Sitting Vocals In The Mix with Dom Morley

When listeners tune into a song, their attention is often split equally between the lead vocal and everything else. That’s why nailing the vocal in your mix is crucial—it’s the anchor of your track. You can spend hours perfecting the low end or tweaking your snare, but if the vocal isn’t sitting right, your mix could be holding your song back.

Finding the Vocal's Space in the Mix

To start, I solo the vocal and do a quick EQ sweep to find the frequency range that gives it presence. This sweet spot is usually between 1kHz and 3kHz. When you boost the right frequency, it feels like the singer steps closer to you—make a note of this range because your job will be to keep other elements out of that space. The trick to a standout vocal is making space for it; if it’s not fighting with other instruments, it will naturally sound clearer and more present.

As an engineer who prefers a 'bottom-up' approach, I usually start with the drums and build the mix from there. Once I’ve pinpointed the vocal’s range, I mute it and dive into the drums, keeping the vocal frequencies in mind. I often EQ a slight dip in that range across other instruments to ensure they don’t crowd the vocal. I regularly unmute the vocal to check how it’s sitting with each new element—this helps avoid clashes before they happen. Keep this process going as you add instruments, and by the time you bring the vocal back in, it should already be sitting comfortably in the mix.

Dialing in EQ and Compression

With space made for the vocal, the next step is detailed EQ work. EQ adjustments should react to what you hear: cut what shouldn't be there, boost what should. Generally, filtering off the low end is a good starting point—there’s typically nothing useful below 100Hz in a vocal, just noise that can interfere with your kick and bass, and even mess with how your compressor responds. Try a high-pass filter set at 18dB per octave, rolling it up until you start losing the body of the vocal, then back off slightly.

EQ adjustments should react to what you hear: cut what shouldn't be there, boost what should.

Compression on vocals can serve two main roles: shaping dynamics or leveling the sound. I recommend using tools like clip gain or volume automation for leveling—this gives you perfect control over loud and quiet parts without relying solely on compression. After leveling, use your compressor to shape the vocal’s dynamics—whether you want a punchy, smooth, or otherwise dynamic sound. From here, dive into post-compressor volume automation to keep the vocal sitting just right in the mix, without compromising the natural feel of the performance. Fine-tuning automation is often what separates a good mix from a great one.

Adding Effects and Character

Effects are the final touch, usually added after EQ and compression but before the last round of volume automation. Effects serve two purposes: placing the vocal in the mix, and adding interest to the production. Reverb and delay can push the vocal forward or back, and the amount you use depends on the vibe you’re after. A useful tip is to use pre-delay on reverb—it keeps the vocal upfront while creating space behind it, preventing the singer from getting buried.

Beyond placement, effects can add flair. Automate delay sends or tweak reverb settings to highlight certain vocal phrases, especially in parts of the song that feel empty or flat. These moments of interest can keep the listener engaged and bring your mix to life.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, these tips give you a starting point for handling lead vocals in your mixes. Remember, there are no hard rules—experiment with these ideas, then flip them on their head and see what works best for you. Trust your ears, and don’t be afraid to make bold choices!