The VCC templates were designed to be fool-proof! Minimizing any user error by implementing clipping safe-guards as well as preventing playback distortion. This is done by creating enough output gain within the vocal chain, allowing you to record at lower levels to prevent clipping, and by lowering the instrumental track by -13dB to prevent playback distortion once vocals are present. In the User Guides, a section called "Prepping an Instrumental" goes over this in more detail as well as how to find the key, tempo & align audio to the grid so that you can utilize the metronome, time-based delay effects, make accurate edits, and copy & paste sections with ease.
Aside from gain-staging, some templates also have custom macros built-in that give you easy access to the most important controls to the vocal chain and other parameters (not available for Pro Tools or UAD Console).
Lastly, some aesthetic and organizational house-keeping has been taken care of for you – allowing you to easily navigate color-coded tracks, keep track of sections in a song using pre-set arrangment markers, and stay organized with custom track names for when it comes time to exporting tracks for your collaborators.
The Vocal Cheat Code (VCC) started off as a solution to provide my collaborators with a replica of my vocal chain using only stock plugins. I mainly created this for my own personal use when recording others remotely or having my clients record themselves through a chain that sounds virtually indistinguishable from my Signature vocal chain. This eliminates any issues with compatibility, sound quality and allows you to perform at your best, enhancing confidence, inspiration & creativity. (It also ensures a consistent sound if sending me any of your songs to mix–saving time and money!)
However, because stock plugins are somewhat limited (specifically compressors and de-essers), I've decided to provide a 'Standard', low-latency tier for those that have some common third-party plugins and want to upgrade their sound. From there, I decided to also make my ‘Signature’ vocal chain available for those who own the plugins and demand the highest quality possible.
Don't yet own some of the third-party plugins listed in the Signature or Standard Edition? No problem. ALL plugins in the default vocal chains were designed to be interchangeable regardless of tier. No matter which edition you choose, each contains extremely powerful, finely-tuned vocal chains that can handle virtually any vocal you throw at it or record through it. From highly dynamic performances, to loud and aggressive, vocals will always remain present, intelligible, and the star of the show—as they should!
Stock
Uses only stock/free plugins
CPU Efficient yet powerful
Best for compatibility
Standard
(Includes Stock Edition)
Uses standard/low-cost plugins
CPU Friendly
Closest in sound to Signature Edition
Best for recording/monitoring directly in the DAW
Signature
(Includes All Editions)
Uses higher quality plugins
Higher latency (2000+ samples)
Includes more plugin options beyond the default chain
Best for mixing or recording/monitoring with UAD Console etc
All editions were made to sound virtually indistinguishable from one another. They all have the same brightness, clarity, tone and output volume. Some key differences between stock, cheap and premium plugins (compressors specifically) are in the way they handle high gain reduction values.
Here is a more technical explanation of some of these differences.
Signature Edition handles peaks/rms level/sibilance more transparently, resulting in a more controlled and expensive sound. However, the trade-off here is that there’s more latency and CPU usage, so this is best suited for mixing or recording and monitoring through your interface’s software and setting the DAW buffer size high.
Standard Edition is basically the Signature edition but with low latency compressor and de-esser alternatives for recording. Great for monitoring directly in the DAW as opposed to through your interface’s software.
Stock Edition is extremely effective being that it’s zero latency and uses a negligible amount of CPU. However, stock compressors can tend to sound a little pushed when compressing at high amounts as well as add more attack to the signal (may be a good thing!). Aside from that, it definitely competes with the others as a solid option for a vocal chain.
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