Karaoke Forums

...I always use some kind of effect on my vocals, and from time to time get comments about too much reverb, or the effects are covering up your voice, etc. For me, the effects add to the voice that is there already....can't start out with chalk board scratch and end up with cherry wine with effects...if anything the effects would make the chaulk board scratch more pronounced...I use effects to make it more interesting....

So if you don't like effects on vocals I'm interesting in knowing why not....this site is always a great place to "mine" for ideas.....thanx...Russ

I actually like effects on vocals- I agree they can add so much (I wished I was able to add effects, but do not have the appropriate hardward). IMHO, effects seem to be such a fine art that is very difficult to master perfectly- and if the effects are even off the slightest, it seems to create numerous minor "glitches". I hope someone can add to my thoughts here.

I think each song is different... some songs benefit from heavy reverb... some are better off with very little. The more intimate songs require less... like for a ballad. I used to go a little overboard with the reverb and now listen to some of my older recordings and cringe... I sound like I'm in a cave!  The more 'wet' reverb you use the farther away you sound. Less is sometimes more. The 50's and 60's had a lot of heavy echo. I was listening to the new Kelly Clarkson song 'Breakaway' yesterday as I was driving and thought to myself... you can't really hear how great her voice is, it's so covered with chorus! One of the things I loved about her was her power... and they are covering it up!

I guess I feel the effects depends greatly on the type of song it is.. which is why I play with the effects a LOT before I finally save it! Like anything... it's subjective. Some will like it some won't.

It's funny though.. on a different site many moons ago... that was the main complaint on almost every song... "Too much reverb!"

I like them.. within limits of course.

Usually, when people first learn how to put effects on their voice, they tend to go 'overboard' with them. Too much reverb (or the wrong type) can, as Sheree was saying, make you sound like you're in a cave, or reverberate so badly that it slurs the words and runs them into each other.

Then, there are other effects, like 'doubling', phase-shift, all kinds of goodies to play with. These all have their places, but I usually prefer to not use anything except a little reverb, because I'm working on improving my actual voice, instead of seeing how good I can make it sound with effects.

I do sometimes use everything I can get, when I'm just doing a song 'for fun', meaning I KNOW it isn't very good, that's the best it's going to get and I'm not too concerned about it.

A little reverb (or echo) though, usually helps the voice sound fuller, and takes off any hard edges. Does anyone know if classical singers use any effects on their voices? I've always thought the only 'effect' they get, is singing into a large chamber while performing, thus getting some 'natural' reverb.

As far as classical singers go, usually a recording is edited (with whatever effects the producer wishes to use) before commercially marketing a record/CD/DVD. Now, if they were to sing live in concert (not lip-synching) than its pretty much how they sound with the overall acoustical effects of their stage (of course that would mean the same for any genre). Personally, when I sub songs here, I don't use any effects (not even reverb) simply because I don't have the equipment and/or software to do any editing whatsoever; so what you here is pretty much what I would sound like singing in a standard living room.

When I first started submitting songs, I was terrified of using effects. I had no idea what I was doing, and wasn't used to my voice not sounding exactly like it usually does:) (I used to submit acoustic songs) EVen now though, I barely use anything at all... I never find that I really NEED anything, back in my old place I used a touch of reverb, but, here, i don't... Maybe someone can help me REMOVE the echoy sound:) (My house is hardwood, with high ceilings, and barely any furniture, so, when I record it naturally sounds like I am in a cave). Anyways, I generally prefer the subs with the least ammount of effects.. OR the ones where there are some.. but, they are so well used, that you don't really notice... it should enhance the sound, not cover things up, and make ya sound all crazy like. I have heard some pretty bad examples in the past:)

I am babbling.

It's been stated, yet depending on the song, effects can enhance or detract. I doubt anyone that covers an array of music types would tell you across the board "no effects ever".

Effects can add a lot, but if the background music or reverb is so prominent that it covers up your singing, then that is too much.  How can we judge your singing if we don't hear it? This is, after all, SINGERS showcase, not MUSICIANS showcase or ENGINEERS showcase.

The effects should complement (and compliment) your voice, not cover it up.

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

What hardware are you thinking of? You can use software to add reverb and lots of other stuff...I use a program Goldwave for mine. I use a LITTLE echo on my karaoke machine but then I record it in Goldwave and add extra reverb, get rid of pops, make the song louder, etc.  It has lots of stuff on there that I don't even use or know what the heck it does. You might check it out or one of the other programs people here use.  Goldwave is a free download and I have used it for years for recording.

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~Suzanne Lanoue~

Hi:

Effects definitely have there place but as mentioned in an earlier post, it depends on the song. I do notice that different KJ's use different levels of effects during their karaoke shows and I'm convinced that even a little echo or re-verb can enhance a singer's presence. Flat sound from the singer almost always leaves me with the feeling that there could more.