Educate me on Vocal Harmonisers.

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Re: Educate me on Vocal Harmonisers.

Post by slash-ed »

rickenbackerkid wrote:I'm going to sound like a Negative Nigel, but I'm not a fan. They can be used well and creatively (as in Ed's first video), but usually they aren't. It often just sounds like a random fake harmony that no one is actually singing.
My advice for un-singable high harmonies would be to sing the same notes an octave down.

We looked at one for our Springsteen band, to add some really high soprano-type lines, but it just sounded wrong, so instead we booked some extra vocal rehearsals to work out how we could sound full and good without the high voice.
Well that's the key, right? As with any technology it needs to be understood and used within its limitations. Pitch shifting a male voice up several registers is never going to sound natural, so if that's what your band needed, then you definitely took the right route by not using a vocal pedal and making it sound weird and awful.

If you need a simple third or fifth top or bottom I think it's fine.
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Re: Educate me on Vocal Harmonisers.

Post by Bg »

slash-ed wrote:
rickenbackerkid wrote:I'm going to sound like a Negative Nigel, but I'm not a fan. They can be used well and creatively (as in Ed's first video), but usually they aren't. It often just sounds like a random fake harmony that no one is actually singing.
My advice for un-singable high harmonies would be to sing the same notes an octave down.

We looked at one for our Springsteen band, to add some really high soprano-type lines, but it just sounded wrong, so instead we booked some extra vocal rehearsals to work out how we could sound full and good without the high voice.
Well that's the key, right? As with any technology it needs to be understood and used within its limitations. Pitch shifting a male voice up several registers is never going to sound natural, so if that's what your band needed, then you definitely took the right route by not using a vocal pedal and making it sound weird and awful.

If you need a simple third or fifth top or bottom I think it's fine.
Great for soloists and duos.

Old mam bands needing higher vox - hire somebody young, or a woman.
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Re: Educate me on Vocal Harmonisers.

Post by slash-ed »

Bg wrote:
slash-ed wrote:
rickenbackerkid wrote:I'm going to sound like a Negative Nigel, but I'm not a fan. They can be used well and creatively (as in Ed's first video), but usually they aren't. It often just sounds like a random fake harmony that no one is actually singing.
My advice for un-singable high harmonies would be to sing the same notes an octave down.

We looked at one for our Springsteen band, to add some really high soprano-type lines, but it just sounded wrong, so instead we booked some extra vocal rehearsals to work out how we could sound full and good without the high voice.
Well that's the key, right? As with any technology it needs to be understood and used within its limitations. Pitch shifting a male voice up several registers is never going to sound natural, so if that's what your band needed, then you definitely took the right route by not using a vocal pedal and making it sound weird and awful.

If you need a simple third or fifth top or bottom I think it's fine.
Great for soloists and duos.

Old mam bands needing higher vox - hire somebody young, or a woman.
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