Keep it contained

Over the last couple of days, we’ve been talking about how to dial in vocal air. And now I would like to extrapolate that idea out more generally and talk about the top end of the mix!

To recap: my technique for getting an airy but also in-control vocal is to pair a top-end boost (typically around 10000 Hz, sometimes as high as 15000 Hz) with a lowpass filter at 13000 Hz.

And we can do this on the mix bus too!

Try doing a 12dB/oct LPF on your mix at 15000Hz. Yes, on your whole damn mix.

“But Jamie! Why would we cut off the whole top end of our mix?”

Because there’s nothing good up there.

Seriously. Most information above like 14000 Hz is nasty garbage. So try getting rid of it!

Really important: the first time you do this, you may be like “OMG THAT’S SUCH A HUGE CHANGE.” And it can for sure feel like that! Our ears are very sensitive to high-frequency information, for reasons relating to saber-toothed tigers. And we get used to things we hear over and over, which is what happens when we’re working on a song.

So put this LPF on — and then leave it there for a few spins and give your ears time to get used to it. Then take it back off, and see whether taking it off feels better or worse.

Also important: 12dB/oct at 15000 Hz isn’t a rule, it’s a starting point. It depends on the song. Try 18dB/oct or even 24dB/oct. Try 16000 or 17000 Hz. It’s situational. And some songs don’t need this at all, particularly if you’ve been conscientious about LPFing at the channel level. But it’s always worth a try; the instant tightness, emotional focus, and finished-ness this simple move can give a mix can be remarkable.

Keeping it tight — jamie