Hey all!
Before I get started, yes, I started a new blog. In my "Music Philosophy from a Physics Major" blog (which you can visit here), I'll still be talking about music from both a Creator and a Fan perspective, where I've touched on everything from collaborating to how to better support your favorite artists, but in this new blog, I'll be talking specifically about some of my methods in electronic recording and mixing. I also will be mentioning some of the software and hardware that I personally am fond of using. I'll be happy to take requests for some different types of posts, and if I don't have experience in a certain area, I'll research the subject and find some guest-contributors.
I use a lot of both technical and musical terms. As I will try to do each post, for terms that I do not define within the main text, I'm including additional definitions at the end of this post. While I'm guessing that most of the people that would be reading this blog will be at least somewhat familiar with most of these terms, I recognize that everyone must start somewhere and I know I have some fans that are simply curious as to my methods. I want this blog to work well for the novice as well as more-seasoned music creators wanting to know more about a certain method or effect. We're all always learning. So let's get this blog rolling!
In a recent interview with Music-News, the interviewer asked me about what first drew me to the vocoder, noting of my usage that, "... it's a less brash, more tasteful use of the effect than most of us are used to in popular music." I honestly have to say, whether it was intended as such or not, this felt like a massive compliment to my work in applying vocoders within my songs. I am always searching for new and better ways to use the vocoder in my work. In the interview, I desperately wanted to dive into the nuances and different applications one could try with vocoding software, To keep my answer brief though, I only touched on how my usage differs as well as the specific song that got me diving into how to use vocal effects. (You can read the entire interview here if you're so inclined.) So now I am going to use my new blog and first post to outline what you really need to know to make use of vocoding software and apply it in some new and exciting ways.
While I won't get into how physical vocoders are built today or all of the technical bits of how vocoders work, I do think it's important to learn a couple of terms and some basics. The carrier is the sound that you're trying to control with the modulator, which is typically your vocal input. Vocoders work by breaking your modulator into usable bands of information that then shape the carrier. The more bands of frequencies that it's broken down into, the clearer the "singing" of your synthesizer. HOWEVER, too many bands can feel almost too grainy with certain synths. Not always desirable. Decent vocoding software will allow you for you to specify or choose the number of bands. (I personally use no more than sixty bands for a female voice with a relatively traditional synth sound.)
Also on software, you should find software that allows you to "mix" within the vocoder to a degree, changing how much the unvoiced speech sounds (plosives, sibilants) come through, the dry/wet ratio, etc. Software that is too simple can be too limiting in the finish and polish of the end-result or even just give you too few options, often resulting in a lot of robot voices or lack of clarity in the vocalization. Read reviews, find some free trials, and determine which plugin is best for you. I use Vocodex by Image-Line (the makers of FL Studio), which I highly recommend. There are free vocoder plugins out there, but most of them are very limited in features and don't generally allow for side-chained carriers. There are plenty of review sites out there too.
The beauty of vocoding software in the studio, versus a physical vocoder or keyboard with built in mic/vocoder (which I recommend for the stage), is that you can bring in pieces of or all of a separate vocal into your DAW and vocode with that as well as choose from among any virtual instruments you may own. You can also record your guitar, accordion, violin, etc and use that as a carrier. I rely on a vocoding software plugin for my recordings because it gives me maximum control over every choice and nuance.
One thing to keep in mind is that you don't have to use a vocal as a modulator unless you are going for "singing" instruments. On the song "Talking Over Apologies," I also used the vocoder to create a completely different instrument line than I could have achieved otherwise by modulating one instrument with another. I may delve into this in a later post and include some sound clips on how to make use of some really odd applications of the vocoder. However, since most people think of voice applications of vocoders, we will focus on that for this post.
So now let's choose a carrier. Generally, a nice, big, sweeping synth pad works well, and I suggest that if you're a beginner, you use one of these as you get comfortable with your software. It will give you a much more traditional vocoder effect. Grab a pad and record some chords to use as your carrier. This will remove some distractions in the carrier while you get used to playing with the settings within the plugin.
Because you generally want a clear vocalization, the carrier needs to be relatively "unbroken." When I speak of breaks, I mean pauses or rests, even relatively small, in speech or an instrument line. Any breaks in the carrier sound will result in breaks in the vocalization. Internalize that information. It's really important to choosing both the carrier and how it's played.
So let's fast forward to you understanding and feeling somewhat comfortable in your vocoding software. If the synth line should be relatively unbroken, does that mean only use long chords? Actually, no! Long chords are not required, even for vocoding speech and heavily syllabled singing. (Maybe this is not a revelation for you, but really understanding this was one of those aha moments for me.) You certainly can use chords, but ultimately what you need is a legato line of music. If you can get the carrier line to be flowing and relatively unbroken, whether by using a nice ambient drone, a wash, or even violins, you can make it "sing."
The reason why my vocoder application gets noticed is that I think about my vocoder line as an instrument within my mix. For my carrier, I often use my keyboard line with vst plug-ins. The flowing piano melodies mixed with chords and ornaments in my piano lines have an organic feel and allow the vocoder effect to settle into my songs. This isn't every application, but it is very much a part of my signature. Since I bring in a keyboard line via MIDI from a weighted keyboard, I can choose among vst plugin sounds and still retain the dynamics of a real piano.
And here is the flip side! If you are not going for speech or a lot of words, and only want to color your "ahs" and other held vocalizations, you can use even more diverse carriers. I have some very interesting virtual instruments with various delayed arps, echoes, etc and I love to control those synths with my voice. But generally those arps and echoes are not very clear until I get to a held vocal note. This becomes apparent in the "ahs" in my song "WaterWings."
In later posts, I'll further address some different applications of vocoders, such as bolstering a main vocal line, adding background vocals, coloring held notes, and using vocoders with just instruments as well as discuss ways to prep a vocal recording to use with the vocoder. If there are any questions or even suggestions anyone has relating to this topic, please send them to me by way of the comments and I'll address those as well. Other later posts will discuss different plugins, effects, tips, tricks, etc for electronic and other music recordings. Please send me your suggestions for posts in the comments, via my website, or to my twitter account sarahschonert@sarahschonert.
Visit www.sarahschonertmusic.com to learn more about my music.
Definitions for the Layperson:
Legato: a musical term that means the notes should be connected and flowing
Pad / Synth pad: A synth often used to provide ambiance, background chords, etc. They lend themselves to held notes and chords.
VST Plugin: VST stands for "Virtual Studio Technology" and plugins are software modules that work in various DAWs. These are often effects such as filters, EQs, compressors, reverbs, etc and synths / virtual instruments that you can play by way of MIDI controllers.
DAW: "Digital Audio Workstation." When I use this term, I'm generally talking about the software in which you record and/or mix your tracks.
Arp: Arpeggio triggered off of a single note (often by holding the note). These are varied and may come preprogrammed into a vst sound or can be added and customized within the plug-in.
Suggested resource for further learning: http://www.innovativesynthesis.com/introduction-to-vocoders/
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