The stage setup for vocalists is only growing. Whether it's a row of stompbox-style effects lined up on the floor or a stand-mounted effects unit you can tweak in real-time, vocal effects are only getting better, so singers are able to coat their vocals in reverb; add some chorus, or an echo; expand their sound with harmonies or even do a little live correcting with auto tune.
Do Vocalists Need Effects?
Effects that give the spacial dimension of vocals a boost, like reverb and delay, are usually taken care of by the sound engineer, which makes sense since the effects need to sound good in the total live mix of the band. But in some situations, it can be wise to have control over your own vocal effects. Maybe the engineer doesn't know 'your sound' or the setup at the venue is a bit limited. Any vocal effects processor acts like a special effect that can be triggered to give the chorus more power or emphasise the bridge - exactly like a guitarist hitting a distortion pedal for their solo - so they can really add a lot to the vibe. And, besides the lead singers of bands, vocal effects give solo artists a load more options when playing smaller gigs. Basically, if you want to shape your own distinct sound at every gig, having your own vocal effects handy is a good idea.
Multi-Effect Processors for Live Vocals
Just like pedals for guitarists, there are more effect pedals designed for vocals than ever. You can pick up single reverb, delay, chorus, or even distortion stompboxes for vocals, or get multi-effect processors designed for vocals that stack a load of different effects in one box. These all-in-one units doesn't just remove the need for patch cables, but often come with useful extras like custom-presets, easy effect-chain routing, multi-voice harmonisers and even loopers.
Vocal Echo & Reverb
There's a reason that your singing always sounds better in the shower, in a concert hall, or maybe even a cathedral or a cave: reverb. Natural reverb simply makes any singing voice sound more full and dramatic. In recording studios and live venues, reverb and echo (also known as delay) is usually applied to vocals using an effects processor. A delay effect literally copies and repeats the original sound a little later, like an echo, and you can adjust the number of echoes and how fast the echoes follow one another. A fast echo creates a classic rock-and-roll 'slap-back' effect, which sounds like you're in a small room. A slow echo can make it sound like you're in a gigantic room - some delays can even make it sound like you've been thrown into the Grand Canyon. Reverb effects do something similar but with more subtlety, so the repeats are indistinguishable from the original sound. The diffused 'reverb tail' can be adjusted to simulate the sound of different spaces, like a small room, chamber, or hall.
Vocal Trainers: A Vocal Coach in a Box
Since your singing voice is an instrument like any other, you can only learn to 'play' it by practising. Electronic vocal trainers can be a big help when honing your pitch accuracy and rhythm. Many vocal trainers will feature a built-in microphone and a recorder so you can check your progress - confronting but well worth it. Vocal trainers tend to be pretty compact as well, so singers can take it to gigs to help warm up before the show.
Loopers: A Whole Band in a Box
Using a loop pedal, you can easily record a vocal phrase or play a little guitar and set it to repeat on a loop so you can sing a second, a third, and even a fourth part over the top (sometimes even more). A great tool for singer-songwriters, beat boxers, and DJs, even a simple looper will offer a couple of minutes of recording time and a start/stop and overdub switch. More extensive loop stations might offer extra effects and separate loop tracks that can be triggered or muted in time with each other to compose or perform entire songs. You can find all loop pedals listed in our Looper department.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vocal Effects
Can you plug a microphone into a guitar effect pedal?
While you can't plug a microphone directly into a guitar effect pedal, you can use a microphone preamp (most mixers have one) to boost the signal of the microphone, then connect the output of the preamp or mixer to a transformer before connecting that to the effect pedal. Of course, you could just get a vocal effect pedal instead.
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