27
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Do hard rock singers use distortion effects on their vocals?
There are many aspects to hard rock singing, and each singer (hell, each song) has a different approach. I know that even death metal vocalists can do their scary vocals without doctoring them in the ...
- 12.5k
18
votes
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How to make a sound appear to be more distant?
It depends on what kind of environment you want to reproduce, but there are two main factors that lead the brain to think a sound is coming from farther away:
As sound travels through the air, it ...
- 55.6k
16
votes
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What effect does compression have on music?
Compression isn't as obvious when you're just playing with it, compared to reverb, delay etc, as you've already found. It really comes into its own when used in a working situation; for instance, it's ...
- 526
15
votes
Do hard rock singers use distortion effects on their vocals?
It depends, is the answer. And it also depends on what you call "distortion" - do you mean it in the sense that a guitarist would, or just that the sound is changed?
Microphones are the first ...
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10
votes
Bass effects through guitar amp
I haven't found any comments on this question online from someone who actually knows a lot about amplifier design. I also have not been able to find any horror stories such as "I did this once ...
- 55.6k
10
votes
What effect does compression have on music?
With compression turned on, you may well not hear any differences. It's designed to keep volume to within certain levels, at the top and bottom. So, if what you're playing doesn't exceed the top level ...
- 188k
10
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Equalization in music
An EQ is basically just a volume control, except it allows you to adjust the volume selectively for different components of a signal, namely, of different regions of their Fourier spectrum.
In the ...
- 35.2k
9
votes
Decay vs Sustain on synths
The ADSR envelope (and derivatives) is as follows:
A: Attack - the length of increase in voltage* (or analogue)
D: Decay - the length of decrease in voltage that comes after the increase
S: Sustain ...
- 411
8
votes
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What do "Brilliance" and "Ambience" mean?
Let me break it down from a language point of view so we can better understand how these words were chosen in the context of controlling the sound of musical instruments and thereby gain a better ...
- 27.1k
8
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What effect does compression have on music?
Compressors are interesting because part of their goal is to be subtle. The basic idea of compressors is control over volume. Many instruments pick up different colors of sound when they are played ...
- 1,713
8
votes
Equalization in music
The usual way EQ is employed in recordings is per instrument. Global EQ is similar to changing the ambient light under which you view a photograph: generally, your eyes will readily compensate the ...
- 81
8
votes
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How do musicians synchronize with the playback keyboards/ambience when live?
The drummer usually has a click (and the track) in his (in-ear) monitor. The rest of the band can choose if they want the additional track in their monitors or not. As long as they can hear the ...
- 20k
8
votes
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What do you call it when volume is decreased at bass beats?
It's called ducking, sidechain ducking, sidechain compression or sometimes even "sidechaining".
A compressor is a device which lowers the volume of a signal when it gets louder than a set threshold ...
- 26.4k
7
votes
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What do the different reverb parameters mean?
Reverb effects can be fairly simple (spring reverb in a guitar amp*) or very complicated (like a Lexicon studio reverb unit).
Here's a run-down on the most common reverb parameters taken from: http://...
- 55.6k
7
votes
Do hard rock singers use distortion effects on their vocals?
The "gritty" sound in rock singer's voices is their natural voice, albeit a technique that gives the sense of screaming or growling. Something else that should be considered is that there are many ...
- 101
7
votes
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What is this sax technique called and how is it done?
This effect is usually called a "growl". There are two techniques (as explained in the linked video). The one in "Shotgun" is most likely the "'growl' in the back of your ...
- 79.8k
7
votes
How to make something sound REALLY far away
That's an interesting challenge.
It's not actually that it's really far away, but that it comprises of two sets of different distance cues.
It's perhaps easier to hear in the second example, but you ...
- 27k
6
votes
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How is the 'natural autotune' singing effect achieved?
I don't think it's auto tune, because as @leftroundabout says, the piano would bend out of tune too.
One comment on Youtube mentioned Sideways Yodelling, which is basically like what happens when (if ...
- 2,238
6
votes
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What is filter automation?
Automation is a feature available in most digital audio workstations and many types of similar audio production software. Automation allows a parameter like volume, pan, or mute to be changed ...
- 55.6k
6
votes
What effect does compression have on music?
Compressors are very broad subject. There are various compressors with different abilities (limiters, sustainers dynamic compressors). Getting used to noticing a compression takes some time. Also your ...
- 2,515
6
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Why do Talkbox and Autotune effects sound similar?
The techniques you mention (and others mentioned in the comments, like a vocoder), all have one very distinct feature: they create a sound similar to the human voice (because of the harmonic content, ...
- 3,642
6
votes
Do hard rock singers use distortion effects on their vocals?
The Beatles' distinctive vocal sound was shaped largely by double-tracking, in which the singer would record himself twice, attempting to repeat the performance exactly as before.
Later recordings ...
- 591
6
votes
What's actually going on with the Leslie effect?
Basically “All of the above” and even more. As user86458 said, it has a lot to do with how the sound travels both inside and outside of the cabinet, which makes both the time- and frequency response, ...
- 35.2k
5
votes
What do "Brilliance" and "Ambience" mean?
Brilliance would normally be expected to make the sound 'brighter' (more treble) when you increase it.
Ambience would probably be expected to add reverberation - increasing the value would perhaps ...
- 45.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Any recommended plan, sequence, methodology on self-learning the vocal effects?
Preliminary note
There aren't really any effects that are only used on vocals. Hamonization and and pitch correction (AKA "Auto-Tune") are very rarely used on anything but vocals, but they are used ...
- 55.6k
5
votes
What first to put in effect chain (order from guitar cable input) -- distortion or effect processor?
If by effect processor you mean modulation effects, reverb and delay, the standard sequence would be distortion -> effects. Distortion after delay or modulation is a bit like using one distorted amp ...
- 20k
5
votes
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I read an effects chain in a video, can someone explain what it means?
The stutter effect on the strings is accomplished with a hard compressor sidechained to an inaudible source.
Stutter effect - This is probably clear - it's the name for the way the strings sound when ...
- 55.6k
5
votes
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What does Pierre Boulez mean by "sul ponticello"?
Sul ponticello is Italian and it means "on the bridge". It is a direction given to members of the strings section to apply their bows (or possibly their plucking when playing pizzicato) near the ...
- 55.6k
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