What do you guys think of outboard vocal processors?
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Posted on Aug 25, 2003 08:59 am
PorpoiseMuffins
a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member Since: Oct 09, 2002
I've seen a lot of these outboard vocal processors and have wondered about them. I can clearly see the benefits of using one in a live situation, but is there anything that they can do that cannot be done in software by a plug-in? I haven't heard anyone speak of these things in the forum here, so I'm wondering if they are somewhat of a scam. I mean, I don't hear anything real fancy going on with the vocal signals on most commercial CDs (except for the pop-punk radio stuff...). It seems to me that most producers like to keep things as realistic as possible and actually take the time to put together real harmonies and double-tracking--- And hit the right notes without using a pitch corrector. What do you think?
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Aug 25, 2003 09:03 am I suppose it depends on your goals. Many vocal effects commonly used are subtle and can easily be done via software if you want to spend the resource power to do it. Common vocal effects, such as reverbs, are VERY CPU intensive and can be done via plugin or outboard processors.
They are not a scam, they do the job just like anything else, but since I am not into the whole pop mentality of drowning the vocals in effects so much you can't hear them, I personally have no need for one.
Aug 25, 2003 03:25 pm I can put some fx on the singer and he can hear them when he sings so I don't have to listen to him whine.
Aug 25, 2003 03:57 pm Haha! Yes, sometimes drowning the vocals so much you can't hear them can be a good thing :)
By "scam" I meant that advertisers try to make it look like all the real "pros" use them and you need them to make your vocals sound professional. I'm just wondering how many people actually do use them.
LokiCone PokerMember
Since: Apr 07, 2002
Aug 25, 2003 10:23 pm I use two things on vocals right now, I use compression and reverb. I want to get a nice rackmount vocal processor though. I do most of that stuff outside of the computer to save resource. I was also looking at buying one of the autotune things... I don't really know what they are though. I use quite a bit of colouration on vocals though, reverb and distortion mainly, sometimes a vocoder, but I do a bit of a different style of music.
