Huge Vocals (like Clannad)

[Guest]

I am trying to create a huge ethereal vocal on the lines of "Harry's game" and similar but getting a bit stuck.

I started with a "cathedral" impulse with around 140ms of predelay to preserve the clarity of the vocal but there must be something more to the Clannad sound?

Any hints or ideas?

Thanks

Richard

[muzines]

What is it that your current attempts that is lacking? Is it the smoothness? the thickness? Not enough air/breath?

If you can give some ideas as to what you feel is not working, that would help in suggesting stuf to try...

[MarkOne]

Lots of vocal tracks.

No really... LOTS of them. I think I remember reading about Enya's vocals running to 47 tracks of vocals layered together.

Then start adding your ambience

[The Elf]

Lots of vocals - then double them. Then double the doubles. And double them...

And try some plate reverb - you need that top end to sing and ring off the essesssssssssss. A 'Cathedral' patch might be too dark for the effect you're after.

[grab]

Lots of compression, I guess.

Listening to Enya ("Caribbean Blue" for example) it sounds like there's fader-riding (or some envelope-tweaking FX kit doing a similar thing) on the start of each phrase, so that it fades into the phrase and all initial transient is deliberately removed, like violining on an electric guitar. Does it strike anyone else like this, or am I imagining it?

[Dave B]

I can sort of hear the swelling that you are talking about in the first verse. The problem is that every time I listen to Enya, I get this overpowering urge to go out and buy a Juno60.......

[ken long]

I can sort of hear the swelling that you are talking about in the first verse. The problem is that every time I listen to Enya, I get this overpowering urge to go out and buy a Juno60.......

[RegressiveRock]

Definitely layering. When Queen sang their harmonies, every member of the band sang each vocal harmony line in unison to fill out the sound.

Reg

[oggyb]

Definitely layering. When Queen sang their harmonies, every member of the band sang each vocal harmony line in unison to fill out the sound.

Reg

Except the highest ones, because only Roger had the tight pants.

[muzines]

get this overpowering urge to go out and buy a Juno60.......

She does make it sound good though, especially the arp stuff on Storms in Africa etc off the first album...

She is a bit guilty of crimes against the D-50 though...

[chris...]

I had always assumed the vocalists in clannad suffered from asthma - which is why it sounds the way it does

[The Elf]

The problem is that every time I listen to Enya, I get this overpowering urge to go out and buy a Juno60...

'Legend' is a tribute to the JX-8P. Love that synth.

[Zukan]

A lot of those big ass spread and deep vocals involved a lot of multi layering. 10 cc's 'I'm not in love' is another prime example.

Enya's 'ard.