Making room in the mix for vocals without robbing other elements of useful energy is where automation or level control ends and advanced EQ begins. We go beyond the usual moves… In this example I’m using a Sonnox plugin, but other developers make similar plugins.
At its simplest, sculpting the mix can be as easy as getting the faders in the right place at the right time, and making some simple EQ moves. From there, the engineer has the basis of the finished article from which to hang the finishing touches that the listener may or may not notice. In the main, getting the vocal to sit where it needs to be is the priority in many mixes on the understanding that getting the song’s message across is key. Certainly, keeping one or both eyes on this aim happens during the initial stage of the mix, and throughout.
Level Management
Even in the sparsest of arrangements, the vocal is sometimes supported and sometimes obscured by other elements which live alongside it in the midrange. In almost any mix these will come in the form of just about everything except basses or shorter sounds like drums. Juggling levels is one way around this, but perhaps more useful is using EQ to help wrap lesser sounds around the main focus, such as vocals and leads.
Limitations Of Static EQ
Conventional EQ can be thought of as ‘static’ in the sense that its parameters do not change during the mix unless automated. While this can be good for either dialling back or bringing forward certain spectral characteristics, when it comes to slotting sounds above, below, or in-between other ones it can be a rather blunt instrument. This is because any cut or boost intended to make room for something else can be redundant at times during the mix, robbing the EQ’d element of useful energy. What we need in its place is an EQ that changes its reach according to individual events in the mix.
Dynamic EQ And Sidechaining
Dynamic EQ has the ability to change the amount of cut or boost for a given band according to the sidechain level. In the video, we demonstrate how replacing level ducking with external sidechained dynamic EQ makes room for a vocal among a keys and guitars subgroup while retaining its overall energy throughout. We use extreme processing for the purpose of demonstrating the technique. We also process the sidechain itself to further discriminate between necessary cuts and redundant ones.
Sidechain Input Filtering By tuning the EQ’s sidechain input to listen in the lower mids, its overall response is made more effective by not overreacting to mid-orientated peaks in the sidechain signal itself.
Sidechain Input Limiting By heavily limiting the sidechain source’s send before it hits the EQ, the latter’s response is not affected by inconsistent levels into its sidechain input. This is especially helpful in a mix where little or no dynamic control is used on the sidechain source track.
Buying Room
Applying ‘de-masking’ techniques with dynamic EQ provides a less destructive way to sit sounds alongside each other. When employed subtly in context, mixes can sound fuller and more refined by restoring information in the cut band when events allow, versus using static cuts and/or fader moves. This is of course applicable in any ‘overlap’ situation and also has technical advantages, especially at the low end where both clarity and extra mix headroom can be bought.