How to mix vocals (any DAW, any mic)
Before you mix: the recording
Most mixing problems are recording problems. Record in a soft, quiet room, a hand's width from the mic, with the level well out of the red. A clean recording needs a light mix; a loud, roomy one can't be saved.
Starting settings
| Stage | Start here | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| High-pass filter | 70–100 Hz (deeper voices) or 100–120 Hz (higher voices) | Removes rumble and mic-stand thumps you can't hear but your mix can. |
| Mud cut | −2 to −4 dB around 200–400 Hz | Clears the boxy, cardboard sound most home recordings have. |
| Compression | 3:1 to 4:1, attack 10–30 ms, release 50–100 ms, 3–6 dB of reduction | Keeps every word at the same level so the vocal stays in front of the beat. |
| De-esser | 5–8 kHz, 3–6 dB of reduction on the S sounds | Tames the sharp S and T sounds that compression and brightening make worse. |
| Presence and air | +1 to +3 dB around 3–5 kHz, a gentle shelf above 10 kHz | Makes the words clear and the vocal sound expensive. Go easy, this is where harshness lives. |
| Reverb (on a send) | Plate or room, 1–1.8 s decay, 20–40 ms pre-delay, mixed low | Puts the vocal in a space without washing it out. Put it on a send, not on the vocal itself. |
| Delay (on a send) | 1/4 or 1/8 note synced to the beat, 15–25% feedback | Adds width and movement. High-pass the delay so it doesn't muddy the beat. |
The vocal chain, in order
- Pitch correction in the key of the beat (if your style uses it).
- Clean-up EQ: cut rumble and mud.
- Compression: keep every word at the same level.
- De-essing: tame the S sounds the compressor brought up.
- Presence EQ: clarity and air.
- Reverb and delay on sends, mixed low.
How to make vocals sit on the beat
Clear room for the vocal instead of making it louder: cut the vocal's lows so it doesn't fight the 808, keep it compressed so it never drops under the beat, and if the beat is busy around 2–5 kHz, turn the beat down a little rather than pushing the vocal into harshness. Check in mono and on a phone speaker.
Step-by-step for your DAW
FL Studio · Ableton Live · Logic Pro · Studio One · Cubase · Reaper · BandLab
Or let KhiFlow set this chain for you.
KhiFlow is a vocal mixing plugin that does every step above for your voice. Pick your mic, press Analyze while the song plays, and it sets the EQ, de-essing, compression, delay and reverb for your vocal and your beat in seconds. Then turn the Mix knob.
VST3 for Windows: FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Reaper and any VST3 DAW. KhiFlow Master comes free with every plan, with a 3-day money-back guarantee.
Questions
What order should a vocal chain be in?
Pitch correction, clean-up EQ, compression, de-essing, presence EQ, then reverb and delay on sends.
How do I mix vocals and a beat together?
Clean up the vocal's low end, compress it, de-ess it, add space on sends, then balance its level against the beat and check on small speakers.
How loud should vocals be in the mix?
Every word should be clear without the vocal sounding pasted on top. In rap the vocal often sits a little above the beat; in singing it blends more.