[linux-audio-user] multiple voice (choir?) effect

R Parker rtp405 at yahoo.com
Fri Apr 18 13:38:00 EDT 2003


Hi,

--- Bryan Koschmann - GKT <gktnews at gktech.net> wrote:
> Does anyone know of either a program, plugin, or
> even technique, to make a
> single recorded voice sound like many? They don't
> necessarily need to vary
> in pitch I guess, just sound like many people
> singing.
> 
> Odd request I'm sure :)

Not at all odd. The following describes the ideal
situation where you've got three singers. Of course
you're dealing with one and so you'll never achieve
the result that I get with the technique that I'll
describe. Reguardless the principle applies accept
that you're faced with a sound design challange to
create a sense multiple voices--otherwise known as a
PITA.

Ideally, you've got three singers in the vocal booth
where each is singing a harmony note and all three to
one track. Then you repeat that performance and
optionally assign them different notes. Now you've got
six voices on two tracks. You can eq and effect each
track differently to create distinction and depth.
Inexperienced singers will want to sing lead when
they're doing back up tracks. Don't let them. Keep the
parts painfully simple. Position them around the mic
in a half circle so they can follow eachother's lips
and tell them to do that if they're having timing
problems. And they will! Often times these parts are
being written on the fly.

Lots of reverb will help smooth out poor performances
but doesn't replace talent.

After you achieve a sound that you like, comp the two
tracks to one. Then copy the final track that includes
the six voices and two mixes to another track.
Playback the final two mult tracks to their own
channels and pan them hard Left and hard Right.

You can go nuts with variations on this theme until
you've got the sound you want.

Panning hard L and R creates a wide stereo field,
enables you to keep those track volumes lower in the
mix and still have them punch out when the parts play.

Chorus vocal mults rule. You want the right thing.

Things to try that might fatten up one voice but will
probably be alot more work than having three singers;
copy the track and shift one "slightly" out of
time--not so much to affect the groove, use pitch
shifting, tight slap back echo--creates depth, reverb,
etc.

Maybe that gives you some ideas.

ron

> Thanks,
> 
> 	Bryan
> 


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