnt try too hard to have it all line up and timed perfect, .. ive always thought id try choiring certain vocals, or maybe even delaying the left or right channel of the vocals just a TINY bit on certain words to give more of a stereo/live sound
although im sure in the end, just recording a second track overtop is most effective.
on the other hand i havnt even been confident enough to record my rhymes yet but i write every day so hopefully sometime

 

[K.C]

Do you mean adlibs ? when I produce tracks, I get my artist to do 3 tracks over the final main vocal track.
> > > Emphasizing certain words on every bar, ON beat
> > > Vocal sound effect; relating to the topic/theme on any bar applicable. i.e, laughing.
> > > Emphasizing certain words on every bar, OFF beat.

It just something me and my artist devoloped over time.
When I get down to mixing the vocals I basically select which ones to keep and which one's to scrap, which adlib should be on beat & which should be off. As for effects it depends if your performer needs them, alot of the time just paning the adlibs logicaly will make the vocal track sound full.

 

[mArkoFdAbEaTz]

like kc said u have to develop it over time... how to freak your adlibs and doubles and all that good stuff to make the vocals sound hotter.. some people dont have their timing right or they sound weak and it sounds like b/s.. you have to know the rhyme and know whats coming up to say something thats goes with what was said or what is going to get said..

 

[The Bastard]

most hiphop usually has at least 2 vocal tracks doubling up on all the emphasized words/lines.. u can hear it alot on ODB's shit, which i like cuz he doesnt try too hard to have it all line up and timed perfect, .. ive always thought id try choiring certain vocals, or maybe even delaying the left or right channel of the vocals just a TINY bit on certain words to give more of a stereo/live sound
although im sure in the end, just recording a second track overtop is most effective.
on the other hand i havnt even been confident enough to record my rhymes yet but i write every day so hopefully sometime

no doubt a lot of wu productions are like that on digital bullet one of the voice overs on a few words is so ridiculously off it almost sounds like a freakish echo,thats the raw shit tho,ill try to listen to the album and post what song and time it comes up

 

[massikrbeats]

I find that I can rap better on a second track when hearing my vocals on the 1st. That makes me sound more confident when I spit and I can just erase the 1st track, then put adlibs on the remaining if need be. Mostly club type tracks are ones tht you wanna overdub alot. You see why Jay-z doesn't use alotta overdubbing. it gives the song a raw feeling.

 

[HaZwaiOh]

1. Main
2. Sub slightly panned to the right
3. Sub slightly panned to the left
4. Addlipps

 

[-xs-]

i've done similar

i'd have 3 tracks

1. regular (panned center)
2. whisper (panned left)
3. yelling (panned right)

good eq'ing also helps

 

[Qwerty]

I listen to a lot of eminem, i think, that you got to do like -xs- said but add delay to it.