Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

[astrozombie]

a year back I saw someone do it.

they used something to change the tempo a microscopic amount, and suddenly it sounded like it was double tracked.

this is possible right?

how do i pull it off?

 

[J Moose]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

Better off using a small delay or any number of other methods. Like actually signing/playing the thing again.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

You can but it's not the best solution imo, it's better to sing it twice. If you have a pitch shifter (try 3 pitches 1 an octave up 1 an octave down and 1 in unison) you can use that and tuck the copied and pitch shifted track way back in the mix so you just feel it and not hear it.

 

[trevorus]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

It depends on what software you are doing. A doubled track with a very light chorus on it might do the trick. Just depends entirely on whether or not the sound has room for it.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

Better off using a small delay or any number of other methods. Like actually signing/playing the thing again.

that would be kind of hard.

its not me singing.

EDIT: light chorus is kind of giving me what I want.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

I wouldn't change the tempo. Highlight and slide the copy say 15-20 ms ahead. Then pan the two tracks around 3 and 9 o'clock. Experiment with delay times too.

 

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

a year back I saw someone do it.

they used something to change the tempo a microscopic amount, and suddenly it sounded like it was double tracked.

this is possible right?

how do i pull it off?

A true double track is best. A simple copy will not sound doubled, it will just increase the volume. Eq changes, delays etc can help but a true double track is the best solution

 

[J Moose]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

I wouldn't change the tempo. Highlight and slide the copy say 15-20 ms ahead. Then pan the two tracks around 3 and 9 o'clock. Experiment with delay times too.

If you do that the sound will collapse and cancel in mono.

That's why its not a good idea.

Lots of music delivery is still in mono, or real close too it.

Sing/play it again or use different effects to achieve the desired result.

Or be really unhappy when the mix goes up on the internet or over FM radio & it sounds like it was mixed with a snow-cone machine.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

If you do that the sound will collapse and cancel in mono.

That's why its not a good idea.

Lots of music delivery is still in mono, or real close too it.

Sing/play it again or use different effects to achieve the desired result.

Or be really unhappy when the mix goes up on the internet or over FM radio & it sounds like it was mixed with a snow-cone machine.

:laugh2:

 

[Richard]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

I used to do this all the time with acid pro. If you just double the track it gets louder but if you make your 2nd track ( the copied one) start just a bit late. Like .03 secs its sounds cool like 2 vocals. and the delay really isnt enough to make it sound out of time.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

If you do that the sound will collapse and cancel in mono.

That's why its not a good idea.

Lots of music delivery is still in mono, or real close too it.

Sing/play it again or use different effects to achieve the desired result.

Or be really unhappy when the mix goes up on the internet or over FM radio & it sounds like it was mixed with a snow-cone machine.

Well doubling would be the best bet. I was not thinking about mono compatibility because i didn't think it really applied in this situation. Seems AZ was looking for a quick fix.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

What you need is randomization in pitch and timing. Everything else sounds like "effect".

 

[mudpuppy]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

I wouldn't worry too much about 'phase cancelation on collapse to mono' thing. You would only have to worry about that if the time shift between tracks is on the same order as a single cycle of whatever audio frequency you're talking about. In other words, less than a couple milliseconds. Time shifts in the tens of milliseconds shouldn't give to too much comb filtering.

Go ahead and give it a try. This kind of thing usually takes a lot of playing around with to get something you really like. Making extra copies of tracks can have a lot of uses. For example, if you don't have automation on an effect with your DAW software, you can have one track 'dry' and another 100% 'wet' and program cross-fades to get the appropriate amount of FX at different parts of a song. I do this quite a bit with reverb.

All that being said, uOpt's comment is also dead on. Playing these kind of tricks is going to sound like an effect, and if you go that route you want to use a lot of restraint. IMO, the best effect is the one you don't even recognize as an effect.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

Copy/pasting the existing vocal is not enough. You need to introduce some slight pitch and timing variations to make the double tracking effect noticable. Some computer audio programs permit this but the editing process can be laborious. It may very well prove quicker to ask the singer for additional takes. Just cut and paste phrases of the additional takes to create the effect.

Alternatively, your computer recording software may have an effect named something like Ensemble or Spread. Try these too. Err on the side of subtlety.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

Regarding the "collapse to mono" thing, most recording software makes it pretty easy to listen to a mix in mono. Just switch the master output from stereo to mono.

I always listen to a mix in mono before signing off on it.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

You can but it's not the best solution imo, it's better to sing it twice. If you have a pitch shifter (try 3 pitches 1 an octave up 1 an octave down and 1 in unison) you can use that and tuck the copied and pitch shifted track way back in the mix so you just feel it and not hear it.

Surely with an octave up and an octave down it's going to sound like your backing singers are Barry White and The Chipmunks?

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

Surely with an octave up and an octave down it's going to sound like your backing singers are Barry White and The Chipmunks?

I do it all the time, you don't want to hear it in the mix just feel the lead vocal get a bit thicker sounding and have more body. It's not a replacement for a doubled vocal just a way to thicken a lead. You can listen on my own songs, it's the kind of effect the way I use it that you only miss it if it's gone.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

Here are two audio samples one with pitch shifting as an effect one without.

With

Without

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

Here are two audio samples one with pitch shifting as an effect one without.

With

Without

nice, i should try it!

is that you singing inner dreams?

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Can I copy paste the same vocal twice to get a doubled effect?

nice, i should try it!

is that you singing inner dreams?

Yes.