Welcome to Sage Audio. Today we’re covering How to Mix Rap Vocals
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send it to us at SageAudio.com to receive a free mastered sample of it.
Rap Vocal Setup
Although this isn’t always the case, I’ve noticed that rap sessions typically include
a full stereo instrumental, and then the vocals are layered on top. Granted
some sessions will track vocals during the beat’s mixing process;
however, the instrumental is usually already finished by the time vocals are recorded.
This gives us some opportunities to more easily separate our vocal from the rest of
the instrumental - but first let’s take a listen to the track and vocals we’re working on today.
Inverse EQ Rap Vocal
Inverse EQ is a great way to separate the rap vocal from the instrumental.
Use the FabFilter Pro-Q 3 and match the vocal’s response
to the instrumental’s - then edit the bands created, and invert them
using the gain function making everything that was matched have the opposite effect.
Now the rap vocal’s response will be further separated from the instrumental,
making the vocal stick out.
Ducking Rap Vocal
Another way to separate your rap vocal from the instrumental is to use a mild ducking effect,
in which you place a compressor on your instrumental and use the vocal as the
external side-chain. This way, the instrumental is slightly compressed whenever the vocal in present.
This carves out room for the vocal and is especially helpful in the instrumental
is already very full or loud - making it easier for the vocal to compete with it.
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Rap Vocal EQ Curve
When you’re equalizing your rap vocal, here are some quick steps you can take to make it sound
better. Use a high pass up to 150Hz, attenuate 300Hz with a bell, boost 500Hz with a bell,
attenuate 700Hz, boost 2.5 to 3kHz, and then use an air shelf.
This controls a lot of problem frequencies while boosting what makes the vocal
more intelligible. Use this as a rough guide or starting point for your vocal.
Saturation for Rap Vocal
When saturating rap vocals, clear vocals often win out over warm or full vocals - for this reason,
it’s a good idea to use frequency-specific saturation and tape saturation types.
I’ll use Saturn 2 to distort the high frequencies, then select tape to create higher-order harmonics.
Since I’m distorting the high frequencies,
let’s turn on oversampling to avoid unwanted aliasing distortion.
Creating Crisp Vocals
My favorite way to create crisp rap vocals is to use a parallel send or aux track for
the vocals - on this track I’ll use an EQ to cut out to about 4kHz or higher. Then
I’ll insert a compressor or saturator and compress or saturate the signal heavily.
Lastly, I’ll blend the parallel signal back in via the channel
fader to include just the right amount of compressed high frequencies for my vocal.
Fresh Air on Vocals
If parallel compression is too time-consuming, another way you can create crisp vocals
is by using a free plugin from Slate Digital called Fresh Air. It amplifies some of the
highest frequencies of the signal causing a clear and crisp sound, indicative of rap vocals.
Just increase the 2 dials until you find the right level, and use the output trim
to compensate for gain changes.
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Short, then Long Reverb
Most rap vocals don’t use excessively long reverb times, but they often take advantage
of short reverb times to thicken the sound of a vocal. I’ll use both an ambient and a room
reverb to make my rap vocal sound thicker - then a subtle long one with boosted high frequencies.
Setting Short Delay for Vocals
Similar to reverb, short delays are used to make the vocal sound thick - I’ll use a delay
that syncs to my host bpm to ensure that the delay is in time with my instrumental.
Then I’ll set the note to 1/64th note, making my vocal more present.
Although all tracks are unique, a long delay, if used, is typically more subtle.
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a free mastered sample of it.
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