{"id":10807,"date":"2020-05-27T18:30:52","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T22:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/?p=10807"},"modified":"2025-03-20T12:05:58","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T16:05:58","slug":"what-is-a-vocal-chain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/what-is-a-vocal-chain\/","title":{"rendered":"How to create a vocal chain from start to finish"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A vocal chain is a string of processing modules that combine to make the raw audio from a microphone sound ‘better,’ perhaps more like the final audio you hear in a mixed piece of music.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although there are no hard-and-fast rules about what must be included in a standard vocal chain, typically one would expect a standard chain to include a preamp, an EQ, compression, and some effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historically, audio engineers needed to create their vocal chains using hardware, but for anyone recording vocals in the 21st century, this is fortunately no longer the case. For those who’d like to achieve the same quality but don’t have access to the gear, Arturia have faithfully emulated several classic processing modules in their FX Collection<\/a> (and introduced a few original ones as well). Today, let\u2019s take a look at how we can use their 1973-Pre, FET-76, and Plate-140 emulations, along with their original Delay ETERNITY, to form an adaptable and<\/em> affordable vocal chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ll be using this vocal sample from Splice as an example<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voice to verse\u2014anywhere. With the addition of Splice Mic, you can instantly test and record ideas, explore genres, and unlock new creative possibilities, all from <\/strong>the Splice mobile app.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Applying a preamp<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first step in our vocal chain is pre-amplification. A preamp takes an input signal and applies positive or negative gain to achieve the desired level of amplitude. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this case, our vocals have already been recorded through a preamp, so there\u2019s no need to apply more gain, but if you\u2019re using your interface\u2019s onboard pre (in other words, if you\u2019re plugging a mic directly into your interface), you might try applying gain using an emulation like Arturia’s 1973-Pre instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our preamp settings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this patch, we\u2019ll primarily rely on some of the EQ features of the 1973-Pre. A gentle high pass along with some shelving will suffice to get our vocal ready for the next stage, as the high-frequency bite adds a bit of pop flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how our vocal sounds after the 1973-Pre:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Applying compression<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next, we\u2019ll use Arturia’s FET-76 emulation to apply some compression. Performing a moderate squeeze to the signal, this step in the chain will even out our vocal\u2019s peaks, which will make it feel more full and powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our compression settings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, we\u2019ve taken care of sibilance using the advanced sidechain controls. We scooped the signal used for detection somewhere between 5 – 10 kHz to control sibilant consonants, pairing this processing with a gentle high pass at 80 Hz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how our vocal sounds after the FET-76:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Applying reverb<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that we\u2019ve dialed in our dynamics processing, let\u2019s give the vocals a sense of space. When we listen to someone speaking or singing in person, we almost always hear more than just the sound emanating from their mouth; we hear the various reflections of that sound added to it, which vary based on the physical characteristics of the space we’re in. By adding reverb, we\u2019ll simulate a ‘room,’ which should help make our artificially dry vocal come to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our reverb settings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This patch makes use of Arturia\u2019s classic EMT plate model. A low decay time value means the simulated room feels ‘smaller’ to match the low pre-delay value, despite the full stereo width. We also apply a final touch of character with some tube amp drive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how our vocal sounds after the Plate-140:<\/p>\n\n\n\n