Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Comments
AudioReverb is great. I wouldn't use any form of chorus on a vocal though, it sounds too weird.
Chorus is a (bunch of) very short delay(s), where the delays are detuned by an LFO.
You may tweak time, LFO waveform and intensity - it's been a 'must have' on vocals in certain period of the past.
Reverbs (which basically consist of even more delays in shorter time frames) often have modulated tails (also detuned) that pretend a 'fuller' voice.
The delay effect ist most present in the reverb's early reflections, so on some vocal processing the reverb tail is either muted or much attentuated.
A rarely mentioned delay/reverb is Klevgrand's oldie R0verb, where you can generate random delay patterns that are tweakable
„R0Verb multi delay-line space machine“ von Klevgränd produkter AB
https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/r0verb-multi-delay-line-space-machine/id937195891?mt=8
It's my go to Reverb. But I have a dozen and probably couldn't pick one out of a lineup in a blind test. One of them might sound best with my voice which is why many of us keep buying the newest one that comes out. Altiverb (IAA only) has Impulse Response capabilities which are so cool. You load the measured behavior of sound system like a Stack of Marshall Amps playing a pulse in a large room and record the "Impulse Response". An IR Reverb can then simulate the sound of the Marshall's by loading that IR file. I want one that's an AUv3.
I think it would be good. It's indicated that it implements a BBD (Bucket Brigade Delay) in the App Notes.
SH: Not enough to help our croaking OP -IT
When struggling with singing the correct notes I used to program the vocal melody in a midi track and put a piano sound on it so I can just use it as a guide track and delete it afterwards. I found this helped with my confidence a lot as you can listen back with just your vocal take and the guide track soloed and really hear how on pitch your take is
Good technique @Extnctn6. Thanks!
While i think @wim's is hilarious, it actually is quite similar to a technique that I have used before, which is basically do everything he says, but only mute the mains, leaving only the vocals on the reverb or delay sends. This can make for a lovely ghost like vocal, but obviously only works for certain styles of music.
Other techniques I've employed with success with both my own recordings and with various members of bands that I've been in:
Changing the key of a song until it fits your range better. This is enough with keyboards, but my last band made a multi thousand dollar record that sounded sonically great, but was ruined by the vocals. For the next record, I engineered it in our practice space on a MacBook Pro and Tascam 4 track and it is by far the favorite of both fans and band members.
The main difference? I had the lead singer use a capo and play each song in different keys til I found the one that he could sing in without having notes out of his comfort zone.
I have also doubled vocal tracks with guitars or synths and then turned them down until they were just barely audible. This helped give some body to singers with thinner voices or who were struggling to sing in tune, and can be a really cool effect.
Lastly, when doing vocal doubles, it be alot cooler sounding to go with a take that has personality rather than one that may technically perfect. Than learn how to sing along with the imperfections and when you've got it down cold, record a double or two. Makes for an awesome blend of 4 track style record it as you write it style and professional studio sheen.
P.S. It's never a bad idea to have a good mic, but my favorite vocals were all recorded into the built in mic on my 2008 Macbook pro.
@Thardus ... you have vindicated me. I can take my head out of the bucket now ( makes a great recording booth btw).
You must be a riot at parties...
“OK everyone, listen up! I shall say something funny now.”
(background conversation trails off accompanied by a few expectant titters)
“A priest, a rabbi, and a minister walk into a bar ...”
“OK, I’m done joking now and shall say something very wise and enlightening next.”
(Spontaneous uproarious laughter fading gradually to seriousness and rapt anticipatipation of what is to come.)
😎👊😇
@wim, you know @McDtracy 's life is a Streambyter script. Soon to be a blockbuster movie... The McDtrix.
See what this double treatment reflection will do to my vocals at recording.
SH: You can't fool a fool. Shit in, shot out -IT
@wim Fantastic 😂. Good tips too though.
SH: It's gone viral! -IT No shit.
You're a jazz musician right? Surely you know that the band is always tightest when the chick singer strolls.
I think it's as easy as double-tracking. Careful not to overdo the reverb because you want to mask your voice. That 'trick' always really turns me off.
As far as getting better at it, I used to could sing with all but the very best. My only problem is I just wasn't blessed with a particularly great voice (having to face this when my dad told me this at 18 or 19 was one of the hardest but best ego checks in life I could've gotten). That forced me to develop a much greater feel for music and to find and use the best of the soulful, vulnerable (when need be) parts of my voice and to embrace a few of my own idiosyncracies as my own.
I've never been big on formal music lessons. The two anecdotes I will give are:
1) I learned to sing solely by driving around singing in my car, almost always to women singers, Sam Cooke, Freddie Mercury, and Prince. I couldn't hang with them for a long time, until eventually my range was stretched, my control was impeccable, and I could. I'm a believer that if you practice at a level that's two steps beyond you, you'll be much better off in the long run. Some may find doing so a worthy challenge, some may get too frustrated with not having more immediate results.
2) (the most important for those who don't like their voices) Find yourself, or create yourself, a character within you to sing your songs. Imagine what he/she looks like, ideally sings like, his/her attitude. And then step into that role like an actor would.
And the Dylan thing always holds true. If you're hitting the notes and expressing the lyrics the right way, then you're a good singer. (But, as a final aside, don't let that Dylan talk fool you. The man had and still has a KILLER voice.)
@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr haha, that is a cliche now, isn't it. If I sang with a band the strolling would be done by the audience.
@oat_phipps, great post and good advice. So great how much you sang with records. Part of my jazz training was singing with the great instrumentalists and singers. Anyone interested in improving their improvising skills should include it in their practice. And you are right about Dylan. Kind of a myth denying his uniqueness.
Haha. Brilliant!
Well, this plus your advice @wim has solidified my ambition to be a world renowned vocalist... I have even
come up with a stage name... Def Mute. Even if you can't hear it you can feel it!
I've tried the best reviewed stuff out there for Windows, ended up stop using any of it. Why?
It takes lots of work to master and produce a good result with these tools. I'd prefer to invest that time in making my real voice suck less.
The easiest to use ones can be effective for spot fixes that obviously standout, but often it's just as easy to re-record it if your still in the same environment.
Even being very judicious toward keeping a natural sound I felt it changed/got in the way of expression. I'd rather suck a little more not have my intent/connection/expression even slightly changed.
Eventually it will happen, I'm aware of the research. 5 to 10 years from now will be a different world. You'll not only sound great and natural, but in any style you want.
If you use your own vocals and haven't bought TE Tuner go do it immediately! It's invaluable to practice basic stuff and know how well you're doing it. Or it might sound like you're hitting a certain note right, but sometimes it's deceiving and it makes quick work of verifying how accurate you are, of course quality of timbre it can't help you with.
Thanks, @wex. You’ve been digging in the archives!
Hi everybody, going back to an old topic - I'm looking for a good vocal doubler. Would that be VirSyn's Harmony Eight or has any other secret weapon been released in the meantime? I'm looking for a auv3 solution. Thanks!
LMAO.
An oldie but a goodie.
Hm, might be a good option as well
Counterpoint: Dylan's voice is godawful. An absolute torture to listen to (ducks for cover)
What a legend!
By the mid-70s it got a bit mellower:
Indeed. It did not become good though, did it.
(Seriously, there are so many utterly brilliant singers with amazing voices. I don't think I will ever understand this Dylan's singing thing. My bad, surely.)
Bad voice is like bad hair. Some people can just pull it off.
I think generally it's the songwriting that's the attraction here. Same goes for Neil Young, not the greatest voice, slightly grating in fact, but you know, the songs are pretty good
You can get it if you really want! but just keep singing
I became a singer by singing along with records then sing in bands, also took in a few lessons, workshops, along the way. Main benefit from these was a breathing technique very similar to yoga
The best tip/trick I found was from an African singer. For developing tone and preventing damage it’s “Humming”. When humming the throat is always relaxed. Hum melodies but also single long notes listening to inner resonances and experimenting with the tone and volume. The next step is forming the vowels slowly opening mouth while listening and preserving the tone and relaxed throat.
Can use the Anytune app to change the key of tunes
But I’m always in the same key when sing along with Carmen McRae. It’s good to find a favourite who’s voice has the same range.
@wim Thanx for the laugh
You may not enjoy Dylan, but he is an excellent and original singer with very good chops.