Designing a distortion for vocals

Started by Gregory Kollins, June 10, 2009, 10:10:03 PM

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AFF

Someone may be able to prove or disprove this able the octave part.

Guitars and keyboards have a wide range so it's not that far of a "stretch"

Vocals have a decent range but for a normal singing part you would either drop into satan's voice or high like a chipmunk. I guess that might be the effect some people would go for but it wouldn't fit into most playing styles that I can think of. I have a very low range especially with my low screams and an octave below that would be pure mud. Who knows someone might be looking for that???

I guess I would have to say that I think the octave effect might suck because it would not be very dynamic and it would turn to pure nosie real quick. That is however my opinion so you be the judge and if you test it with a pedal or something like that let me know how it sounds ... -AFF

Derringer

I think it would all have to do with how it's mixed with the original signal.

The octave down (or up) doesn't HAVE to be real dramatic ... it could just barely be in there to give something a little extra to the vocals

octave up is 2nd harmonic ... 2nd harmonic is generally a good thing

I say, experiment, to hell what others say, see what it sounds like for yourself and you be the judge


case in point, my band recorded recently and I decided to double one of my vocal tracks by singing and octave lower ... my producer didn't really get what I was going for, but I said that I just wanted it to be mixed in a little bit, just to make the part sound a little different  ... and viola ... it fit perfectly!

AFF

I definately agree with harmonizing vocals!

I usually stack vocals 3 or more tracks. I will do three lows and a one high and vice versa. Our producer kicks my ass about making sure I get things like that right. Even if it is only a "hair" off I still go over it again until it is perfect.

Just off the top of my head Boss made a Harmonist pedal (HR-2) and I have heard some good sounds come from it. If you could get most of those tones to come through it would make a great vocal effect. Two different companies have some pretty good pedals digitech and maybe tc electronics??? Anyways I think the digitech one sounds great!!! I think the wet dry idea is HUGE!!!

Okay Gregory Kollins you have to add two expression pedals now.
One pedal to allow the amount of the effect to "bleed" into the output and one to adjust the intensity.
Just another idea.