Instrument Pedals for Vocals?

Lost Sheep · #1 03-04-2021, 01:18 PM

In another thread

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=608863

Yamahaguy mentioned using Guitar pedals to modify vocals from microphone signal.

Has anyone done this? Offer guidance or report successes and failures?

Lost Sheep

(Perhaps I am just bored during the pandemic and looking for ways to entertain myself...or perhaps Yamahaguy and I are opening up a new concept in performance. I thought of this several years ago - use a chorus pedal to thicken my vocals, but never did anything with the idea.)

YamahaGuy · #2 03-04-2021, 03:09 PM

I built my wife a vocal pedal board with a tube preamp, a compressor, delay/echo, and reverb. It works very well. Female xlr into mic, 1/4" TS male to effects. Last one goes into a DI box so I can XLR out. The tube pre I use will accept 1/4" input or XLR as well.

I used a Pog Nano a few times for fun. Distortion is pretty cool too.

shufflebeat · #3 03-04-2021, 04:44 PM

You might like to consider a small mixer to plug your mic into and put the pedals into the send/return FX loop. The mic sees a good preamp, you can control a dry/FX mix and connectors are as appropriate.

There would be a whole host of potential problems still but with things set up like that you would be half way to solutions.

Lost Sheep · #4 03-04-2021, 04:48 PM

Thanks for the suggestions for connections, but I was wondering about what various pedals do to the sound of the vocals.

shufflebeat · #5 03-04-2021, 04:49 PM

It'll sound horrible, you'll love it.

https://youtu.be/5xVzmqjuJWs

Song starts at 02:35, FX kicks in at 02:55. The guy isn't Michael Jackson but the idea is well illustrated.

This is a much cleaner version of what to expect, guitar pedals will be filthy but put chorus last and in stereo.

rule18 · #6 03-04-2021, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lost Sheep

Thanks for the suggestions for connections, but I was wondering about what various pedals do to the sound of the vocals.

That will depend on the pedal. I can see a light amount of Chorus and a bit of echo maybe. Flange would be interesting, but only if you were doing some 70's rock... The thing is, most pedals are looking for constant signal, which the human voice really isn't. Have fun, see what you get out of them...

Lost Sheep · #7 03-04-2021, 05:06 PM

Thanks for the link. I had no idea there was so much in Youtube about tweaking vocals. I should have thought of it. But I am from an era before the internet and a bit of a dinosaur regarding things web.

And, yes, as Blendrix says (and you, too), subtle is key to a good sound.

Like spices in food, if your tasters (audience) can tell what they are, you probably used too much.

Gordon Currie · #8 03-04-2021, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lost Sheep

Thanks for the suggestions for connections, but I was wondering about what various pedals do to the sound of the vocals.

Well, a wah will make them go wahhhh. A chorus sounds... like a chorus on guitar. Etc.

If you know what it sounds like on guitar, that is a strong clue. Because voice sounds different than guitar, some effects may be more or less prominent than you expect.

About the only pedal effect that I've seen NOT work is octaver. The voice seems to need a high fidelity pitch shifting technology to sound anything but cartoonish and artificial.

This is definitely a 'try it' scenario.

YamahaGuy · #9 03-05-2021, 04:27 AM

Here is an actual demo of someone doing just this
https://youtu.be/uM_KdNvKAgI

Lost Sheep · #10 03-05-2021, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

Here is an actual demo of someone doing just this
https://youtu.be/uM_KdNvKAgI

Would be more useful if he identified what pedal made what sound. But the ones I was able to read look VERY interesting.

The pink one, TC Electronic Brainwaves Pitch Shifter Pedal is a case in point.

shufflebeat · #11 03-05-2021, 01:50 PM

If you don't already have a stack of pedals to try then you should also consider cutting to the "exit" of the rabbit hole and get a pedal designed for vocal mics.

I'm not really a fan but many well regarded options exist in which connectors and level matching solutions have been designed *in* rather than discovering workarounds and evolving a system through expensive trial and error.

There are also FX which are considered suitable for vocals which no-one would put in a guitar pedal in the same way.

Of course, it may be that the process is the project and you want to discover this for yourself, in which case happy hunting.

Lost Sheep · #12 03-05-2021, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shufflebeat

If you don't already have a stack of pedals to try then you should also consider cutting to the "exit" of the rabbit hole and get a pedal designed for vocal mics.

I'm not really a fan but many well regarded options exist in which connectors and level matching solutions have been designed *in* rather than discovering workarounds and evolving a system through expensive trial and error.

There are also FX which are considered suitable for vocals which no-one would put in a guitar pedal in the same way.

Of course, it may be that the process is the project and you want to discover this for yourself, in which case happy hunting.

As hinted at by your signature line (as I read it), there is something about building/discovering something where one's own efforts are integral to the that creative feeling when you do succeed.

Happy hunting, indeed.