However, make sure not to go overboard with the de-esser. That way, you can quickly and easily identify any problematic frequencies and turn them down. Most de-essers come with a “Listen” mode that allows them to automatically detect the sibilant frequency range. Alternatively, insert the de-esser toward the very end of the plugin chain. Simply place the de-esser after whatever equalizer you are using. To do that, you need a vocal de-esser plugin.

Luckily, there is a way to get rid of the unwanted hissing sounds, which are also known as sibilants. The explanation is quite simple: the typical hip-hop track has much longer and less repetitive lyrics than, say, a pop song. What’s more, these sounds are much more common in rap than in most other music genres. And that’s perfectly okay until you hear one of those harsh, ear-piercing “s,” “sh,” or “z” sounds that are part and parcel of fast speech. Rap vocals can - and even should be - punchy and aggressive.

The Parting Words: Practice, Practice, Practice.

If you would like to learn more about how to work with each of the sound effects above, keep reading. The good news is that with some dedication and hard work, it can be learned and mastered - just like any other part of music.

Using vocal effects in rap is both a science and an art. If you are actually looking to buy vocal effect plugins, we have a whole article talking about the best wave plugins for rappers too 🙂 Other powerful tools for improving rap vocals include stutter and reverse effect, vocal delay throws, saturation, submixes, and distortion. Some of the best vocal effects for rappers are de-essing, pitch shifting, time alignment, and parallel processing.

The vocals can be especially tricky: when working with a number of separate multi-track files, achieving the perfect sound takes a lot of time, experience, and effort.įortunately, modern technology has come up with quite a few vocal effects for rappers that can help you get the vocals just right. If you have ever tried your hand at mixing rap and hip-hop, chances are you know that it is challenging, to say the least.

Mixing rap vocals fl studio