Studio Stuff Podcast #11 | The Vocal Chain Deep Dive: From Raw Takes to Radio-Ready
We also dig into how we treat doubles, how we automate delay times, and the FX we put on a bus that nobody talks about… but should.
🎧 Plus, we answer a great listener question about how to stay objective when you’re mixing your own music—especially when the project drags on.
You’ll Learn:
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How we use parallel compression and saturation without overcooking it
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Our go-to delay chain: slap, long, ping-pong, and throws
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Reverb choices that don’t get in the way (plate vs room vs ambient)
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Where background vocals live in our mix—and why they get their own world
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Smart delay automation tricks that bring life to a vocal phrase
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Why we route vocals and instruments separately before the final mix bus
Topics & Stories:
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Our favorite channel strip tools and vocal compressors
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Chris’s take-your-pill alarm goes off mid-recording
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Why Steve buckled a CL1B into the passenger seat of his car
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The truth about "nonsense plugins" and when we finally let them go
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Mixing vocals with your speakers turned way down
Listener Q&A:
Shoutout to Jim Kelly from Kilkenny, Ireland! We tackle his question about routing and processing MIDI drums—and how we decide whether to use the plugin processing or start from scratch.
Final Takeaway:
Vocal FX are about feel. Use templates, sure—but know when to break the rules. Let the vocal lead, and let the FX serve the story.
👉 Got a question for us?
📩 Submit your question here: Form Link
We’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.