Best vocal mastering software

That and the ability to get the results you want reasonably quickly. Sometimes those things will conflict a bit. That is why we choose a plugin which fits our needs the best. This one is of an optical unit. The optical method is prone to being softer and gentler to vocals, while still being able to lay down the law when necessary. It is all about the secret DSP sauce of how nothing is really linear.

Add 2db of Gain and suddenly your sound is different. Over time you can get a sense of what is going on. Until then…. You tend to start out wiggling the vaguely labelled knobs and suddenly something great appears in the murk.

If this is the path for you then close your doors to the world and make this the only device you use for everything. Just like they did back in Waves have been around for a very long time and for much of it as the top name in the game. Their plugins used to be really expensive. Nowadays if you catch them on sale they are cheap as chips. And general pretty good value for that. Input, Output, speed the Ratio Curve operates, and then a section of Ratio pre-sets.

Sounds dull, I know, but in-practice they can be great. Great for drums as you can really flatten them to add thickness, edge and size. And for vocals? Depends on who you are. Some like the CLA for vocals for that very same reason. Merciless attack times, the ability to really crunch those pop vocals. This means the units respond very nicely to being hit hard.

More Softube, more emulation. Everyone loves a bit of bounty hunter scum. Or so it would seem with another emulation.

However, FET has more features. Softube added some more modern features along with improving the flow of the knobs so you can parallel process and alter what parts of the signal trigger the processing goblins. Again, some people love it on vocals, as it can really rough them up add some punch where needed.

Many think the parameter additions make this a better bet there. This is a character effect processor to be accurate. Another minimalistic blast from the past. The reason this style of unit works so well for vocals is that it tends to be kind. Besides the Tube-Tech, the other compressors so far have tended to be rough and rowdy which has its charm but the TLA is smoother and less noticeable as it goes about its work. Softube added a few extra features including a separate saturation section so you can control how tubular it all gets.

But if you want a character unit to supplement your core compression, or you want to choose one unit to live with then this could be it. I may just suggest that it could see you struggle with less controlled singers like Rappers.

If you ever feel the need to lay down the law in your vocal mix, refer to the other units mentioned. But for singer-songwriter tracks, this is great.

This fellow is the real odd one out here. Pro-C2 is all about modern, practical, versatility, and clean. This is the modern jack of all trades, cover every piece of ground, device that many of us bedroom boys love. Why buy and learn 78 devices when you can get one? It is also simply the go-to plugin for all your compressing duties on every track, not just vocals.

So it is well worth it. You get a lot of modes targeted at most of the common things you will want to do with a compressor. For instance, its vocal mode helps you to bring vocals to the front of the mix. A nice little addition to a plugin. But honestly, it is doubted that they can really compete with the dedicated units mentioned above. Think of it as leaning a bit that way. This is the only unit here to offer control over the Knee of the compression critters. Especially when it comes to vocal mixing.

Also, rather than being stuck in an old-hardware frame of mind the interface is visually informative and very adjustable to suit your task or preferences. You can even pop it full screen on an unreasonable large Retina display! It has all the typical compressor controls and its interface is intuitive and easy to use. The V-Comp also features a De-Esser switch which functions like a high-frequency side-chain to smoothen harsh high frequencies in the mix.

This is a nifty feature that can be turned on and off with a single switch. Also included is a limiter that can be used independently. Its vintage-style squashing of the transients is also convincing. There is a bit of warmth in the processed signal which can be further shaped by the De-Esser and the limiter functions. The Teletronix LA-2A is prized for its electro-luminescent optical attenuator. It seems that most producers use the CLA-2A for leveling purposes, particularly for bass sounds.

But it has also proven itself as a competent vocal compressor as well. The CLA-2A does not have a lot of tricks, but its historic sound and simplicity makes up most of its charm. It has more than you would ever expect from a product of its price point. Based on the original solid-state compressor, the Waves CLA-3A boasts a transparent compression curve. This ensures a fast response from attack to release, a perfect tool for high-tempo music.

Moreover, it packs a subtle harmonic distortion for some added spice. This works best for bass, as it brings out a unique kink from the sound. Nonetheless, the CLA-3A infuses this edge to your vocals without ruining the signal.

Like the CLA-2A, it uses an optical attenuator for gain reduction. The algorithms behind the compression are program dependent.

This means that it is hard to say how a particular setting would change the quality of the sound. It has a Peak Reduction knob for controlling the desired compression, and a Gain knob for adjusting the levels after compression.

Overall, the CLA-3A can be used for a wide variety of applications. But its magic is most potent on bass, vocals, and guitars. It deploys an entire array of expansion, compression, and limiting gadgetry, most of which happens by way automation. Needless to say, producers who want more control over the attack and release times may find the Renaissance Vox too wild of a beast to tame.

And it does this to excellent effect. An instance of R-Vox instantly puts your signal into the front and center of the mix. It adds weight to any signal, which can help for weak-sounding vocals to stand out. Another added bonus is its relatively small CPU footprint. You can chuck in multiple instances of the plugin without putting a strain on your machine. Then, you can decide if you want to commit to a path, like owning one unit that you use for everything, or having a couple that fits diverging tastes.

Waves CLA and Softube FET may suit people who mix harder and louder as most of us have to these days , and whose vocalists need more discipline. But if dollars are the deciding factor, then check if Waves is having one of their many sales right now go grab it!

While definitely among the most expensive in the list, its versatility and its added features make it worth every buck. What makes them interesting are their unique vintage features. Of course, one could never go wrong with the Renaissance Vox. While also learning more towards the pricier side, the simplicity and the sheer power of this plugin makes it an awesome choice for newbies and vets alike. On the other end of the spectrum is the FabFilter Pro-C2 which is as simple and vanilla as you can get.

Waves is a popular plugin company, so all their plugins are great, but you may be wondering what the best Waves plugins are. There are over Waves plugins and a lot of them are essential in creating a solid mix. Keep reading to find out what the top 25 must-have Waves plugins are that are available in The Scheps Omni Channel, designed by the award-winning mix engineer Andrew Scheps, is a top-rated, extremely flexible channel strip unlike ones you have used before. Oftentimes channel strips are based on vintage mixers, but that can mean that you are limited to having all your songs being connected to a certain sonic color.

Modular channel strips do not limit you to a certain coloration, but they oftentimes do not mesh together in a cohesive way. This is not the case with Scheps Omni Channel. Andrew Scheps took the best of vintage channel strips and the best of modular strips, certain combinations, and turned them into one channel strip, the Scheps Omni Channel.

With the Pre module, you can add in analog saturation to color your signal as well as filters. The Compression module allows you to compress and expand your signal, and the EQ module has a 4 band EQ to sculpt your sound.

DS2 is a de-esser that takes care of plosives as well as harsh frequencies, and the Gate module allows you to expand and gate the signal but also adjust the amount of noise reduction happening.

Waves also provides some presets for the plugin if you need to focus on one module more than the others. The Scheps Omni Channel really is a great channel strip plugin. I have used it on vocals, guitar, and even some drums, and it sounds amazing. The coloration options are very handy for adding some different character to audio depending on the genre you are making. Everything is easy to use and the interface is very straightforward. You are missing out if you have not used this VST before; it is a definite must-have Waves plugin.

If you are like me and you absolutely hate automating vocal levels, you need Vocal Rider. Hot tip : Saturation is a strong effect that many producers blend in gently on a bus.

Try this if you need another layer of control over your vocal saturation. Klanghelm is a respected plugin manufacturer that offers stripped-down versions of their flagship plugins for free. Simply crank it up to add smooth saturation and punch. De-essers are a plugin type with a very specific job in vocal mixing.

Certain vocalists and singing styles can create a sharp sibilance sound in combination with certain microphones. De-esser plugins are how you reduce it. In essence, a de-esser is a compressor that only acts on a narrow range of the frequency spectrum where the sibilance occurs. De-essers should be placed after any gain reduction or frequency boosting processors that add to the negative effects of sibilance. Techivation is T-De-Esser is a straightforward free de-esser plugin that gets the job done.

Simply select a frequency range, set sharpness and intensity and dial in the amount of effect you need to smooth out your vocals. Hot tip : Most DAWs come bundled with a perfectly good de-esser for cleaning up vocals. Try your native plugin bundle before rushing to download a free de-esser. Add up to 6 voices of chorus and shape the sound with the onboard EQ to get the ideal vocal modulation.

Vocal doubling has a long history in music production. Next up are your ambience effects. These are the processors that give your vocals a sense of space and dimension in the mix. The frequency control lets you take it from pristine digital repeats to lo-fi filtered madness at the touch of a dial. TAL Dub-2 is a retro-style delay that models the stylish dirty delays from old-school dub reggae. With powerful controls for saturation and modulation, you can build any analog-style delay you can imagine.

Finally, reverb is essential in any vocal mix. This is the effect that simulates the reflections from rigid surfaces that situate a sound in its physical environment. The quality of the reverberation gives your brain clues about where the sound takes place. For example, a long diffuse reverb might evoke a large concert hall while a short, ringy decay could be a tiled bathroom.

This freeware is a hugely popular, real-time audio spectrum analyzer with a ton of flexibility and control of your sound. SPAN displays level metering statistics, headroom estimation, correlation metering and true peak clipping detection.

This plugin has been around a while though it is constantly updated and improved , and has proved itself to be one of the most comprehensive, FREE mastering plugin options out there. Click here for a FREE download. Limiter No6 is easily one of the most popular options when it comes to free mastering plugins.

The No6 engine has 5 modules: RMS compressor, peak limiter, high-frequency limiter, clipper and true peak limiter. Each of these modules uses different high-quality signal processes and gives incredible results for mastering.

The wide selection of parameters does seem a little daunting at first, but after a bit of experimentation, the plugin is surprisingly intuitive and logical. NOVA is a free parallel dynamic equalizer that is perfect for both beginner and advanced producers.