Start adding the elite modern vocal chain to your mixes!

As you can tell, Howard Benson doesn’t just stick to a single genre – his work can be heard all over the charts. His dynamic approach to vocal production has led to huge major label success and for the first time ever, his award winning vocal mixing formula is available in one powerful audio plugin.

With Howard Benson Vocals, we’ve meticulously modeled every aspect of Howard’s vocal chain with direct input from Howard and his team every step of the way. Working to capture the essence of both hardware and software processing, we ended up with seven distinct signal chain elements that work together to form the core of his vocal sound.

So much of Howard’s sound comes from the dynamic front-end of the chain in the form of compression and EQ. Depending on the vocal styling, you can keep things clean and controlled or warm them up with tube saturation & grit controls. His semi-parametric EQ gives you the ability to paint in wide strokes sonically before passing through to the spatial section.

Spatially, Howard Benson Vocals includes both a multiplier and a spatial widener for three-dimensional control. Double your vocal for lush harmonic density and adjust the width of your vocal to dictate presence in the mix.

Finally, no vocal production would be complete without time-based effects. Using the Echo and Space modules in the plugin, producers can dial in the space around their voice for complete continuity with the mix. Finish everything off through a final output stage (limiter included) and you’ve got all the ingredients of a professional vocal mixing chain.

Sweet Saturation

Start off in the sweet spot with a compressor geared up for great vocals! This compressor comes packed with Grit and Tube Warmth - sure to add some heat, sweetness, and saturation to any voice.

• Set the optimal input level with an easy to find Sweet Spot
• Start compressing instantly with the Comp knob using the standard algo or the slower, smoother “Opto Mode”
• Push your vocals harder post-compression with the Gain knob or take out the guesswork with Auto Make-Up gain
• Easily de-ess vocals with the De-Esser knob
• Colorize your sound with some Grit and/or Tube Warmth for a dirtier, denser tone

Creative Equalization

With the semi-parametric, 3-band EQ, paint a picture of how your vocals should sound. Use wide strokes with bell curves for big, dramatic vocals or keep your brush strokes narrow for finer, detailed control. Whatever you choose, this EQ's musicality is sure to resonate with your vocalist.

• Set your ideal signal chain order with Pre-Comp or Post-Comp EQ
• Roll off the lows with a built-in Hi-Pass Filter or get even grittier with a LoFi algorithm
• Use your high and low frequencies to shape the sound of your vocal
• Widen or narrow your palate with Bell curves
• Perfect your vocal mid-range with a fully adjustable Q

Hearing Double

Multiply your results with half as much effort. Achieve a luscious, doubled vocal when you're without a double track.

• Use the Amount knob to determine just how much of that doubled vocal to cut through
• Set the Offset knob to add some variety and complexity to your sound
• Remember - nobody expects a perfectly doubled vocal. It's those slight variations that make it all work!

Thicker Vocals

As much as harmonic density adds to the thickness of your vocal, you also need to consider how much of your vocal's presence comes from how wide it sounds. The Width module lets you spread your vocals out wide without thinning them out.

• Width sets exactly how wide you'd like your vocals to be
• The Range knob helps determine which part of the frequency spectrum the effect acts on.
• You can anchor the body of your vocal front and center with the Mono Low-End switch and expand your vocal's spatial presence from there!

Expressive Echoes

Tempo-synced or Milliseconds? Mono or Stereo? How many repeats? With this vocal-centric echo unit, your delays can dance around your vocals in any manner you'd like.

• Set the number of repeats and level of your echo simultaneously with the Amount knob
• Keep those repearts right down the center or let them bounce around in stereo
• See your exact delay times (in ms or tempo-based measurements) with the digital readout
• Add some character to your sound with LoFi delays
• Fully automatable for the ultimate vocal delay throws

Beyond The Booth

Now things are starting to take shape... But what shape will your vocals be in? With the Space control, you decide between intimate, upfront vocals or larger than life reverb.

• Use lower Size settings for intimate, tight & focused vocals
• Turn it up high for ballads & arena rock anthems when your singer is really belting out those notes!
• Amount provides a convenient way to go from fully dry to fully wet and everything in between without having to jump back and forth between plugins

High Voltage

All good things must come to an end, but by the time you're done, you'll have a high octane vocal ready for release.

• Use the optional Limit circuit to catch any stray peaks as your vocals pass onto the next part of their path
• Start how you began with Output Gain
• Easily find that Sweet Spot once more - post-processed & ready for action!
• Change your signal path's routing with a Pre FX switch for when you want to set levels before the effects in the chain