Finally, someone with an ACTUAL dry vocal adding them to compare. Thank you, this makes me feel so much better about my dry vocals and how to approach them. The stupid “3db rule” on a vocal that’s already processed coming in through hardware is not helping someone at home with only a UAD device. This is almost a replica of the chain I’m working on so thank you!
Mate, there is no 3 db rule. Listen to your favorite records and you will hear a great amount of compression, If you can get your hands on some multitracks you will notice than when you put up the faders most of that compression is already there. Most prolific recording engineers do some compression on the way in and by some I mean a lot. Cherrs!
You learn something new everyday. I never knew I could track my vocals with effects and still only record DRY VOCALS. I always wanted to track vocals with Reverb but was afraid that I would be stuck with the reverb and would never be able to edit it. Thanks for this.
Thank you James! Well Done! I learned much from how you placed visual tracks side by side to demonstrate the before/after results of what you did. Just hearing is not believing - seeing is believing.
For a dynamic like the sm7 I use the 1073 low impedance setting into the 1176AE with the studer A800 at the end. For a harsh condenser like the u87 or tlm 102 I might use the 610B into a dbx 160 into an 1176 rev. A with the studer or oxide at the end of the chain. Cheers!
I am new to UA and would normally track vocals dry. This has given me much to think about and I'm going to try these ideas out. Thank you for a well presented and easily understood video.
My brother, between me retreating my (Amazon) bought booth with acoustic foam and not just the moving blankets to help absorb some low end frequencies. Me recreating my UAD Vocal Chain in the console with your settings just took my vocals to a whole new level. Thanks ALOT!!!
WHOAA i just took in the last additive EQing and DAMN! I could hear a drastic difference from my PHONE speakers lol!!! Im usually scared to print EQ on the way in because I'm not that experienced but omg it sounds so good 🥺
You are right:) this is so much better than recording with nothing on it. It does not add any color and it is just clean takes. I appreciate this. I did not even know i had precision channel strip btw. Glad to know. Thanks for your video
Very interested in getting an Apollo solo in order to try out tracking as I record vocals. I'm sure after a while you'll be able to set up an initial well balanced tracked vocal which can be tweaked a little later in the mix anyway. Also good to know you need only monitor tracking and add later.
I have the X8 with a Sphere LX. I use UAD Rec and my inserts in the console are the sphere plug in set to an 87 or 251 with the Tube Tech CL 1B MKII. I turn my input monitoring up between -16-25 db. I have LA 2A on the chain in the DAW but now I’m thinking i might just put the whole chain in console and have nothing in the daw until mixing.
I bet that sounds lovely! And yeah, just have that whole chain in Console. Treat it like that’s your hardware recording chain. And in response to your other question; no, precision channel strip is for the EQ really. I don’t have any preamp in my unison slot but that’s on it because I was tracking through a hardware API preamp. If I wasn’t doing that, I’d have put something in the unison slot too
@@JamesArterMusic appreciate that. Right now I don’t have anything in that slot. I have default pre amp plug ins but I’m thinking about purchasing the neve 1073 plug in through UA. The default pre amps don’t allow full control of the input volume if you know what I mean. So i leave the spot blank and manually adjust the input. Any recommendations?
Can you do a video on how to find a vocal chain that works for you LOL. I get so confused with all these tutorials. Some say to just use the UAD for monitoring, but not printing the inserts, others recommend only a single light compression. Others go harder or have all 4! I honestly just am not sure what the best practice would be for me or how to find the best chain 🥺
@@scissoroarscissoroar3214 i get that but that's not really helpful advice for someone that has never used UAD to colour vocals. Like im asking for a video that has a balance of best practices and different things you can do to get different sounds. Like for an intimate sound > try playing around with these things; for a bright pop vocal > experiment with this, etc.
@@ashavari so for example what is the style of the next song you want to record? The trouble is there are thousands of different chains and combos, If you let me know the kind of style or a song similar then I'll try and help, I've recorded and mastered at Abbey road studios
@@scissoroarscissoroar3214 for me personally? Maybe something intimate and sultry like HER or Sabrina Claudio, but I'd also like to learn how to get that bright pop vocal sound like Ariana Grande...and maybe the super open and ambient ethereal sound as well.
@ashavari Thanks for watching the video and I'm glad it was of use! Yes, there is certainly of info out there and a whole heap of differing opinions; there's no real right or wrong, it's more about experimenting and finding what works for you. I track with these plugins on because I think it helps with the performance and really helps to get the sound right from the start, but, as I mentioned in the video, it's best to start with a little less compression - especially if you're new to it. Use it just to control the peaks of your performance a little, even if each compressor is applying a gain reduction of 1db each, it'll help and won't damage your recording. In terms of getting that 'pop' vocal that you're after, a lot of the processing will really be in the mix. I've actually got a plan to do some videos on vocal processing, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks or so! In the meantime, I think the best thing is to try to get the best vocal recording you can in the tracking. After all, if that sounds good from the beginning, then you're halfway there.
Can you make a few more videos on tracking vocals using UAD console processing. Would love to see different tastes of presets, that we could try out & save! Maybe using Autotune in post too 🔥
I would use this as a starting point and go from there really. The suggested frequencies are fairly standard so would at least put you in the right direction. I have done a video about using auto tune though, so it could be worth checking that out! It’s quite a useful one regarding using the UAD Console in general actually.
when you get into dsp management, you quickly learn that committing during tracking is a better idea when you get familiar with this platform and the tools available. Tracking with 3 to 6 db of compression on 2 units and a slight bit of eq never killed anyone. Figure you need to use a dsp chip per track if you do this later in mixdown. You can even get away with a slight bit of added compression and eq on a vocal bus after with a bit of leveling if you need more but were scared to squash too much life out of a take during recording. Then you can add some reverb and delay, maybe saturation, you have a pro vocal on hand. It takes time to get your ears used to the feel of what you are hearing and exactly what you are doing when you are new to it. When you pick up on the difference it becomes a huge time saver. Also for people scared of setting attack and release on more elaborate compressors, the LA-2A and 1176 is a time tested combination that has always worked, you cant mess up.
in worst case scenario, a low cut at 35 to 45 hz keeps some low end rumble out and leaves meat on the vocal you can always remove in context later on using non uad plugs
Totally agree with all of this. It's fairly hard to completely ruin a take when doing that amount of GR so it's not going to hurt to try really. Thanks for watching!
I would commit if I was recording the vocal by myself. In this case I'm recording a duet with another artist and he already tracked his voice in a different studio so I cannot have the voices sound different. I am using all the same processing for both vocal tracks so they may sound similar in the mix. Great video bro. I barely started using the Apollo and UAD plug ins.
That’s fair, whatever works really! Glad you found the video useful though. And welcome to the world of UAD. Feel free to give me a shout if you’ve got any questions!
Yes, the cut is the filter out the low end rumbles and then the boost with the pultec is partly for vibe. That EQ always gives something a little special. It’s also more subtle than many other EQs
Ahh thanks very much. It's my music, as it happens! I go under the artist name of DiceJar and you can find the song here: open.spotify.com/track/6jSsbhHObl3G2e6CsrCVS3?si=sU8tFbZOTfaELB63hH0GFw Thanks for watching and for your comments!
Thanks for the tutorial, James! However I have this question - When recording, I have the plugins loaded on console but I do not want to commit. Everything's fine for recording, but what if I want to playback the takes, it seems I have to load the exact plugins with exact settings again in the DAW? The question is is there anyway that I can playback the takes on DAW with the plugins on console assuming I do not want to "destructive record"? It seems the only way is to load the same plugins again in the DAW...
Hi there, thanks for the question. Yes, if you’re not committing the plugins then you’d have to insert them, in the same order, in your DAW. What you could do is, once you have the plugins set how you want them and have done the recording, you could save a User Preset within the UAD plugin itself. That way, when you load them up in your DAW, you could recall those user presets and they’ll be exactly the same as how you tracked through them.
WOW THANKS BRO THIS WAS WORTH MY TIME YOU ARE A GREAT SOURCE OF GREAT INFO. THIS HELPED LIKE A ZILLION WAYS MAN I WAS STRUGGLING A LOT TRYING TO FIND THE RITE THING. BUT YOU GAVE IT TO ME BRO, THANKS A ZILLION TIMES MAN BLESSED LOVE.
Love this explanation and comparison, even though it’s 2 years old. Just 1 question about Auto-Tune: would you use it as an insert on the way in? I never seen this done, but it kinda makes sense to only record the audio in-tune. But, are you loosing something by not having the slight out-of-tune characteristics of the vocal performance?
Great video James. I top record into Logic with my Twin UAD. Im still learning and wanted to know if you could make a template in Console and share it so we get your setting correct. P.S. Does anyone have guitar chain templates for default/Free plugins for UA Twin?
Thanks very much for watching, I'm glad it was useful! Do you subscribe to my mailing list? I've just saved the settings and added it to that for you. If you're not yet subscribed, sign up to that and you'll receive the settings in a welcome email along with an EQ cheat sheet and some drum samples. If you ARE already subscribed, then keep an eye on your emails and I'll send it out with the next mail out next week! :-)
Hi Zachariah, absolutely, great idea. The only reason I'm not using anything in the Unison slot is because I was actually using a hardware API 512 already, otherwise I certainly would've done! Thanks very much for watching!
Question, I have seen a lot of folks chain the 1176LN with the LA-2A. I am trying to do that with a UA 61- B Preamp and then chain the Pultec Pro Legacy to EQ in the Console. How does that compare with your current setup?
Do you mean the hardware preamp or software plugin? If it’s software, you can insert the preamp plugin into the Unison slot and then chain the others from there. Is that what you mean? For this video, I was using a hardware API preamp, so put it into the Line input.
Thanks for watching! I’m actually not using one in the Unison slot on this occasion because I was using a hardware preamp - I’ve got an API 512C. But I’d certainly put one in there if I wasn’t using that. What’s your favourite preamp to use?
Thanks for watching. It’s not genre-specific, it’s just for vocals in general and is a starting point; adjust the levels of compression according to taste/song and all tweak the EQ depending on the voice.
Can you make a few more videos on tracking vocals using UAD console processing. Would love to see different tastes of presets, that we could try out & save!
Hello James ! :) I will use 1176LN instead 1176 blue, so setting will be like You showing on 1176 blue or below on 1176LN ? Film 12:35 (input: 24, output:18, attack:4, release:5) ? As a preamp I will put U-610B, thats ok? Regards from Poland ! :)
Hi Pawel, Sure, the 1176LN will do a very similar job - it reacts in a very similar way just has a grittier colour really. And yes, great choice of preamp - pop it in the Unison slot. The only reason I’m not using one is because I was recording with a hardware API into the Apollo Twin, so no need for it. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Is it possible to use preamp in unison mode AND insert comp, eq, reverb ? I mean in monitoring all this will work ? I was thinking that when you use preamp in unison you couldn t add comp and reverb for example at the same time (for tracking) . Thx
Yes, absolutely! The only reason I didn’t have a preamp in the unison slot is because I was tracking with a hardware API preamp, otherwise I’d have done exactly that. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
How are you able to record multiple tracks using UAD plugins within logic using monitor mode. I’m getting dsp excessive errors when trying to recording multiple vocals tracks.
Do you mean you’re maxing out the DSP on your Apollo? If you have too many plugins running, then it’ll do that, sadly. Which plugins do you have running and how many tracks are you recording at once?
Are you recording at 44.1 kHz , 48k htz etc... and what was the input recording level for the lead vox -18, -12, -9 etc... ? Also after you have recorded the vocals do you have to bring the vocal track wave up in volume, normalize etc.. Thanks so much for your time!!
Hi Billy, Mostly, I’m recording at 44.1k but sometimes 96k, where possible. There’s really nothing wrong with 44.1k though, in my opinion. No need to normalize the vocal at all. I don’t strictly monitor what level the signal is peaking at but generally use the old school method of ensuring it’s not clipping; digital distortion is horrible and often irreversible, so I’d err on the side of caution and keep it perhaps peaking my at -6dB. At a rough guess.
Does the compression happen in the unit with the plugs or after it goes in to the computer? I have all outboard comps and not sure if I can get rid of them and just use the UA stuff. I’m worried about clipping the converters if I don’t control it going in, etc.
The chips on the interface are doing the processing, so taking the strain off your computer, however, they are technically just plugins. So, it’s not actually going out of the unit and back in, like hardware would do, so doesn’t hit your converters at all. The thing to watch out for is the level going in and out of the plugins within your DAW, which is something you should do with all plugins really. Hope that helps!
How can you record your insert effects, but still want to ONLY HEAR Autotune engaged while recording vocals. (So EQ + compression recorded/printed, but autotune not printed in your take).
I have similar questions about auto-tune. I have aux sends setup for reverb and delay, which don’t get print to the audio. So I don’t see why you can’t have the auto-tune on an audio send.
@@JeffyG I found out you can in a way! I made a video about it. Its in Dutch but maybe you can look and understand the setup. ruclips.net/video/I1YKLAE1NVE/видео.html
Excellent! I don’t but only because I’m actually using a hardware API preamp. If I didn’t have that then I would likely use a Unison preamp too. Avalon 737 is a great choice 👍
How much processing in terms of the mixing? If that’s what you mean, the mix is a very different beast really. This isn’t meant to be a mixed vocal. The intention is that it’ll give you a vocal that’s in a more mix-ready state. The added control will also help to get a better performance
I think there are lots of other things that will happen in a mix - additional EQ, saturation, DeEssing, additional compression if needed, possibly limiting etc. The list goes on…! Of course, depending on the quality of the vocal and the vocalist, the amount of processing will vary
I just listened to this track on Spotify. I'm curious how you went about adding the drums to this? Recorded someone actually playing? Maybe a sample? Nice track, and video btw, thanks!
Thanks for checking it out! Initially, I programmed the drums so I could put the song together. Then I replaced them with a professional drummer and I recorded it. He’s a fantastic drummer called Adam Falkner, in case you’re interested. We work together a lot and provide remote drums too 👍
I am trying to record Just guitar and vocal. I am a singer songwriter. Would Two Nuemann 103s(one mic guitar other vocals) thru apollo twin to logic pro using a Avalon 737 Plugin for both Provide an easy to use High end final product?
I’d be careful with your mic positions because both mics are going to pick up a lot of the other signal. Therefore, you won’t have a lot of control afterwards over the separation and individual processing in the mix. Cleanest solution would be to record the guitar and voice separately. If you really don’t want to do that, you could always try different mics; ones that have more rejection. Perhaps even a Shure SM7b on the vocal; that way you can get a pretty close, controlled vocal.
does this make it sound better after post production as well? idgaf about the headphones sound as much as the final product. I'm trying to increase the sound quality.
Thanks for making the video. I can't seem to print the effects. I can hear the compression, EQ, verb, delay when recording, but can't seem to get them to record. I do have record enabled. Is there something I need to set up in Logic?
That’s strange! So you’ve selected the correct record option on the Apollo Console have you? Also, is the verb and delay on the same channel as the compression/EQ or is that on an AUX (in Console)?
Hey James i have just purchased myself the Apollo twin X and am very new to recording. I got the stealth microphone and all I want to do is track acoustic guitar and vocals to start with, mostly stuff i have written. However i get confused with the unison pre amps and then adding inserts, the above video has really helped so much, however do i track the guitar first then add vocals or can i do it together as i do see some people do that but would appreciate some guidance. Many Thanks for all the great advise here 👍🏻
Hi Wallace, congrats on your new purchases! I've got the Twin (mkII) and the Stealth too - love them both. Pleased to hear the video helped you out a bit. The Unison section is generally where you'll put anything that would usually be before an Insert, so a preamp or perhaps and amp/pedal. You certainly can record guitar and vocals together, the main issue there, however, is that you won't have a separate track for each element. You'll then not have as much control over them afterwards and won't be able to process them separately. Additionally, you'll be compromising over the sound a little as you'd need to find a good position for the mic - one that captures both elements comfortably. Unless you're really going for that 'live' sound, I would recommend continuing with the method you're currently using - separate tracks for each element. If your acoustic guitar has an internal preamp, you could always plugin that in to the instrument input and record that at the same time but those pickups never really sound that great so, again, you'll be compromising. Hope that helps, but do let me know if you need anything else. thanks very much for watching!
@@JamesArterMusic thanks James for getting back to me. My guitar is the mini Maton EMD6 so acoustically not great as it’s a small body. But plugged in it’s amazing as it has in my opinion one the best pickups in the world. It really sounds amazing and I use i through a LR Bags session DI and then into my strymon pedals for reverb and delay. It’s such a new learning curve for me but I will give it my best shot. Thanks once again for your help. 👌
@@wallacenock7423 In that case, Wallace, then you might do quite well plugging it straight in! You might want to double-check what impedance the output is then because, if it's going to be line-level after all of that, then you might want to go into the Line input of your Twin.
@@JamesArterMusic Hi James I did that today and it seemed to work well. Any suggestions on channel strips to use for acoustic DI as it seems at of them like 617 and a few of the others are taking into consideration that your guitar is being mic’d up. Or am i wrong can i use those plugins with it going into the front of the Apollo. THanks for all the help man
Thanks for the information. Btw, the compression on the second part is imo to strong ... it feels like, you take the breath and air from the singer away and reduce the organic characteristic. If someone sing loud, he need more "breath and air". I think, its important to use a bit of compression, cause it gives pressure and organic structure, but to much compression removes the organic structure again and starts getting feeling unnatural. The first part, if its procced sounds good, it gets more pressure and feels more natural, so organic ... but the second part of the processed feels "neutralized" and flat
I agree, if the compression can be heard like this, for me it's also really too much. And why not "fix in in post". I always love to be able to control all the sound and the polishing in the mixing process, therefore I can't see any good reason to record the processed signal?
Valid points form both of you and thanks for the comments. I did mention in the video that the second compressor was doing way more than I usually would do, but just wanted to illustrate the point of what it can do. Having some compression on the way in is very often done and can be really helpful for both the singer and the producer. The singer feels a little more comfortable with a degree of compression as it supports them and helps their performance. It then also helps the producer to have a more balanced sound right away - especially if the singer is quite dynamic as it can be really useful to control the peaks etc. Yes, you can - and will - do processing afterwards, but you might end up doing slightly less. Again, as mentioned in the video, I would usually do far less gain reduction on the second compressor than I was doing at that point. Thanks very much for your comments and cheers for watching!
@@tepozoundrecordingstudio2611 I'm not using anything within Console because I was actually using a hardware preamp before it went into my Apollo - I was using an API 512C. If I didn't have a preamp I would definitely insert one into the Unison slot though! thanks very much for watching!
Can’t really remember off the top of my head! In general, I aim to get a strong level but to ensure it never clips. Probably peaking around -6db or a little lower
@@JamesArterMusic dope! I just ordered my duo and was wondering how many plug-ins the DSP could handle. I know each one takes up a diff amount of DSP but this video kinda answered my question as I use a similar processing chain in post. Thanks!
You can get a surprising amount on a Duo, so you should be ok. You’re right, it really does depend on the plugins - some of them use loads of memory. But it’s more than enough to do what’s in this video. Enjoy your new interface!
UA should make it possible to spot the whole chain from console to other DAWs not just LUNA, would be great If you could just instantly spot it to logic.
True. However, you could save each plugin setting as a user preset and then recall it in Logic? If you save it in the plugin itself it’ll appear on all DAWs. Not as fast as recalling a chain but a reasonable workaround
No, it’s doesn’t. The processing is done on the interface before it reaches the DAW, so no round trip. Think of it as though these plugins are actual hardware that’s being fed directly into your DAW - no latency! 🙂
I’ve found it’s the combination of them all that really make it sound good, even if they’re just doing a small amount. Remember, it’s just a starting point really and you will use more/less of each one - especially the compressors - depending on what the song/performance requires. Have a play around and see what works for you really! Thanks for the feedback and for watching 👍
@@JamesArterMusic I mean if you want the performer to hear the effects, tracking is great but using the monitoring button will do the same for you. So unless you really want to print, you can use that.
Gotcha! I actually mention that towards the end of the video - around 11:16 - as it’s a great feature, but thanks! I tend to always commit as it just happens to be the way I work. Thanks a lot for checking the video out!
Hello James, very useful video! I have the Apollo Twin. With your settings I have a gerat sound but I want to get rid of the ground noise. Any tips to recommand? Are you using a noise gate in your DAW?
@@JamesArterMusic I'm using a Rhode NT2A. I have a lack of volume issue, which forces me to level up the gain on the mic channel, which creates therefore some unwanted noise...
@@cobravinci You shouldn't have a volume issue with that mic at all really! Are you going straight into the interface? I presume you're using phantom power (it shouldn't really work otherwise anyway). Just checking also that you don't have the pad on either the mic or the interface?
@@JamesArterMusic Yes, I'm going straight into the Apollo via a XLR cable. Therefore I'm using the phantom power of the Apollo. I use the mic on 48v and don't use the pad. On the console settings, I've selected S/PDIF (instead of ADAT)...
The digital settings (S/PDIF & ADAT) shouldn't affect the level, but always good to have that right if you're using any external equipment. Is it doing it on both inputs? You should be getting a pretty strong signal with that mic. The low cut filter can help to get rid of the low end rumbles, just in case you're getting a little bit of that, but not sure why your signal is so low. Unless there's a problem with the mic/interface. Are you able to try the mic in something else?
The initial reduction is to tame the vocal in as the human voice is not static and we need a static vocal to properly mix it the second adds it back but more predictable in the way it will behave. Kinda like teaching a dog to sit before teaching it to come. Hope this helped
@@lambwatson2617 I don't understand. You did a high-pass: no more energy or sound below 133. So you are boosting nothing or adding nothing. Hope that helped.
@@colaboytje you r adding it back the signal it self is just that a signal you are adding back clean signal but removing the dirty signal or raw signal coming in
Fair point. The amount of EQ I'm adding/subtraction is quite a small amount. They're also pretty standard frequencies, so nothing too crazy and certainly nothing that will cause any problems later down the line.
Sure, that is an opinion. However, if you can track a better sound by using EQ, there is no reason not to do it. For example: different microphones have different characters. The choice of your mic, is your first EQ step. The distance of your mic, is another EQ step. Using a high-pass on the actual mic, is an EQ step. Setting the input gain, is an EQ step. You do all that before you even start tracking. So, adding a channel strip, is just another EQ step. That is what they do in big professional studios. They use the EQ of the channel strip in the console to get a better sound before tracking. Why would you record a worse vocal just because of an opinion-rule, if you can eliminate issues at the start?
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Could you help me with this James. How could I achieve this when tracking myself?
Finally, someone with an ACTUAL dry vocal adding them to compare. Thank you, this makes me feel so much better about my dry vocals and how to approach them. The stupid “3db rule” on a vocal that’s already processed coming in through hardware is not helping someone at home with only a UAD device. This is almost a replica of the chain I’m working on so thank you!
Mate, there is no 3 db rule. Listen to your favorite records and you will hear a great amount of compression, If you can get your hands on some multitracks you will notice than when you put up the faders most of that compression is already there. Most prolific recording engineers do some compression on the way in and by some I mean a lot. Cherrs!
Pleased to hear you’ve found it useful!
Thanks so much for watching and for the feedback!
You learn something new everyday. I never knew I could track my vocals with effects and still only record DRY VOCALS. I always wanted to track vocals with Reverb but was afraid that I would be stuck with the reverb and would never be able to edit it. Thanks for this.
It’s a very cool feature isn’t it!
Thanks for watching 👍
It really is a game changer
So I can place a compressor in unison and hear as I track no latency?
What if I want to record the compression going in
@@ST-fl5fy you can both monitor and print fx to your recorded tracks, latency free
@@kriLdaChrixt good to know. I definitely want to print
Thank you James! Well Done! I learned much from how you placed visual tracks side by side to demonstrate the before/after results of what you did. Just hearing is not believing - seeing is believing.
Nice one, Tom, glad you liked it.
Thanks for the feedback and for watching!
For a dynamic like the sm7 I use the 1073 low impedance setting into the 1176AE with the studer A800 at the end. For a harsh condenser like the u87 or tlm 102 I might use the 610B into a dbx 160 into an 1176 rev. A with the studer or oxide at the end of the chain. Cheers!
That’s a good shout man 👍
What does the Studer do at the end?
@@gkiss2030 The Studer works as a “transfer to tape” where you can feed a controlled signal and take full advantage of the repro eq.
@@gdanila Lovely, thanks!
I am new to UA and would normally track vocals dry. This has given me much to think about and I'm going to try these ideas out. Thank you for a well presented and easily understood video.
That’s great to hear. Welcome to your new world!
Thanks for watching 👍
My brother, between me retreating my (Amazon) bought booth with acoustic foam and not just the moving blankets to help absorb some low end frequencies. Me recreating my UAD Vocal Chain in the console with your settings just took my vocals to a whole new level. Thanks ALOT!!!
That’s awesome to hear, thanks for sharing. Really pleased it’s made a difference for you.
And thanks for watching!
WHOAA i just took in the last additive EQing and DAMN! I could hear a drastic difference from my PHONE speakers lol!!! Im usually scared to print EQ on the way in because I'm not that experienced but omg it sounds so good 🥺
You are right:) this is so much better than recording with nothing on it. It does not add any color and it is just clean takes. I appreciate this. I did not even know i had precision channel strip btw. Glad to know. Thanks for your video
Glad it was useful! Thanks for watching and for the feedback 🙂
Awesome! I'm still pretty new with UAD so I will def. will be trying this vocal chain on my next cover I record. Thank you!
That’s great to hear! And looking forwarding to hearing the cover 👍
Very interested in getting an Apollo solo in order to try out tracking as I record vocals. I'm sure after a while you'll be able to set up an initial well balanced tracked vocal which can be tweaked a little later in the mix anyway. Also good to know you need only monitor tracking and add later.
I have the X8 with a Sphere LX. I use UAD Rec and my inserts in the console are the sphere plug in set to an 87 or 251 with the Tube Tech CL 1B MKII. I turn my input monitoring up between -16-25 db. I have LA 2A on the chain in the DAW but now I’m thinking i might just put the whole chain in console and have nothing in the daw until mixing.
I bet that sounds lovely! And yeah, just have that whole chain in Console. Treat it like that’s your hardware recording chain.
And in response to your other question; no, precision channel strip is for the EQ really.
I don’t have any preamp in my unison slot but that’s on it because I was tracking through a hardware API preamp. If I wasn’t doing that, I’d have put something in the unison slot too
@@JamesArterMusic appreciate that. Right now I don’t have anything in that slot. I have default pre amp plug ins but I’m thinking about purchasing the neve 1073 plug in through UA. The default pre amps don’t allow full control of the input volume if you know what I mean. So i leave the spot blank and manually adjust the input. Any recommendations?
excellent presentation... lots of nuggets of info
That’s great to hear - thanks for watching!
Can you do a video on how to find a vocal chain that works for you LOL.
I get so confused with all these tutorials. Some say to just use the UAD for monitoring, but not printing the inserts, others recommend only a single light compression. Others go harder or have all 4! I honestly just am not sure what the best practice would be for me or how to find the best chain 🥺
Every song is different, find your sound and let the vibe take you there,
My fav plugin is the studer
@@scissoroarscissoroar3214 i get that but that's not really helpful advice for someone that has never used UAD to colour vocals. Like im asking for a video that has a balance of best practices and different things you can do to get different sounds. Like for an intimate sound > try playing around with these things; for a bright pop vocal > experiment with this, etc.
@@ashavari so for example what is the style of the next song you want to record? The trouble is there are thousands of different chains and combos,
If you let me know the kind of style or a song similar then I'll try and help,
I've recorded and mastered at Abbey road studios
@@scissoroarscissoroar3214 for me personally? Maybe something intimate and sultry like HER or Sabrina Claudio, but I'd also like to learn how to get that bright pop vocal sound like Ariana Grande...and maybe the super open and ambient ethereal sound as well.
@ashavari
Thanks for watching the video and I'm glad it was of use! Yes, there is certainly of info out there and a whole heap of differing opinions; there's no real right or wrong, it's more about experimenting and finding what works for you.
I track with these plugins on because I think it helps with the performance and really helps to get the sound right from the start, but, as I mentioned in the video, it's best to start with a little less compression - especially if you're new to it. Use it just to control the peaks of your performance a little, even if each compressor is applying a gain reduction of 1db each, it'll help and won't damage your recording.
In terms of getting that 'pop' vocal that you're after, a lot of the processing will really be in the mix. I've actually got a plan to do some videos on vocal processing, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks or so! In the meantime, I think the best thing is to try to get the best vocal recording you can in the tracking. After all, if that sounds good from the beginning, then you're halfway there.
Can you make a few more videos on tracking vocals using UAD console processing. Would love to see different tastes of presets, that we could try out & save! Maybe using Autotune in post too 🔥
I would use this as a starting point and go from there really. The suggested frequencies are fairly standard so would at least put you in the right direction.
I have done a video about using auto tune though, so it could be worth checking that out! It’s quite a useful one regarding using the UAD Console in general actually.
when you get into dsp management, you quickly learn that committing during tracking is a better idea when you get familiar with this platform and the tools available.
Tracking with 3 to 6 db of compression on 2 units and a slight bit of eq never killed anyone. Figure you need to use a dsp chip per track if you do this later in mixdown. You can even get away with a slight bit of added compression and eq on a vocal bus after with a bit of leveling if you need more but were scared to squash too much life out of a take during recording. Then you can add some reverb and delay, maybe saturation, you have a pro vocal on hand. It takes time to get your ears used to the feel of what you are hearing and exactly what you are doing when you are new to it. When you pick up on the difference it becomes a huge time saver.
Also for people scared of setting attack and release on more elaborate compressors, the LA-2A and 1176 is a time tested combination that has always worked, you cant mess up.
in worst case scenario, a low cut at 35 to 45 hz keeps some low end rumble out and leaves meat on the vocal you can always remove in context later on using non uad plugs
Totally agree with all of this.
It's fairly hard to completely ruin a take when doing that amount of GR so it's not going to hurt to try really.
Thanks for watching!
I would commit if I was recording the vocal by myself. In this case I'm recording a duet with another artist and he already tracked his voice in a different studio so I cannot have the voices sound different. I am using all the same processing for both vocal tracks so they may sound similar in the mix.
Great video bro. I barely started using the Apollo and UAD plug ins.
That’s fair, whatever works really!
Glad you found the video useful though. And welcome to the world of UAD. Feel free to give me a shout if you’ve got any questions!
Excellent Video
Thanks for watching! 🙏
How did you get the UAD Plugins inside of logic?
First you cut under 113hz with ChannelStrip and then you boost at 100hz with the Pultec? 🤔
Yes, the cut is the filter out the low end rumbles and then the boost with the pultec is partly for vibe. That EQ always gives something a little special. It’s also more subtle than many other EQs
I wanna hear this song fully ! already a fan of your teaching and the song lol
Ahh thanks very much. It's my music, as it happens!
I go under the artist name of DiceJar and you can find the song here:
open.spotify.com/track/6jSsbhHObl3G2e6CsrCVS3?si=sU8tFbZOTfaELB63hH0GFw
Thanks for watching and for your comments!
Thanks for the tutorial, James! However I have this question - When recording, I have the plugins loaded on console but I do not want to commit. Everything's fine for recording, but what if I want to playback the takes, it seems I have to load the exact plugins with exact settings again in the DAW?
The question is is there anyway that I can playback the takes on DAW with the plugins on console assuming I do not want to "destructive record"? It seems the only way is to load the same plugins again in the DAW...
Hi there, thanks for the question.
Yes, if you’re not committing the plugins then you’d have to insert them, in the same order, in your DAW.
What you could do is, once you have the plugins set how you want them and have done the recording, you could save a User Preset within the UAD plugin itself.
That way, when you load them up in your DAW, you could recall those user presets and they’ll be exactly the same as how you tracked through them.
@@JamesArterMusic thanks you!
WOW THANKS BRO THIS WAS WORTH MY TIME YOU ARE A GREAT SOURCE OF GREAT INFO. THIS HELPED LIKE A ZILLION WAYS MAN I WAS STRUGGLING A LOT TRYING TO FIND THE RITE THING. BUT YOU GAVE IT TO ME BRO, THANKS A ZILLION TIMES MAN BLESSED LOVE.
That’s great to hear man!
SUPERBE VIDEO question le sm7b direct apollo pour moi j ai du soufles et plus encore avec les preamp unison
Il faut y ajouter un cloudlifter ou similaire. Le SM7 a un niveau de sortie trop faible sinon.
@@ericgiordana6697 merci pour la reponse . j ai un se dynamitte mai le soufle est quand maime la
Love this explanation and comparison, even though it’s 2 years old. Just 1 question about Auto-Tune: would you use it as an insert on the way in? I never seen this done, but it kinda makes sense to only record the audio in-tune. But, are you loosing something by not having the slight out-of-tune characteristics of the vocal performance?
Great video James. I top record into Logic with my Twin UAD. Im still learning and wanted to know if you could make a template in Console and share it so we get your setting correct. P.S. Does anyone have guitar chain templates for default/Free plugins for UA Twin?
Thanks very much for watching, I'm glad it was useful!
Do you subscribe to my mailing list? I've just saved the settings and added it to that for you.
If you're not yet subscribed, sign up to that and you'll receive the settings in a welcome email along with an EQ cheat sheet and some drum samples.
If you ARE already subscribed, then keep an eye on your emails and I'll send it out with the next mail out next week! :-)
@James Arter Music, what about using a 610a or 610b as a preamp?
Hi Zachariah, absolutely, great idea.
The only reason I'm not using anything in the Unison slot is because I was actually using a hardware API 512 already, otherwise I certainly would've done!
Thanks very much for watching!
This was great. Do you have something similar you would do for acoustic guitar for the singer songwriters ? Thanks
Hi Rich,
I don’t at the moment but that sounds like a great idea! Watch this space, I’ll aim to do one soon.
Thanks for watching!
Question, I have seen a lot of folks chain the 1176LN with the LA-2A. I am trying to do that with a UA 61- B Preamp and then chain the Pultec Pro Legacy to EQ in the Console. How does that compare with your current setup?
Do you mean the hardware preamp or software plugin?
If it’s software, you can insert the preamp plugin into the Unison slot and then chain the others from there.
Is that what you mean?
For this video, I was using a hardware API preamp, so put it into the Line input.
James Arter Music okay that makes total sense! I was more so asking why you didn’t do that chain in this video and what you thought of it-
@@fuegomeansfire4366 Ahh right, so what would be your chain then, do you mean...
UA 61b pre - Pultec - 1176 - LA2a?
SUPER GOOD tutorial!!!! learned a lot!!! Thank You!!!!
I always go through the La-2a with the vocals, it just cannot ruin anything if you stay below 3-5 db GR.
True words spoken! Very forgiving compressor.
Unlike the 1176 which can fuck your shit up if you don’t give it the respect it deserves
Hi James,
Great video!
May I ask which preamp do you use in the Unison Slot?
Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
I’m actually not using one in the Unison slot on this occasion because I was using a hardware preamp - I’ve got an API 512C. But I’d certainly put one in there if I wasn’t using that.
What’s your favourite preamp to use?
Sorry, isn't the silver the fastest of the LA line?
I was more talking about the LA2a being slower than the 1176, I think
Thanks James! Very nice video 👌
Thanks mate - and thanks for watching!
Nice! Been doing some research on UAD stuff and this was helpful!
Great stuff, I'm glad it was useful. Thanks for watching!
Watched this because you posted it in a facebook group... That monitor/record mode was a game changer for me lol.
Fantastic! Glad it helped man! Thanks for watching 🙂
great video, but in what context of genre/ music is this for (singing, rap, country r&b ect) ?
Thanks for watching.
It’s not genre-specific, it’s just for vocals in general and is a starting point; adjust the levels of compression according to taste/song and all tweak the EQ depending on the voice.
Awesomen thanks a lot, very helpful. I will try this out!
Can you make a few more videos on tracking vocals using UAD console processing. Would love to see different tastes of presets, that we could try out & save!
Hello James ! :) I will use 1176LN instead 1176 blue, so setting will be like You showing on 1176 blue or below on 1176LN ? Film 12:35 (input: 24, output:18, attack:4, release:5) ? As a preamp I will put U-610B, thats ok? Regards from Poland ! :)
Hi Pawel,
Sure, the 1176LN will do a very similar job - it reacts in a very similar way just has a grittier colour really.
And yes, great choice of preamp - pop it in the Unison slot.
The only reason I’m not using one is because I was recording with a hardware API into the Apollo Twin, so no need for it.
Good luck and thanks for watching!
@@JamesArterMusic thx James ! :)
Is it possible to use preamp in unison mode AND insert comp, eq, reverb ? I mean in monitoring all this will work ? I was thinking that when you use preamp in unison you couldn t add comp and reverb for example at the same time (for tracking) . Thx
Yes, absolutely!
The only reason I didn’t have a preamp in the unison slot is because I was tracking with a hardware API preamp, otherwise I’d have done exactly that.
Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
How are you able to record multiple tracks using UAD plugins within logic using monitor mode. I’m getting dsp excessive errors when trying to recording multiple vocals tracks.
Do you mean you’re maxing out the DSP on your Apollo? If you have too many plugins running, then it’ll do that, sadly. Which plugins do you have running and how many tracks are you recording at once?
Are you recording at 44.1 kHz , 48k htz etc... and what was the input recording level for the lead vox -18, -12, -9 etc... ? Also after you have recorded the vocals do you have to bring the vocal track wave up in volume, normalize etc.. Thanks so much for your time!!
Hi Billy,
Mostly, I’m recording at 44.1k but sometimes 96k, where possible. There’s really nothing wrong with 44.1k though, in my opinion.
No need to normalize the vocal at all.
I don’t strictly monitor what level the signal is peaking at but generally use the old school method of ensuring it’s not clipping; digital distortion is horrible and often irreversible, so I’d err on the side of caution and keep it perhaps peaking my at -6dB. At a rough guess.
brother you save my life. I have my home studio and I am learning how to record in Pro Tools through my Apollo Twin.
Great stuff, so pleased it’s helped!
All this for one voice ?
What is with preamp ?
Very helpful, thank you.
Does the compression happen in the unit with the plugs or after it goes in to the computer? I have all outboard comps and not sure if I can get rid of them and just use the UA stuff. I’m worried about clipping the converters if I don’t control it going in, etc.
The chips on the interface are doing the processing, so taking the strain off your computer, however, they are technically just plugins. So, it’s not actually going out of the unit and back in, like hardware would do, so doesn’t hit your converters at all.
The thing to watch out for is the level going in and out of the plugins within your DAW, which is something you should do with all plugins really.
Hope that helps!
How do you get the Aux 1 channel to work for the plug ins though? Is there a setting to make it work?
I’m not sure I follow what you mean. Do you mean how do you add a plugin to an AUX?
How can you record your insert effects, but still want to ONLY HEAR Autotune engaged while recording vocals. (So EQ + compression recorded/printed, but autotune not printed in your take).
I have similar questions about auto-tune. I have aux sends setup for reverb and delay, which don’t get print to the audio. So I don’t see why you can’t have the auto-tune on an audio send.
@@JeffyG I found out you can in a way! I made a video about it. Its in Dutch but maybe you can look and understand the setup. ruclips.net/video/I1YKLAE1NVE/видео.html
Put in subtitles!
planing on getting a solo, confirm i can build the same chain?
Absolutely!
amazing tips now that im learning how to better use my apollo twin X
Nice chain. I use the Avalon 737 as a Unison pre-amp. Do you use a unison preamp?
Excellent! I don’t but only because I’m actually using a hardware API preamp. If I didn’t have that then I would likely use a Unison preamp too.
Avalon 737 is a great choice 👍
James Arter Music when using hardware preamp, do you set the UA preamp to line?
hypothetically, how much more processing would be left after that assuming we printing those inserts...?
How much processing in terms of the mixing? If that’s what you mean, the mix is a very different beast really. This isn’t meant to be a mixed vocal.
The intention is that it’ll give you a vocal that’s in a more mix-ready state. The added control will also help to get a better performance
@@JamesArterMusic but it seems like those are the essentials after that really unless you mean effects or idk muddy ness and problem frequencies?
I think there are lots of other things that will happen in a mix - additional EQ, saturation, DeEssing, additional compression if needed, possibly limiting etc. The list goes on…!
Of course, depending on the quality of the vocal and the vocalist, the amount of processing will vary
I just listened to this track on Spotify. I'm curious how you went about adding the drums to this? Recorded someone actually playing? Maybe a sample? Nice track, and video btw, thanks!
Thanks for checking it out!
Initially, I programmed the drums so I could put the song together. Then I replaced them with a professional drummer and I recorded it. He’s a fantastic drummer called Adam Falkner, in case you’re interested. We work together a lot and provide remote drums too 👍
How do i hook up the UAD to logic? How do i got about what youre doing?
Just select it as your audio interface and you should be good to go.
I am trying to record Just guitar and vocal. I am a singer songwriter. Would Two Nuemann 103s(one mic guitar other vocals) thru apollo twin to logic pro using a Avalon 737 Plugin for both Provide an easy to use High end final product?
I’d be careful with your mic positions because both mics are going to pick up a lot of the other signal. Therefore, you won’t have a lot of control afterwards over the separation and individual processing in the mix.
Cleanest solution would be to record the guitar and voice separately.
If you really don’t want to do that, you could always try different mics; ones that have more rejection.
Perhaps even a Shure SM7b on the vocal; that way you can get a pretty close, controlled vocal.
@@JamesArterMusic Thanks for your response... I actually have a SM7B and will try that first.. Thanks Much!!!
does this make it sound better after post production as well? idgaf about the headphones sound as much as the final product. I'm trying to increase the sound quality.
Yes, it just helps to make the recorded audio sound a little better and more controlled from the start.
Good advice.
Glad you liked it!
Thanks for making the video. I can't seem to print the effects. I can hear the compression, EQ, verb, delay when recording, but can't seem to get them to record. I do have record enabled. Is there something I need to set up in Logic?
That’s strange!
So you’ve selected the correct record option on the Apollo Console have you?
Also, is the verb and delay on the same channel as the compression/EQ or is that on an AUX (in Console)?
Thank you, James, Nice training video mate
You're welcome, Steve, I'm glad it was of use. Thanks for watching!
Thanks brother!
Nice work, thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Hey James i have just purchased myself the Apollo twin X and am very new to recording. I got the stealth microphone and all I want to do is track acoustic guitar and vocals to start with, mostly stuff i have written. However i get confused with the unison pre amps and then adding inserts, the above video has really helped so much, however do i track the guitar first then add vocals or can i do it together as i do see some people do that but would appreciate some guidance. Many Thanks for all the great advise here 👍🏻
Hi Wallace, congrats on your new purchases! I've got the Twin (mkII) and the Stealth too - love them both. Pleased to hear the video helped you out a bit. The Unison section is generally where you'll put anything that would usually be before an Insert, so a preamp or perhaps and amp/pedal.
You certainly can record guitar and vocals together, the main issue there, however, is that you won't have a separate track for each element. You'll then not have as much control over them afterwards and won't be able to process them separately. Additionally, you'll be compromising over the sound a little as you'd need to find a good position for the mic - one that captures both elements comfortably. Unless you're really going for that 'live' sound, I would recommend continuing with the method you're currently using - separate tracks for each element.
If your acoustic guitar has an internal preamp, you could always plugin that in to the instrument input and record that at the same time but those pickups never really sound that great so, again, you'll be compromising.
Hope that helps, but do let me know if you need anything else.
thanks very much for watching!
@@JamesArterMusic thanks James for getting back to me. My guitar is the mini Maton EMD6 so acoustically not great as it’s a small body. But plugged in it’s amazing as it has in my opinion one the best pickups in the world. It really sounds amazing and I use i through a LR Bags session DI and then into my strymon pedals for reverb and delay. It’s such a new learning curve for me but I will give it my best shot. Thanks once again for your help. 👌
@@wallacenock7423 In that case, Wallace, then you might do quite well plugging it straight in! You might want to double-check what impedance the output is then because, if it's going to be line-level after all of that, then you might want to go into the Line input of your Twin.
@@JamesArterMusic Hi James I did that today and it seemed to work well. Any suggestions on channel strips to use for acoustic DI as it seems at of them like 617 and a few of the others are taking into consideration that your guitar is being mic’d up. Or am i wrong can i use those plugins with it going into the front of the Apollo. THanks for all the help man
great video sir
Thanks for watching!
Tracking Vocal track with UAD Plugins through SM7b?
Yep, an SM7b on this occasion
COOL VID - THANKS
Awesome, thanks so much for sharing!
You’re welcome - thanks for watching!
Thanks for the information. Btw, the compression on the second part is imo to strong ... it feels like, you take the breath and air from the singer away and reduce the organic characteristic. If someone sing loud, he need more "breath and air". I think, its important to use a bit of compression, cause it gives pressure and organic structure, but to much compression removes the organic structure again and starts getting feeling unnatural.
The first part, if its procced sounds good, it gets more pressure and feels more natural, so organic ... but the second part of the processed feels "neutralized" and flat
I agree, if the compression can be heard like this, for me it's also really too much. And why not "fix in in post". I always love to be able to control all the sound and the polishing in the mixing process, therefore I can't see any good reason to record the processed signal?
Valid points form both of you and thanks for the comments.
I did mention in the video that the second compressor was doing way more than I usually would do, but just wanted to illustrate the point of what it can do.
Having some compression on the way in is very often done and can be really helpful for both the singer and the producer. The singer feels a little more comfortable with a degree of compression as it supports them and helps their performance. It then also helps the producer to have a more balanced sound right away - especially if the singer is quite dynamic as it can be really useful to control the peaks etc.
Yes, you can - and will - do processing afterwards, but you might end up doing slightly less.
Again, as mentioned in the video, I would usually do far less gain reduction on the second compressor than I was doing at that point.
Thanks very much for your comments and cheers for watching!
@@JamesArterMusic very nice tutorial. Thanks. Which preamp are you using on the console before the inserts?
@@tepozoundrecordingstudio2611 I'm not using anything within Console because I was actually using a hardware preamp before it went into my Apollo - I was using an API 512C.
If I didn't have a preamp I would definitely insert one into the Unison slot though!
thanks very much for watching!
@@jamesarter5498 Thank you for your answer. Great video!
Very nice video!
Hey! Can you please tell me if the Apollo has enough gain for shure sm7b?
I’d say, yes, it does.
I usually use mine with a cloud lifter and feel that gives a slightly better result, however, it can be used without
Which UAD hardware card did you use for this comparison?
Thank you!
I was using an Apollo Twin mkII for this one
@@JamesArterMusic Thanks! :)
@@JamesArterMusic do you think an Apollo solo can handle the same ? Thanks
What’s your mic levels on the uad?
Can’t really remember off the top of my head!
In general, I aim to get a strong level but to ensure it never clips. Probably peaking around -6db or a little lower
Did you have the Duo or Quad or do you have a different UAD setup?
I’ve got a Duo
@@JamesArterMusic dope! I just ordered my duo and was wondering how many plug-ins the DSP could handle. I know each one takes up a diff amount of DSP but this video kinda answered my question as I use a similar processing chain in post. Thanks!
You can get a surprising amount on a Duo, so you should be ok. You’re right, it really does depend on the plugins - some of them use loads of memory.
But it’s more than enough to do what’s in this video.
Enjoy your new interface!
@@JamesArterMusic thanks for the feedback man! Definitely can’t wait to get my hands on it
UA should make it possible to spot the whole chain from console to other DAWs not just LUNA, would be great If you could just instantly spot it to logic.
True. However, you could save each plugin setting as a user preset and then recall it in Logic? If you save it in the plugin itself it’ll appear on all DAWs.
Not as fast as recalling a chain but a reasonable workaround
You just made my day! Thanks brother!
That’s great news, glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Awesome video! question though- when you record with the UA plugins already engaged, does that not affect latency?
No, it’s doesn’t. The processing is done on the interface before it reaches the DAW, so no round trip.
Think of it as though these plugins are actual hardware that’s being fed directly into your DAW - no latency! 🙂
great explaining!
Thank you for this video
Great video mate !!
Thanks mate!
Love
🙏
Very helpful, cheers!
My chain goes
Neumann u87ai
Neve 1073
Universal audio - studer - massive passive - true verb
Excellent chain!
Thank you guys so much for the valuable info!
@@genolexismusic983 It's only good if your music is good your music is awful so that line-up is simply rolling a turd in glitter
It’b interesting to here this with pluguns 2 and 4 only because they seem to be doing most of the work
I’ve found it’s the combination of them all that really make it sound good, even if they’re just doing a small amount.
Remember, it’s just a starting point really and you will use more/less of each one - especially the compressors - depending on what the song/performance requires.
Have a play around and see what works for you really!
Thanks for the feedback and for watching 👍
@James Arter Music Do you use apollo solo or apollo twin ?
I use an Apollo Twin. You could also do this with a Solo though
Ok
No preamp?
In this example, I was actually tracking through a hardware API preamp.
But if I wasn’t, I’d definitely be using one of the Unison pres!
I track my clean male tenor vocals using a universal audio 6176. It’s literally the best Channel strip in the world.
Fantastic channel strip that 👍
The advantages you mention are correct. But in Console you don’t need to track it that way. Just push the monitor button and you’re all set 👍🏼
What do you mean?
@@JamesArterMusic I mean if you want the performer to hear the effects, tracking is great but using the monitoring button will do the same for you. So unless you really want to print, you can use that.
Gotcha! I actually mention that towards the end of the video - around 11:16 - as it’s a great feature, but thanks!
I tend to always commit as it just happens to be the way I work.
Thanks a lot for checking the video out!
@@JamesArterMusic Ah! I’m very bad in watching videos till the end 🙃
Hahaha me too! All good mate 🙂
Hello James, very useful video! I have the Apollo Twin. With your settings I have a gerat sound but I want to get rid of the ground noise. Any tips to recommand? Are you using a noise gate in your DAW?
I’m not really getting much in the way of noise.
What mic are you using?
@@JamesArterMusic
I'm using a Rhode NT2A. I have a lack of volume issue, which forces me to level up the gain on the mic channel, which creates therefore some unwanted noise...
@@cobravinci You shouldn't have a volume issue with that mic at all really! Are you going straight into the interface? I presume you're using phantom power (it shouldn't really work otherwise anyway). Just checking also that you don't have the pad on either the mic or the interface?
@@JamesArterMusic
Yes, I'm going straight into the Apollo via a XLR cable. Therefore I'm using the phantom power of the Apollo. I use the mic on 48v and don't use the pad. On the console settings, I've selected S/PDIF (instead of ADAT)...
The digital settings (S/PDIF & ADAT) shouldn't affect the level, but always good to have that right if you're using any external equipment.
Is it doing it on both inputs?
You should be getting a pretty strong signal with that mic.
The low cut filter can help to get rid of the low end rumbles, just in case you're getting a little bit of that, but not sure why your signal is so low. Unless there's a problem with the mic/interface.
Are you able to try the mic in something else?
great tutorial!
Thanks for watching!
Excellent video. Sub’d. 👍🏻
Thanks! And cheers for watching 👍
I don't understand. You first do a high-pass at 133 Hz, and after that you boost at 100Hz. Didn't you filter out what you are trying to boost?
The initial reduction is to tame the vocal in as the human voice is not static and we need a static vocal to properly mix it the second adds it back but more predictable in the way it will behave. Kinda like teaching a dog to sit before teaching it to come. Hope this helped
@@lambwatson2617 I don't understand. You did a high-pass: no more energy or sound below 133. So you are boosting nothing or adding nothing. Hope that helped.
@@colaboytje you r adding it back the signal it self is just that a signal you are adding back clean signal but removing the dirty signal or raw signal coming in
@@lambwatson2617 maybe I have to watch the video again, because that is not how I think it is explained.
@@colaboytje yea he just ran thru his setup to understand what I explained takes some formal training and music theory
my first comment ever... thanks 🙏
It’s an honour to have been part of your first comment!
Thanks very much for watching 🙏
one more comment, very damn helpful !!!!!!!!!
Never EQ printing audio! Compression yes, EQ, never, once you print it you can’t take it off, never got that School of thought!
Fair point. The amount of EQ I'm adding/subtraction is quite a small amount. They're also pretty standard frequencies, so nothing too crazy and certainly nothing that will cause any problems later down the line.
Sure, that is an opinion. However, if you can track a better sound by using EQ, there is no reason not to do it.
For example: different microphones have different characters. The choice of your mic, is your first EQ step. The distance of your mic, is another EQ step. Using a high-pass on the actual mic, is an EQ step. Setting the input gain, is an EQ step. You do all that before you even start tracking. So, adding a channel strip, is just another EQ step.
That is what they do in big professional studios. They use the EQ of the channel strip in the console to get a better sound before tracking.
Why would you record a worse vocal just because of an opinion-rule, if you can eliminate issues at the start?
How you going to have an audio advice channel and be WAY to quite??