Start with a clean recording
- Gain. Check that your takes peak around −12 to −6 dB and do not clip. Lower the clip gain if they are too hot.
- Comp the best takes into one lead, and fade the start and end of every clip to avoid clicks.
- Remove noise and loud breaths between the lines, or lower them a few decibels.
- Tune if you need to. FL Studio has Pitcher and Newtone for it. Tune before the compressor, so the compressor does not react to pitch jumps.
The vocal chain, step by step
- Corrective EQCut below about 80–100 Hz with a high-pass. Listen for a boxy or muddy area between 200 and 400 Hz and take a little out. Cut, do not boost, at this stage.
- CompressionA ratio around 3:1 to 4:1, a fast-to-medium attack and a release that follows the phrasing. Aim for around 3–6 dB of gain reduction on the loudest words. Two gentle compressors in a row often sound more natural than one that works hard.
- De-essingIf “s” and “t” sounds are harsh, reduce the 5–8 kHz area with a de-esser or a narrow dynamic EQ band.
- ToneAdd presence with a gentle lift around 2–5 kHz and air with a soft high shelf above 10 kHz. Light saturation can add density and help the vocal cut through small speakers.
- Space and effects on sendsPut reverb and delay on send tracks. Filter the lows and highs of the returns so the effects stay out of the way, and automate the sends if the vocal needs more or less space in different parts.
- Bus and levelGroup the vocals on a bus, balance the lead against the adlibs and the beat, and check the result at a low volume and in mono.
FL Studio plugins for each step
You do not need anything beyond what FL Studio ships with to build this chain:
- EQ: Fruity Parametric EQ 2.
- Compression: Fruity Limiter (it has a compressor section) or Maximus.
- Reverb: Fruity Reeverb 2.
- Delay: Fruity Delay 3.
- Tuning: Pitcher or Newtone.
- Distortion: Fruity Waveshaper or Distructor.
Doubles and stacks
Doubling the lead (a second take of the same line, panned or kept quiet underneath) makes it feel bigger. Keep the doubles a few decibels below the lead and tighter in the EQ, so they thicken the sound without blurring the words.
How to make a vocal sound distorted
- Send a copy of the vocal to a new bus.
- Put distortion, saturation or a bit-crusher on that bus.
- Add a filter after it: cut the lows so the bass stays clean, and roll off the harsh top.
- Blend the bus in under the clean vocal until you hear grit but still understand the words.
This parallel approach is how most distorted vocals are made: the clean vocal carries the words, the distorted copy carries the attitude. The hyperpop and rage styles lean on it.
Common mistakes
- Too much reverb on the dry lead, which pushes it behind the beat.
- Over-compression, which flattens the performance.
- Boosting the highs until the vocal is harsh, instead of cutting the low-mids.
- Mixing at a loud volume only. Check quietly and on small speakers as well.
- Fixing in the mix what a better take would solve.
Flextrik Vocal Presets
4 FL Studio presets (.fst) as a starting chain: main vocals, adlibs, bonus.
Prefer to hand it over? Mix by flextrik mixes your track from the dry vocals and the beat within 72 hours for $30.
Questions
What is the right order of effects on a vocal?
A common order is clean-up EQ, compression, de-essing, tone EQ or saturation, and then reverb and delay on send tracks. Move things around by ear, but fix problems before you add colour.
How loud should the vocal be in the mix?
Loud enough that you can hear every word at a low volume, without it sitting on top of the beat. Check it at low volume and against a reference track.
Should I put reverb directly on the vocal?
It is usually better on a send track: you can filter the reverb, set its level separately and use the same reverb for several tracks.
How do I make a vocal sound distorted?
Send a copy of the vocal to a bus with distortion or saturation, filter the lows and the harsh highs of that bus, and blend it under the clean vocal. That keeps the words clear while adding grit.
Can a preset mix my vocal for me?
A preset gives you a starting chain, not a finished mix; you will still adjust the levels and thresholds to your voice. Flextrik Vocal Presets are four FL Studio presets for main vocals, adlibs and a bonus.
Is mixing vocals different for rap and singing?
The steps are the same. Rap usually needs firmer compression and more attention to clarity and the “s” sounds; singing leaves more room for dynamics and reverb.