Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Plugin Week 25
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Plugin Week A-Z
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
bon iver
Music Production Tutorials "It’s simple enough to create the perfect hard-tuned and harmonised effects within our DAW, providing you have the right software": How to harness hard-tuned vocals
Pluginweek logo
Plugins Plugin Week 2025: Exhibitor A-Z
MIX DRUMS
Tech Arturia's Mix DRUMS is an "all-in-one" drum processor that promises punchy, pro-sounding drums without the fuss
Plugins
Plugins How to get famous sounds and effects using only Logic’s stock plugins
mixing desk
Music Production Tutorials “Learning how to mix is almost as important as hitting on your original musical idea”: New to the mixing process? Start here
Atlas DSP - Your Final Steps
Plugins Atlas DSP, Your Last Steps Review
romesh
Producers & Engineers “Your work, your mix, your production: that’s your business card": Motörhead producer Romesh Dodangoda
  1. Tutorials
  2. Music Production Tutorials

How to mix classic rock vocals

Tuition
By Computer Music ( Computer Music ) published 4 May 2011

Get that stadium-filling rock sound in your DAW

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

How to produce great rock vocals

How to produce great rock vocals

Rock vocals come in so many different shapes and sizes that there are no set rules for processing them. However, there are still some general techniques you can apply to get the foundations right. We’ve got a big vocal to play with here - which is a good place to start!

Next: Six steps to great rock vocals

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
Aggressive EQing

Aggressive EQing

Step 1: To get a powerful vocal like this sounding suitably rock-like, you need to be aggressive. We EQ it, boosting the highs dramatically and cutting out a good chunk of the lows. We need our singer coming in nice and hot, and this will do the trick.

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Compression and limiting

Compression and limiting

Step 2: Likewise, you can hit the compression really hard to get a powerful, pumping vocal. We go for a Ratio of just below 5:1, with slow Attack and medium Release, and a good dose of Make-Up gain. A limiter probably wouldn’t hurt either if your singer has a big voice.

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
Distort it!

Distort it!

Step 3: Nothing will help you get a classic rock sound quicker than putting your vocals through some distortion. NI’s Guitar Rig 3 works great on guitars, but is just as effective on other sources, including vocals. We use it as a send effect to give our singer a bit of crunch.

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
Pull it back?

Pull it back?

Step 4: Sometimes things are a bit less intense and you need to tone down that huge sound a little to preserve the dynamics. We switch vocals to something quieter and with more dynamic range, then pull back the processing a little, and add some reverb.

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
'60s layered vocals

'60s layered vocals

Step 5: Aiming for an old-school, ‘60s-style vocal? Layer a couple of different takes, then EQ out the highs and lows and boost the mids. You won’t need a huge amount of compression, but a little reverb and delay will go a long way towards achieving this effect.

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
Demonic metal

Demonic metal

Step 6: No guide to rock vocals would be complete without some demonic metal. We turn our first vocal into a seething hell-beast by layering up a number of different compressed vocal takes and sending them all to an auxiliary track with Guitar Rig 3 loaded onto it. We also spike the EQ at around 80Hz to give it some grunt.

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Computer Music
Computer Music
Social Links Navigation

Computer Music magazine is the world’s best selling publication dedicated solely to making great music with your Mac or PC computer. Each issue it brings its lucky readers the best in cutting-edge tutorials, need-to-know, expert software reviews and even all the tools you actually need to make great music today, courtesy of our legendary CM Plugin Suite.

Read more
bon iver
"It’s simple enough to create the perfect hard-tuned and harmonised effects within our DAW, providing you have the right software": How to harness hard-tuned vocals
Pluginweek logo
Plugin Week 2025: Exhibitor A-Z
MIX DRUMS
Arturia's Mix DRUMS is an "all-in-one" drum processor that promises punchy, pro-sounding drums without the fuss
Plugins
How to get famous sounds and effects using only Logic’s stock plugins
mixing desk
“Learning how to mix is almost as important as hitting on your original musical idea”: New to the mixing process? Start here
Atlas DSP - Your Final Steps
Atlas DSP, Your Last Steps Review
Latest in Music Production Tutorials
ableton
8 things you can do with Ableton Live's updated Auto Filter device
API
Our pick of the very best VCA compressor software emulation plugins for any music project
Native Instruments Raum
How to use reverb to build impressive-sounding filters, reverses, risers and pads
Uvi Phasor
How modulation effects work and how to use them
bon iver
"It’s simple enough to create the perfect hard-tuned and harmonised effects within our DAW, providing you have the right software": How to harness hard-tuned vocals
Plugins Future owns
Our resident platinum award-winning mixer and producer shares 10 of his go-to plugins
Latest in Tuition
Plugins
How to get famous sounds and effects using only Logic’s stock plugins
Plugin Chains
How to emulate a classic analogue recording system entirely with plugins
Odin 2
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: The Wave Warden Odin 2
ableton
8 things you can do with Ableton Live's updated Auto Filter device
Native Instruments Raum
How to use reverb to build impressive-sounding filters, reverses, risers and pads
mixing desk
“Learning how to mix is almost as important as hitting on your original musical idea”: New to the mixing process? Start here

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...