Vocal Processing in FL Studio

This tutorial covers how to set up FL Studio for vocal processing, starting with main vocals setup and then exploring effects like sends, delays, and reverbs.

Vocal processing is one of the hardest skills to master, but using a consistent mixer system makes it easy to swap effects, solo components, and try different approaches.

The method shown uses master busses for main vocals, reverbs, and delays, allowing independent control and blending of each element without affecting the original vocal.

• Hear everything in solo or together with ease • Swap new effects in and out quickly • Control reverb and delay volumes separately from main vocal • Process reverbs and delays independently

Create three master busses: one for main vocals, one for reverbs, and one for delays. This allows changing their volumes easily without modifying individual channels.

• Main vocal channel receives audio from the playlist • Main vocal is sent to both the reverb bus and delay bus • Reverb and delay channels are only sent to their respective busses, not to master • All busses are sent to the master output

This setup provides enormous freedom for adding creative and artistic effects while allowing you to EQ and compress reverbs and delays completely differently from the main vocal.

Name and color code channels for clarity: vocal bus (dark blue), reverb bus (light blue), delay bus (lighter blue). Add separators to group busses away from individual vocal channels.

Start with a blank mixer and create three named busses: vocal bus, reverb bus, and delay bus. Color code them for easy visual organization.

Create a main vocal channel where all drive vocals will be sent. If you have different vocals in verse and chorus, duplicate the setup for each vocal type.

Add separate channels for each effect you plan to use. In this example: hall reverb, plate reverb, and two different delays. These channels hold only the effect plugins.

• Use separator buttons to visually group busses • Color code channels by type for quick identification • Maintain consistent naming conventions across projects • Allow flexibility for additional effects channels as needed

On the main vocal channel, right-click and select 'route to this track only' to send audio to the vocal bus instead of to the master.

Each reverb and delay channel should route only to its corresponding bus (reverb or delay), not to the master. The busses then send to master output.

Use the Fruity Send plugin to send audio pre-fader to effect channels. This allows audio to be sent to reverbs and delays even when the main vocal is muted, and lets you choose to send before or after effects.

• On the main vocal channel, middle-click to rename Fruity Send instances • Set each Fruity Send to route to the appropriate effect channel • Duplicate and configure sends for each reverb and delay channel • This creates flexible audio routing without requiring audio to pass through effect channels

Use Fruity Reverb 2 with a large hall preset for natural-sounding reverb space.

Turn the dry level down to 0% so only the wet reverb effect is heard. This prevents duplicating the original vocal and allows clean blending of the reverb.

Add EQ to the reverb bus to remove excess lows and brighten the overall reverb. This prevents the reverb from becoming muddy or interfering with other elements.

Use the reverb channel fader and the reverb bus fader to control the reverb level. This dual-fader approach allows precise blending of the effect into the mix.

Choose a plate reverb preset that sounds smooth and wide, such as a classic digital plate style.

Set dry level to 0% and wet to 100% so only the reverb effect is heard, maintaining clean separation from the main vocal.

Remove lows and slightly boost highs to create an airy, bright reverb that complements the hall reverb without muddiness.

Combine both reverbs (hall and plate) together in the mix. The ability to listen to them individually or together allows for precise control and understanding of how they interact.

Use Fruity Delay 3 for simple delay effects and the Repeater for more creative delay options.

Set dry level to 0% on both delay channels so only the delay effect is heard without duplication of the original vocal.

Add a Fruity Limiter to one delay channel and sidechain it from the main vocal. This makes the delay duck down while vocals are singing and rise up after, creating more musical rhythmic effects.

• Use sidechain compression to make delays responsive to vocal timing • Adjust threshold, ratio, and attack time for desired ducking effect • Keep some delays running continuously for ambience • Use others only at word endings for punctuation

De-essing removes harsh sibilant sounds (S and SH sounds) from vocals, making them sound more natural and less piercing.

• Notch EQ (free option with good presets) • iZotope De-esser from Ozone bundle • Both options allow transparent sibilant control

Avoid over-de-essing, which makes vocals sound unnatural like a lisp. Settings should be subtle enough that the voice still sounds natural.

Use Fruity Parametric EQ or TRX EQ to remove resonances from the booth or vocal. Narrow Q at around 5-6 DB to find and gently reduce problematic frequencies, then apply a high-pass filter around 100 Hz.

• Virtual Mix Rack compressor • Katana compressor by TDR (free) • FabFilter Pro-C or other professional options

Set input for 3-10 dB of gain reduction. Use a ratio between 3:1 and 6:1. These values change per song but provide a good starting point.

Longer attack times preserve the natural transient at the start of words, keeping them punchy and present. Very short attack times cause the start of words to fold in and lose impact.

• Release should recover between words for natural movement • Too long release causes continuous compression; too short sounds pokey • Match output to input level so you can hear compression effect clearly • Avoid adding excessive volume after compression

After compression, the vocal may sound harsh. Remove harsh frequencies using EQ to smooth out any unwanted brittleness.

• Use saturation to add color and character • Apply ozone exciter for brightness and presence • Use Revival plugin for warmth and air • These tools add polish and make vocals sound poppy and open

The specific effects (reverbs, delays, compression) change from song to song, but the overall system remains constant, allowing endless experimentation and improvement.

• Test new ideas and remove them easily • Change reverb or delay tone globally using bus EQ • Compress multiple reverbs together for artistic effects • Organize and simplify vocal processing workflow

This mixer setup remains constant across all projects, providing a reliable framework for vocal processing while allowing infinite customization of actual effects.

• Mute reverbs and delays instantly to compare before and after • Affect main vocal without hearing other elements • Change individual effect volumes from busses instead of channels • Avoid excessive automation on individual faders

Pro Tools users may find this approach familiar, but many FL Studio users are confused about sending and sidechaining. This method is organized and easy to follow.

Understanding this system makes vocal processing organized and transparent, allowing you to process vocals the way you want while maintaining professional results across different songs and styles.