Anyone use vocal processing ?

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by Mike McLenison

I've got TC Helicon's Harmony G-XT and love it. The harmonies and processing sound great.

Same here. I sure don't consider this "cheating" - it has a nice reverb and the vocal harmonies add to a performance. The only comments I've had about the harmonies are complimentary... although, I have had occasions where someone comes up and looks around to see where the other singers are.

It's another tool, to me it is no different than a guitar player using pedals and effects. It adds some diversity.

What I missed about playing in a band was the harmonies. With the G-xt, I have background singers without the headaches.

Captain Jim

[kydave]

At a venue where I used to hire the music ages ago, there was a duo; guitar/flute/both sang and they were nice, talented guys. The owner liked them and the audiences liked them, so I kept hiring them.

But they used backing tapes and would sometimes have four part vocal harmony, lead and rhythm guitars, with flute duets. No mistake - they did it well.

It did, however, annoy me tremendously. I never did it, but I was on the border of going into the studio, creating my own backup to where I'd start straight solo - guitar/vocal... but each verse have another part come in (all me, mind you) until the last verse was really ripping with full harmony & multiple guitar parts...

... then walk off the stage and let the tape finish the song while I had a drink.

All that stuff sounds pretty impressive initially, but after a while starts to sound like what it is. If the audiences accept that, fine. I figure the performer is compensating. He might not be, but that's my first thought.

[Goat Mick]

It's absolutely no different than using reverb or chorus on your guitar. I use a VL3 and it doesn't make me sound different, it just makes my voice sound a bit richer. I'll add subtle harmonies oh the choruses of some songs because they just wouldn't sound right dry. If you plug your mic straight into a PA you're going to EQ to get the best mix, you're going to add some reverb to make your voice sound more rich. So how can you discredit someone for using a pedal to do those same things?

[rainsong]

Just like anything, it can be over used. Using backing tracks, 4 part harmonies with a solo artist is a bit diffferent than adding a subtle 3rd harmony to a duo or adding a bit of pitch correction and compression to add polish. I 've found adding a 3rd sounds quite natural when you already have 2 people singing. Adding another harmony can sound a bit fake. Also depends on the quality of the harmonizer.

[pmarino]

Originally Posted by Lazmo

+1 on the Mic Mechanic... the reverb is sweet, and the EQ, Compression, De-essing and Gating button really lifts my super low husky nothing voice and does wonders. I run the pitch correction on about 30% as I'm not too pitchy. A great little vocal box for me.

+2. I don't use much of the pitch correction on the Mic Mechanic (maybe 20%), but all other aspects of it are excellent. Highly recommended.

[myersbw]

I'll also add I like the TC Harmony-G XT. I use it to kick in an extra harmony at church. Yes, ANY effect can be abused. But, I agree on the analogy to reverb, distortion boxes, etc, etc, etc.

The bottom line is entertainment, folks. Yes, at the extreme...just use a DJ. But, let's face it...most of us aren't "perfect pitch singers" nor can we always find acceptable backup vocals.

So, are we all supposed to just hang it all up because we don't have the vocal folds of high end opera singers? Or, should we settle for subduing a song to the point it's not entertaining because we can't find willing vocalists we can afford in our area?

Bottom line? It's the venue...the whole package...and are you pleasing your audience. Using it the Grand Ole Oprey? Nah...if you're there you should be able to AFFORD the singers. In the local bar or church venue...absolutely!

[maxtheaxe]

Originally Posted by Pheof

Count me among the good listeners who despise vocal pitch correction, overcompression and overprocessing. Soon as I hear that stuff I switch it off. I'd rather hear a live band making mistakes all night than a recording of fake perfection.

Plus one on that score...pitch correction in particular sounds to me like the aural equivalent of biting down on a piece of aluminum foil...just painful and annoying, and its actually becoming hard to get away from it! It results in a sound that to me is diametrically opposed to music.

I have often wondered if it might have some deleterious affect upon people with seizure disorders...like a strobe light might do.

Seriously, the careers of most of the current crop of so-called pop divas are apparently wholly dependent on this technology and I doubt whether any of them could hit a note in tune on their own.

[Blunoze]

It really depends on your venue, crowd and own personal taste. If you are somebody considered locally as an artist with music that people want to hear that was recorded without any effects, then clearly there is no need for expression pedals. If you are playing cover songs in a pub on a Saturday night with a crowd that only wants to get drunk and dance, then playing your beautiful finger picking masterpiece on a £3000 system is going to impress nobody.

When I play in pub/bars on weekends, I play with a VoicePlay GTX allowing me to programme a dedicated guitar and vocal patch to each song, including running an MP3 to use backing tracks when necessary. This allows me to create a different ambience for each song, and really gets the crowd on side. It means I don't touch the amp at all during the set, even when switching between a Taylor and Gretsch electric for the more meaty stuff.

On Sunday afternoon gigs in small venues, I again use the GTX but only with one or two settings with some light reverb if the venue is small. First off the GTX powers my Shure KSM-9 with 48V, and also allows me to do away with the paper based set list as I can programme each song in order and flick through it.

So at the end of the day, it all comes down to you and what you want to achieve? If you don't care about the crowd and only care about the pureness of your tone, don't use a pedal. If you play music because you enjoy seeing other people having a good time, a pedal is a worthwhile investment as it gives you access to a much broader variety of song choices.

[slewis]

I personally can't believe that people use (or I should say, perform with) pitch-correction effects. And effects that add harmonies to vocals are just a step behind pitch correction in my book. Why stop at vocals? Might as well add a drum machine, a bass machine and a string quartet machine! Frankly, I wouldn't listen to any musician using either device if I could help it. Too old-school for many, I'm sure, but it's pretty sad to see the art and talent of making music slowly being replaced by electronic gizmos.

[Psalad]

I don't really judge others for pitch correction. But I wouldn't use it live.

I have used harmony processing live, but I didn't really like it so I stopped. It felt phony and too much like a gimmick. If I was going I have harmonies I would drag a friend along if possible.

But again, I think it's up to the individual... For me, maybe it's also a bit of an integrity thing, but I don't put that on others.

[myersbw]

Psalad - at least you have the decency to only hold yourself to the integrity trait.

Bottom line - vocal processors are a tool. They can be abused or used to please the ear...all up to the artist.

[krisls]

I try to have fun and hope the audience comes along for the ride.

I am seriously considering getting a vocal thingie like the play acoustic for the very simple reason that as I play a lot ( read 95% of the time) solo I don't have backing singers on tap. So here I am with this vague idea that I'd like to do an 'acoustic' version of Carry on My Wayward Son, or maybe Blackwater or perhaps The Chain by the Mac.

The idea is to add stuff, make it more and of course there is a line that shall not be crossed, it is just a little further out for some of us than others. A pinch of salt never hurt much, but too much and you spit.

Kris

[teletaylor]

Here, here!

I agree Kris. Just have fun and play

Originally Posted by krisls

I try to have fun and hope the audience comes along for the ride.

I am seriously considering getting a vocal thingie like the play acoustic for the very simple reason that as I play a lot ( read 95% of the time) solo I don't have backing singers on tap. So here I am with this vague idea that I'd like to do an 'acoustic' version of Carry on My Wayward Son, or maybe Blackwater or perhaps The Chain by the Mac.

The idea is to add stuff, make it more and of course there is a line that shall not be crossed, it is just a little further out for some of us than others. A pinch of salt never hurt much, but too much and you spit.

Kris

[Laughingboy68]

Originally Posted by slewis

I personally can't believe that people use (or I should say, perform with) pitch-correction effects. And effects that add harmonies to vocals are just a step behind pitch correction in my book. Why stop at vocals? Might as well add a drum machine, a bass machine and a string quartet machine! Frankly, I wouldn't listen to any musician using either device if I could help it. Too old-school for many, I'm sure, but it's pretty sad to see the art and talent of making music slowly being replaced by electronic gizmos.

Sean,

I like your stuff and we play very similar types of gigs. I also think you are entitled to your opinion on this topic.

Using a harmonizer takes practice, skill and discretion. Personally, I don't like the pitch correction tools on any of the pedals, so, I gotta sing in tune or I'll sound like two off key singers. Gotta make sure the guitar part doesn't conflict with the harmony generation while still getting the essential licks across. Gotta get the tap dance right. It's all harder than it looks. In fact having other singers to sing with you is much easier. I've sung plenty of three and four part harmony stuff before - I just don't want to split the check anymore .

I have no problem with using a looper, in fact I use one myself. Still, doesn't it seem kinda artificial to have two guitars playing during a solo performance? It'd be much more impressive to play two or three parts at the same time like Tuck Andress or Pete Huttlinger - should anyone who doesn't have their talent hang it up? I hope not, I'd like to keep playin'.

Any tool used to excess can get cheesy. I've certainly seen stuff used to the point where I'm not impressed. That can include harmonizers, loopers, reverb - even a capo, if it puts too many songs in the same key. I prefer to take a live and let live approach and try to use good taste as my standard; all the while realizing we all draw the line in the sand at different places.

Some purists would call a capo on a carbon fibre guitar with a pickup and amp run through a looper cheating as well - I think they are all valid useful tools, just like a harmonizer.

Respectfully,

Mike