Vocal chops is a term used to describe short, chopped-up snippets of vocal audio files or samples. They are a frequent feature in EDM and other music genres as they add varied and desirable textures.
Many of the most catchy and popular electronic tracks include vocal chops as a central feature. We’ll show you some of the best ways of finding or recording good vocals to chop up, and how to edit them into striking vocal features.
Select Your Vocal Samples to Chop Up
The first step in making vocal chops is, of course, choosing the right audio recording or sample to slice up. Generally, vocal samples that work well as vocal chops possess certain tonal traits. They often consist of the following:
Remember that these traits only serve as a general guide, and you should experiment to see what kind of sounds and effects you’re able to produce beyond the norm. Let’s cover the different methods you can implement to source the right vocal audio samples.
Record Your Own Vocal Samples
Recording your own vocals to use as vocal samples is the most cost-effective way to go about making vocal chops. Don’t fret if your singing voice is nothing to write home about, certain vocal samples really don’t require vocal training or experience. If you’ve ever been to the dentist and successfully passed the test when they tell you to say “aaa”, then you’re more than capable of producing some basic vocal chops yourself.
Now that you’re attempting some personally-created vocal recordings, it’s important to have a decent microphone. If you’re on a budget, check outthe best USB microphones for audio production; if you have a little more to invest, look intowhich studio microphone is best for you. If you’re not using a USB microphone, remember that you’ll need an input monitor to connect all your equipment.
Once you’ve set the project tempo in your DAW, record some basic one-note or two-note vowel sounds. If you’re a Mac user, you can easilyrecord your vocals in GarageBand. We’ll look at plugin tools you can use later on to clean up these basic vocal recordings.
Use Segments of Recorded Vocals
One of the most common methods for producing vocal chops is to go through an existing vocal recording. For example, the verse, chorus, or bridge of previously recorded vocals.
This method can be restrictive as you may not have trained as a singer or have the opportunity to record other vocalists. If you can go through existing vocal recordings, then try and find segments that are tonally consistent and use vowel sounds. Zoom in on the waveform to better identify and select the segment you want.
Use Ready-Made Vocal Samples
If personally recorded vocals made by yourself or another vocalist are not viable, then you can use the internet to find some ready-to-use third-party samples. Look intothe best websites for audio sampleswhere you can narrow down your search by using filters. Usually, you can specify the tempo (BPM) you’re after and even the key.
Remember that you can select either ready-to-use vocal chops or melodic and lyrical vocal lines that you can then convert into vocal chops.
How to Edit and Chop Up Your Vocals
Once you’ve got a good candidate for a vocal chop in front of you, duplicate the audio region to be safe, and then cut all the surplus audio around the sound you’re after. A general rule of thumb when editing vocals into vocal chops is to keep your final chopped version nice and short.
Remember to fade the beginning and end of each audio region to avoid any pops and clicks. If you’re a Logic Pro user, look intohow to fade all your audio in seconds.
To fix any timing errors, zoom in on the waveform of the audio region you want to use and make sure the beginning of the vocal chop is aligned to the grid and beat in your DAW. Enable the snap-to-grid function, available in most DAWs, to quickly align your regions to the grid.
If the beginning of your audio file includes a breath or silence, then your audio sample will remain out of time. Remedy this by removing any unnecessary silences from the beginning of your vocal samples.
You can maximize your use of snap-to-grid by setting specific note divisions your audio regions will snap to. Not only does this ensure tempo alignment but also lets you experiment with different placements of your vocal chops easily. For example, set your audio regions to snap to every beat division or 16th note (1/16), and then you can easily try out new timings for your vocal samples while being perfectly aligned to your project’s tempo.
Experimentation will inevitably produce exciting results. You can alsouse Flex Time in Logic Proto quickly tweak and align your vocal part.
Then, you can envision and carry out a melodic idea, experiment with different combinations of vowel sounds, rhythms, and pitches, or combine these methods. Vocal samples that include multiple rhythms and pitches can often be broken down into component parts, e.g. individual notes or vowel sounds. These can then be spliced back together in new ways.
This could mean that the last two notes of your vocal sample are repeated at the end, or the first note is repeated quickly as a stutter effect into a transition. Experiment with both simple and more complex combinations until you find something that stays with you.
Use Effects on Your Chopped Vocals
Among the most useful effects you can use on vocal chops are pitch and formant shifting plugins.
You canuse Flex Pitch in Logic Proto adjust the pitch of a given audio sample. Logic’s Sampler plugin can do the same, but pitch adjustments will lead to speed changes. Most DAWs will provide a pitch-shifting plugin that you should try out. Experiment with putting your sample up/down an octave (12 semitones) and other harmonic note values in relation to your project’s key.
Formant shifting alters the harmonic content of a given tone, and can make the same note sound as if it’s sung by a chipmunk or the deepest of voices. This can make a male vocal segment sound more feminine, and vice versa. Different formant settings can lead to rather inhuman, distorted vocal sounds that often serve as high-quality audio effects.Soundtoy’s Little AlterBoyis one of the best plugins out there for both pitch and formant shifting.
Don’t forget to EQ your vocal samples, and apply some vocal reverb effects for an added sense of depth and space. If you want to add an extra edge to your vocal chops, look intothe different types of audio distortion. The type and intensity of these effects, and any others you place, should match up with your project’s overall style and sonic objectives.
Create Vibrant Vocal Textures
Vocal chops are a musical ingredient and texture that can fundamentally improve the catchiness and quality of your audio projects. Once you’ve selected some suitable vocal samples to chop up from your own recordings or third-party samples, it’s time to bring them to life.
Turn your samples into short clips, including open vowel sounds and fading. Then, add in some effects as well as pitch and formant shifting for a variety of tones and colors. Experiment with different melodic and rhythmic combinations, and your creations can turn into something unforgettable.
