AI Vocal Mixing Tips for a Professional Sound: How to Improve AI Vocal Processing and Enhance Your Mixes

Incorporating AI voice generators into your music is a game-changer, unlocking new creative possibilities. To truly harness this technology, it’s crucial to aim for the highest AI vocal quality, ensuring tools like Kits.AI elevate your mixes. In this article, we’ll dive into some essential tips and tricks to help you maximize the potential of AI vocals in your productions.

Selecting the Most Complimentary Model for Your Vocal Music Production

Kits.AI offers a diverse selection of singers across various genres. If you're looking for a vocalist for your country track, while you might naturally gravitate toward the Male Nashville Country model initially, sometimes it’s worth exploring less obvious choices to find a unique fit for your song. Capturing and refining the human voice is crucial in vocal production, as it plays a central role in music recording.

Take a recent experience from my friend Timothy Howls, a country artist and guitarist for The Plain White T’s. He was working on a song he wanted to pitch to a well-known country artist but was concerned his voice didn’t match the artist’s gritty, powerful style. So, he turned to Kits.AI's royalty-free models. Tim experimented with converting two models: the expected Male Nashville Country model and the more unconventional Male Strained Rock. Surprisingly, the latter provided the perfect energy and tone for his country/Americana track. This experience highlights the importance of experimenting with different models–you might discover a unique match that enhances the character of your song in unexpected ways.

When to Tune Your AI Vocal Mixing Model

AI Vocal Generators are cutting-edge technology capable of delivering incredibly realistic performances. However, to get the most out of your AI vocal model, there are some best practices to follow. Tuning software like Melodyne or Antares Auto-Tune is a staple in modern music production, whether for creative effects (think Cher’s “Believe”) or more subtle pitch corrections.

When it comes to AI vocal quality, I recommend holding off on tuning until after your track has been converted into the new voice. Tuning the original vocal before conversion can sometimes introduce a more robotic sound or unwanted digital artifacts in the final AI-generated voice. To maintain a natural and realistic vocal tone, apply pitch correction only after you’ve imported the newly converted track back into your DAW. This ensures the vocals are perfectly in tune, enhancing the overall performance.

Using Tape Plugins for Vocal Effects and Tonal Shaping

Analog tape has long been revered for the warm, smooth character it imparts on tracks, particularly vocals. Whether you’re working with naturally recorded vocals or an AI-generated voice, tape can add a pleasing warmth by subtly softening the high-end.

While for most of us, the days of using analog tape machines are in the past, several excellent tape plugins can replicate this desirable tonal quality. I recommend checking out Taupe by Acustica, UAD’s Studer A800, and T-RackS Tascam Tape Collection, which offers everything from reel-to-reel to lo-fi 4-track cassette options. These plugins can bring a touch of “analog” magic to your AI vocals, enhancing their warmth and presence in the mix. Managing the frequency spectrum is crucial for achieving a balanced mix. By using these tape plugins, you can better control the frequency spectrum, ensuring that your vocals stand out and maintain clarity within the overall mix.

Conclusion

AI voice models offer songwriters and producers an incredible range of creative possibilities. While many of the same techniques apply to AI vocals as to naturally recorded ones, taking the time to optimize your AI vocal processing will open new creative avenues. Kits.AI provides a unique opportunity to explore uncharted territory and push your creativity to new heights. Expand your sonic palette and discover your own unique path!

-SK

Sam Kearney is a producer, composer and sound designer based in Evergreen, CO.