Pro Vocal Mixing Secrets—How Top Engineers Perfect Backing Vocals
Mixing engineers for top artists like Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, and Billie Eilish have a knack for making backing vocals blend seamlessly with lead vocals. Ever wondered how they achieve that smooth, professional sound? Is there a secret formula or a set of special settings they rely on? In this blog post, I’ll reveal how you can get your backing vocals to sit perfectly in the mix without clashing with the lead vocal, and I’ll walk you through some essential techniques to get you started.
Why Backing Vocals Matter in a Mix
Backing vocals are crucial to the overall texture of a song. They provide harmony, depth, and support to the lead vocal. However, if not mixed properly, they can end up competing with the lead vocal rather than enhancing it. The goal is to blend them in a way that they complement the lead vocal while staying out of the way. Let’s dive into how to achieve that.
Step 1: Group Your Backing Vocals into a Bus
The first step in mixing backing vocals is to route them to a bus or summing stack. Why do this? By grouping them together, you can apply the same processing to all the backing vocals at once, which ensures a consistent sound and saves time. Whether you’re using Logic or another DAW, this method allows you to make global adjustments that affect all the backing vocals simultaneously.
Step 2: Apply EQ to Clean Up the Low End
Start by using an EQ plugin like Pro-Q3 to clean up the low-end frequencies. A simple low cut around 200Hz is usually enough to remove any unnecessary low-end rumble or muddiness in the backing vocals. This step ensures that the lower frequencies won’t clash with the lead vocal, which needs more presence in the mid-range and low-end areas.
Step 3: Scoop Out the Mid Frequencies
The key to making backing vocals sit perfectly in the mix is to carve out space for the lead vocal, especially in the mid-range. Use a multiband compressor like the Pro-MB to scoop out some of the mid frequencies in the backing vocals. This trick prevents congestion and allows the lead vocal to shine.
Here’s a general guide for setting up your multiband compressor:
- Band 1: Set the crossover at around 180Hz with a range of -5dB.
- Band 2: Set the crossover at 930Hz and a range of -15dB.
- Band 3: Crossover at 4.85kHz with a range of -3.5dB.
These settings are a great starting point but feel free to tweak them according to your specific mix.
Step 4: Fine-Tune the Attack and Release Times
To ensure smooth blending, adjust the attack and release times of the compressor to medium-fast. This will keep the backing vocals from becoming too prominent while still allowing them to provide essential support to the lead vocal. You want the attack to catch some of the transients but still let the backing vocals breathe, while the release should be quick enough to prevent the vocals from lingering too long.
Step 5: Add Reverb and Compression for Extra Smoothness
For an even more polished sound, add reverb to your backing vocals. Use a light reverb with a short decay time, and then apply compression after the reverb. This helps to glue the backing vocals together and gives them a cohesive, smooth quality. A technique I love is placing a compressor after the reverb, which ensures that the reverb sits perfectly in the mix without washing out the vocal details.
Listen to the Before and After
Let’s take a listen to the before and after of applying these techniques. You’ll notice how the backing vocals went from sounding disconnected and amateurish to sitting perfectly underneath the lead vocal, creating a polished, professional mix.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to mix your backing vocals like a pro and achieve that clean, smooth blend that enhances the lead vocal without overshadowing it.
Download My Free FabFilter Pro-MB Preset
If you found this post helpful, be sure to check out my video on how artists like Dua Lipa and Miley Cyrus achieve flawless vocal mixes. And don’t forget to grab the free presets and session files from the link below!