Without further adieu...
Mixing Tip:
Use slap back delay instead of reverb on vocals.
Reverb can be an amazing tool and very helpful to your mix. However, there are times where it can have the opposite effect desired. Often times we put a reverb on a vocal track to thicken it up and add some dimensions to it. And it does it's job. Well, in fact. The problem with reverb on a vocal is that it can make the vocal sound farther away. Reverb is one of those effects that adds depth to a track and can make a track sound further away. Typically in a song, this isn't something you want to do with vocals. Also, reverb can get too muddy easy and not sound very natural if you aren't careful.
So what are some options if you want to try something other than reverb?
Slap Back Delay
Slap back delay can be an awesome tool and often sound far more natural than reverb. If you have ever been a room and clapped, you will hear a very fast echo of your clap. This is essentially what slap back is doing. It's a very fast and short delay. It tends to sound much more like a room would sound than reverb, and it tends to be shorter and cleaner, therefore less likely to muddy up the mix.
Most delay plugins will have a preset for slap-back, so I would recommend starting there. If it doesn't, what you will want to do is set your delay time to a very short time, until it sounds like a naturally room. With the right delay level set, it can really thicken up a vocal and add some presence without making it sound like it's far away.
Next time you are using reverb on a vocal and having some trouble, give slap back delay it try. It just might help you achieve the sound you are going for. We'll see you next time!
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