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Lead Vocalist using effects

DeepFriedBass

DeepFriedBass

Nov 21, 2019
268
275
#1
I need help with this issue, we just got a new vocalist that iij insists on using a chorus AND a doubler directly to the board on his entire set.

This is not only non professional, draining on the ears, but also potentially could damage the PA pres or even speakers if they got knocked around or crapped out.

How can I tell this big guy from New Jersey that he's making a rookie mistake by over processing his vocal signal with the wrong tools and could potentially lose us the mains as well as the audience while sounding professional?

Thanks
 
#3
Maybe I'm lucky, but in 50 years of playing music I've only once dealt with a singer who insisted on effects - and that effect was reverb.

Now I can see using something SPARINGLY for a song or two, but if I hear a heavily-and-constantly-processed singer, I can't take him/her seriously - and it's annoying. My judgment - perhaps harsh, I dunno - is that the singer is insecure about his/her talent and needs to hide what he/she really sounds like.

You say "we just got a new vocalist." We, not I. How about talking to your bandmates and presenting a common front to this vocalist? Tell him that it's not consistent with what the band wants.
 
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#4
Yeah, were going to have to have a group meeting about it because when at practice he just laughs it off like we aren't being serious.

I feel like there are technical problems as well as the obvious overuse of a single effect. I guess if another vocalist comes along well take a good look at switching, but we ended up with this guy because he has the heart for it and really wants to perform. We thought it would be easy to get him to work with us there but it turns out it's like were snatching his binky or something.

Its good to know how other people feel about this cause I've never experienced anything like it, just total disregard for the mix as a whole and ignoring suggestions. He may be newer to this than we thought, we've all been playing for decades.
 
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#8
DeepFriedBass said:
Yeah, were going to have to have a group meeting about it because when at practice he just laughs it off like we aren't being serious.

I feel like there are technical problems as well as the obvious overuse of a single effect. I guess if another vocalist comes along well take a good look at switching, but we ended up with this guy because he has the heart for it and really wants to perform. We thought it would be easy to get him to work with us there but it turns out it's like were snatching his binky or something.

Its good to know how other people feel about this cause I've never experienced anything like it, just total disregard for the mix as a whole and ignoring suggestions. He may be newer to this than we thought, we've all been playing for decades.
Click to expand...

A simple "you're not plugging that thing into the board tonight" while setting up for a gig should send the message. Make it a condition of his performance.
 
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#9
Couple things. First I’ve been lead vocals for the most part for like 30 years now. I use a touch of subtle reverb when it’s “right” for the venue. I also will use a touch of slapback, like a single repeat. It’s nice and adds a nice finish to the sound. In a few venues I’ve turned both completely off just because of the natural reverb and hard surfaces. It’s a balanced approach. Most every vintage rock album from the mid 70’s up use some if not both of these effects. (Beatles, Stones, Nugent, Paul Rogers, Brad Delp. Freddie Mercury, Cheap Trick......) So It’s not effects that are your enemy. I’d be very hard pressed to think any effect used correctly could in any way harm your speakers.

I don’t like chorus on vocals...especially not WITH a ping pong delay. That’s got to sound off pitch and just weird.

I’m also usually the sound guy. You have choices. If he has a pedal that works like a guitar pedal (mic> effect> Board) you can keep it in his channel only. Depending on how you run your board you could set it up so there is three mixes. FOH & two monitor mixes (all mono) that way you give him “his” monitor dripping in his effects but adjust the FOH with just a touch.



if it’s an effect processor that’s loaded in your rack with your gear... again, you have choices. You can return it in a return or into a channel. I’d use a return so you can isolate what channels (FOH Monitor 1, 2) get the effect.


I would not be confrontational, rude or argumentative. I’d ask him why he uses it? How he’s used it in the past. I’d tell him you’re happy to use it and that you’ll work with him to really dial it in. Explain it’s gotta be fair for everyone in the band. Make him “want” to work with you to make it all work.
 
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#10
DeepFriedBass said:
I need help with this issue, we just got a new vocalist that iij insists on using a chorus AND a doubler directly to the board on his entire set.

This is not only non professional, draining on the ears, but also potentially could damage the PA pres or even speakers if they got knocked around or crapped out.

How can I tell this big guy from New Jersey that he's making a rookie mistake by over processing his vocal signal with the wrong tools and could potentially lose us the mains as well as the audience while sounding professional?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Using vocal effects can’t damage preamps or PA speakers.

That said, just ask why he’s using them: chorus and doublers serve largely the same purpose for vocals, so it seems like he might just need a tutorial on vocal effects.
 
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#12
DeepFriedBass said:
I need help with this issue, we just got a new vocalist that iij insists on using a chorus AND a doubler directly to the board on his entire set.

This is not only non professional, draining on the ears, but also potentially could damage the PA pres or even speakers if they got knocked around or crapped out.

How can I tell this big guy from New Jersey that he's making a rookie mistake by over processing his vocal signal with the wrong tools and could potentially lose us the mains as well as the audience while sounding professional?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Wow. Im a lead vocalist and I use effects like that directly into the board all the time.

I guess that makes me unprofessional too lol

All I know is there are whole expensive lines of vocal effects units that are designed for this, and some of my favorite vocals use those effects on record... so I don't understand the hate. Guitarists use effects...
 
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#19
AGCurry said:
Maybe I'm lucky, but in 50 years of playing music I've only once dealt with a singer who insisted on effects - and that effect was reverb.

Now I can see using something SPARINGLY for a song or two, but if I hear a heavily-and-constantly-processed singer, I can't take him/her seriously - and it's annoying. My judgment - perhaps harsh, I dunno - is that the singer is insecure about his/her talent and needs to hide what he/she really sounds like.

You say "we just got a new vocalist." We, not I. How about talking to your bandmates and presenting a common front to this vocalist? Tell him that it's not consistent with what the band wants.
Click to expand...
Potential damage to the PA notwithstanding, Couldn’t the same be said for any musician (besides electric keyboards/synths) who uses effects rather just a clean signal from their instrument? If it’s OK for the bass and guitar player why is it some kind of deep need to compensate when a vocalist does exactly the same thing?
 
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