Music Production Guide

Sound Recipe - Vocal Processing Chain (Tuning → De-ess → Comp → Parallel → FX Sends)

Target

The canonical "what to do after you record the vocal." Capture is covered by the mic recipes — UT Twin87 Vocal Recording and Dynamic Mic Vocals (SM57 / SM58). This recipe is the default processing order that turns a good take into a finished, expensive-sounding lead that sits in the mix.

Other vocal recipes (Gahan, Grimes, Hooverphonic, etc.) should reference this chain and only describe what they do differently. The goal is a repeatable order so you stop re-deciding the chain every song.

The result should feel:

  • Clean and intentional (no clicks, esses, or rumble)
  • In tune to the style's taste (transparent or stylized)
  • Forward and consistent (level-controlled, present, never harsh)
  • Sat in a believable space (delay/reverb as sends, not inserts)

Follows the house method: intention → source → preset/plugin start → routing → settings → automation → taste checks.

Useful References

  • Modern pop/electronic lead vocal production generally
  • Style-specific colors live in the artist vocal recipes; this is the neutral spine under all of them

The order matters more than the exact plugins. Owned alternatives are listed at each stage.

The Order (default lead-vocal chain)

  1. Cleanup / gain stage — fix before you shape
  2. Tuning — pitch to the style's taste
  3. Subtractive EQ — remove problems
  4. De-ess (stage 1) — tame sibilance before compression
  5. Compression (serial) — two gentle stages beat one heavy one
  6. Additive EQ / tone — presence and air
  7. Saturation / character — harmonics so it reads everywhere
  8. Parallel compression — density and consistency
  9. FX sends — delay and reverb for space
  10. Automation — the part that actually makes it sit

Inserts on the channel: 1–8. Sends (parallel comp, delay, reverb): 8–9. Always shape before you send to space.

1. Cleanup / Gain Stage

Intention

Fix capture problems first so every later stage works on a clean signal.

Source + chain

  • iZotope RX — de-click/mouth de-click, breath control, de-noise, fix pops (or RX module in-DAW)
  • Comp out dead air; consolidate; set a healthy level (peaks ~-6 dB)
  • FabFilter Pro-Q 4 — HPF ~80–100 Hz to kill rumble/proximity boom

Taste checks

  • Listen soloed for clicks, pops, and noise. Fix here, not with EQ later.

2. Tuning

Intention

Pitch correction to the style's taste — transparent for organic, hard for the effect.

Source + chain

  • Antares Auto-Tune — retune speed slow (transparent) to fast/zero (the T-Pain/Grimes effect)
  • Logic Flex Pitch — manual note-by-note for natural, surgical correction

Settings anchors

Taste checks

  • Tune before compression so the comp reacts to the corrected signal.

3. Subtractive EQ

Intention

Remove what's wrong before adding what's nice.

Source + chain

  • FabFilter Pro-Q 4 — narrow cuts for resonances/boxiness (200–500 Hz), harshness (2–4 kHz) if needed
  • Keep cuts surgical; broad tone comes later

Taste checks

  • Sweep a narrow boost to find ugly resonances, then cut them.

4. De-ess (stage 1)

Intention

Control sibilance before compression so the comp doesn't exaggerate esses.

Source + chain

  • FabFilter Pro-DS (or Logic DeEsser) — target 5–9 kHz, gentle, only on the esses

Taste checks

  • Reduce esses, don't lisp the vocal. A second light de-ess can come after bright EQ/saturation.

5. Compression (serial)

Intention

Two gentle compressors in series sound more expensive than one heavy one: one for leveling, one for character/peaks.

Source + chain

  1. UAD LA-2A / Logic Compressor (opto) — slow, gentle leveling, ~2–4 dB GR
  2. UAD 1176 / FabFilter Pro-C 2 — faster, catches peaks, adds snap, ~2–4 dB GR

Settings anchors

  • LA-2A first for smooth ride; 1176 second for presence (fast attack, medium release)
  • Total GR modest; let automation (step 10) do the big level work

Taste checks

  • The vocal should feel steady and forward without "squashed" artifacts.

6. Additive EQ / Tone

Intention

Now make it pretty — presence and air.

Source + chain

  • Pro-Q 4 or a character EQ (UAD Pultec/API) — gentle presence 3–6 kHz, air shelf 10–14 kHz
  • Small low-mid warmth (200–300 Hz) only if the voice is thin

Taste checks

  • Broad, musical moves here. If you're cutting narrowly, that belonged in step 3.

7. Saturation / Character

Intention

Harmonics so the vocal reads on small speakers and feels "produced."

Source + chain

  • UAD Oxide / Studer A800 tape (subtle), Culture Vulture for edge, RC-20 for lo-fi color
  • iZotope VocalSynth 2 for stylized character/doubling when the style wants it

Taste checks

  • A/B on phone speakers — the vocal should feel more present, not harsher. Re-check sibilance after.

8. Parallel Compression

Intention

Density and consistency without crushing the main channel.

Source + chain

  • Send to a parallel bus → heavy 1176 (all-buttons) or Pro-C 2; blend under the lead
  • Optionally EQ the parallel brighter for presence

Taste checks

  • Blend until the vocal feels solid and constant; pull back if it sounds pumped.

9. FX Sends (delay + reverb)

Intention

Space as sends, shared and filtered — never as channel inserts.

Source + chain

  • Delay: iZotope Cascadia / UAD EP-34 / Eventide H3000 — tempo-synced (1/4 or 1/8 dotted), filtered repeats (HPF ~300 Hz, LPF ~5 kHz)
  • Reverb: UAD EMT 140 (plate) / Lexicon PCM / Valhalla VintageVerb — predelay 20–40 ms, decay 1–2.5 s, filter the return
  • Throws: automate the delay send up on the last word of a phrase (see Effect-as-Arrangement)

Settings anchors

  • Predelay keeps the dry vocal up front; filter returns so space doesn't fog the mix
  • Sidechain the reverb/delay return to the dry vocal so it ducks while singing

Taste checks

  • Mute the sends — the dry vocal should already sit. Space adds depth, not intelligibility problems.

10. Automation

Intention

The step that actually makes the vocal sit, every line.

Settings anchors

  • Clip/volume automation before compression to even out lines (do the big work here, not with more GR)
  • Ride the lead up in choruses; push reverb/delay sends in spacious moments, dry in dense ones
  • De-ess or dip harsh words individually rather than globally

Taste checks

  • Every word audible against the busiest section. If a line hides, automate it, don't re-EQ everything.

Routing Summary

  • Channel inserts: RX cleanup → Pro-Q HPF → tuning → subtractive EQ → de-ess → LA-2A → 1176 → additive EQ → saturation
  • Sends: parallel comp bus, delay (filtered), reverb (filtered, ducked)
  • Automation: clip gain pre-comp + fader rides + send rides
  • All space filtered; dry vocal stays forward

Fast Path

  1. RX clean → Pro-Q HPF
  2. Auto-Tune (taste) → narrow problem cuts → light de-ess
  3. LA-2A gentle → 1176 for presence
  4. Presence + air EQ → subtle tape
  5. Delay + plate sends (filtered, ducked) → ride clip gain and the lead

Adjustment Rules

Harsh: more/earlier de-ess, cut 2–4 kHz, less bright saturation, re-check after tone EQ.

Buried: clip-gain automation, parallel comp, presence 3–6 kHz, ride the fader — before adding level.

Lifeless: character saturation, air shelf, a touch of stylized doubling, delay throws on phrase ends.

Too washy: filter the reverb/delay returns, add predelay, duck the returns under the dry vocal.

Pumping/squashed: less GR per stage, slower attack on the leveling comp, move work to automation.

Common Mistakes

  • Compressing before tuning and cleanup
  • One heavy compressor instead of two gentle stages
  • Reverb/delay as inserts instead of filtered sends
  • EQ-ing problems that RX/automation should fix
  • Skipping automation and trying to fix everything with plugins
  • De-essing only once when bright EQ/saturation re-introduce sibilance

Closest Tools I Own

Cleanup: iZotope RX, FabFilter Pro-Q 4 Tuning: Antares Auto-Tune, Logic Flex Pitch De-ess: FabFilter Pro-DS, Logic DeEsser Compression: UAD LA-2A / 1176, FabFilter Pro-C 2, Logic Compressor Tone/character: FabFilter Pro-Q 4, UAD Pultec / API, UAD Oxide / Studer A800 / Culture Vulture, XLN RC-20, iZotope VocalSynth 2 Space: iZotope Cascadia, UAD EP-34, Eventide H3000, UAD EMT 140, Lexicon PCM, Valhalla VintageVerb

Practical Summary

Work in a fixed order: clean up and gain-stage, tune to taste, cut problems, de-ess, then level with two gentle compressors in series before adding presence, air, and harmonic saturation. Use parallel compression for density, send to filtered, ducked delay and reverb for space, and let volume automation do the heavy lifting so every word sits. Capture decides the ceiling (see the mic recipes); this chain reliably reaches it. Artist recipes only need to note where they deviate from this spine.

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