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• Best Vocal Vst Plugins 2019
• The Best Vocal Vst Plugins Loops

The obvious answer is the Antares Autotune. While it’s the best vocal VST plugin out there, not everyone can spend $400+ on just 1 tool. That’s why I present you MAutoPitch, one of the best Auto-tune alternatives around. It lets you correct sour notes, fix pitch, and even add the iconic T-Pain effect (just max the tuning and the speed). Hello Composers! Mike here, with a quick guide on the Best Vocal VST Plugins. The human voice is the most expressive instrument in the world. You can use vocals to sing intimate solo performances, “in your face” vocals for rock/pop, all the way to mega epic choirs in the background. The BEST FREE VST For Mixing Vocals! Get PROFESSIONAL VOCAL PRESETS for 10% off Release your music for crazy cheap & ge. I recently wrote a guide on the best free vocal effects VST plugin, which is good if you are not planning to spend much on music production plugins, however, as soon as you want more customization or intuitive interface, you’ll find yourself contemplating on which good and affordable vocal effect plugin to buy, and that is why I created this guide. How you use the plugins you have is 10 times more important than having expensive gear. Master your stock plugins before you upgrade. Learning to use the gear you have now will make you a way better mixer. That said, if you are good with your stock plugins, then upgrade away. I can help you zero in on the plugins that work best for you.

Getting the vocals right in a mix is kind of everything. Even if everything else isn’t perfect, if you nail the vocals, you’re still doing ok and the artist will be reasonably happy. On the other hand, even if everything else is perfect, but the vocals are a touch off, it’s going to stick out like a sore thumb and you might lose the gig. Of course, we strive to get everything right — I’m just stressing the point that vocals are the one element you have to absolutely nail.

My approach to vocals changes based on genre, based on what sound I want — and I experiment with plugins and gear all the time. But there are some plugins I keep coming back to that one would see in a lot of my mixes.

1. FabFilter Pro-DS

Best Vocal Vst Plugins 2019

FabFilter Pro-DS is easily my go-to de-esser.

For a long time, I was actually automating sibilance by hand because I didn’t like the graininess that I got from all the de-essers I tried. FabFilter Pro-DS in wideband mode is as good as automating by hand.

The split band also sounds great and works well on taming harsh tones that can show up around 3 kHz, not just sibilant tones higher up.

2. SoundToys EchoBoy

I spend an inordinate amount of time designing my ambiences, particularly on vocals. It’s not uncommon for me to have three to five delay throws that I automate between throughout a record. EchoBoy gives me the versatility to create a number of delays — from subtle ambience around the vocals to overt effects.

I can do very tight delays for rap vocals, smeared “pa system” delays for rock vocals or highly diffused and spread delays for pop. Basically, I feel like I don’t have many limitations outside of my own creativity.

3. Klanghelm MJUC

I’ve tried a lot of different compressors for vocals, and while there’s a number of hardware pieces I love, I haven’t found too many in the software world. Oddly enough, the one that I keep coming back to again and again is the Klanghelm MJUC, which is one of the least expensive options available.

It’s super versatile with a great tone. It’s transparent enough to not distinctly change the tone, but just colored enough to give the voice a little extra magic. I can’t imagine a genre where this compressor wouldn’t work. And even if I were using some of my very expensive outboard, I would still likely be using this compressor as a parallel return.

4. Waves MV2

There’s usually a point in my mix where I love my vocal sound, but I just want it to be a touch fuller and a hair more forward. This is where Waves MV2 is my finisher. The Waves MV2 has a “low level” limiter which does something really interesting.

Instead of taking level above a threshold and attenuating, it takes level below the threshold and turns it up, keeping the louder signal exactly where it is. This effectively brings the vocal forward without actually turning it up louder. Even setting the low level up to just 2 or 3 adds a distinct amount of body to a vocal.

5. Avid Lo-Fi

Surprisingly enough, the stock Avid Lo-Fi plugin makes this list. Sometimes a vocal comes in too clean to really stand out in the right way. I use very subtle amounts of Lo-Fi to add grit to a vocal or shift the tone ever so slightly darker.

A very common use is for vocals that have a boxy low-mid. I want to get rid of the boxiness so I EQ out the cruddy low-mid, but then I’m missing body in the vocal. I use Lo-Fi to bring some of that body back. Sometimes a touch of distortion also helps the ear find a sound in the mix, so it’s also a good tool for getting a bit of presence in the vocal without having to make EQ changes.

6. Lexicon Vintage Plate

This one is close. I use a lot of different reverbs for a lot of different vocals for a lot of different reasons. And most commonly, I use my hardware Bricasti, but if I had to pick only one reverb to have for vocals in the box, I’d go with the Lexicon PCM Vintage Plate. With this reverb, I don’t believe I’d ever run into a vocal that I couldn’t make sound incredible.

7. Boz Digital Hoser XT

There’s a number of EQs I use on vocals. /free-trap-synths-vst.html. I use the FabFilter Pro-Q 2 for surgical stuff pretty often. I use Waves Q10 for background vocals very frequently. But if I had to pick one that I use more than anything else, it’s probably the Boz Digital Hoser XT. It’s punchy like SSL-style EQs, but a broader band like API-style EQs, which kind of makes it the perfect vocal EQ in my book.

If the vocal is recorded fairly flat, I love pulling in a bit of “larger than life” smile curve with the broad low and high shelf and then tightening things up by getting rid of any boxy or harsh tone using the two bell bands. It’s a process I do very often.

8. Wavesfactory Spectre

I have a lot of techniques for making a vocal sound rich in a certain frequency range. I will use parallel processing — either band-limited compression or saturation — that targets that range. It’s a bit of a process to set up and it’s a little tricky to dial things in just right. Getting a vocal to sound rich is even trickier when the vocal was not tracked in the best way possible. However, Wavesfactory Spectre has made this process much easier. Spectre works like an EQ but instead of boosting frequency content it boosts harmonic energy at a target frequency. This is exceptionally useful when it comes to getting vocals to sound full in the lower mids.

Turn the playback level very low with the entire mix going. Listen to the vocals. If they sound thin or diminished in any particular frequency range, grab Spectre. Set the “Mix” to 100%, and dial in just enough of that frequency range to make the vocals stand over the record. Then turn the “Mix” down to a lower percentage until the vocal seems to glue itself back into the track again. I find a little bit goes a long way. A dB or two boost at 30 to 50% is usually plenty. Experiment with the distortion algorithms — I find myself going to “Warm Tube” very often. And set the Quality to “Best.” Instant rich vocal.

Bonus: PSP B-Scanner

A lot of Pop and R&B vocals benefit from a bit of chorusing/modulation. It gives them some tonal movement, texture and a sense of spread. My favorite choice for this process is the PSP B-Scanner, and I don’t believe this is at all what PSP intended for the plugin. But damn if it doesn’t sound sexy tucked under a vocal 12dB down.

Now, I didn’t list this in the primary seven because I don’t believe this plugin would work well for Rap or Heavy Rock. I can’t exactly call this one a “favorite” for everything, but I had to at least mention it.

If I had nothing other than these plugins listed, I don’t believe I’d have any restriction in mixing any vocal, from Top 40 Pop to grimy Punk-Rock. I’d be happy as a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch, and I’m pretty sure that’s not even a real expression.

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Getting the vocals right in a mix is kind of everything. Even if everything else isn't perfect, if you nail the vocals, you're still doing ok and the artist will be reasonably happy. On the other hand, even if everything else is perfect, but the vocals are a touch off, it's going to stick out like a

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The Best Vocal Vst Plugins Loops

One of the most interesting and long-standing vocal effects is that of the vocoder. Though they have been around since the 1930s, they only became popular in the music realm during the 1970s. Funk musicians were using these pieces of hardware to synthesize the human voice. It’s one of the most instantly recognizable sounds around, helping to give the human voice an alien or robot-like quality.

Saoftware Vocoders are great for adding a bit of width and edge to performances that are a bit dull otherwise. Whether you want to add some vowel sounds to your instruments, get experimental with tuned percussion, or pull some otherworldly tones out of your leads, here are the best vocoder VST plugins on the market to help you do so.

Top 9 Vocoder Plugins

1. Soundtoys Little AlterBoy

The Little AlterBoy plugin from Soundtoys gives you a lot of room to explore creatively with your sounds. Little AlterBoy gives you the ability to hard tune, add a robotic tone to vocals, pitch shift, and manipulate your vocal formants. There’s a Formant knob that you can use to change the vocal’s “gender.” There’s also a Pitch knob for you to adjust the pitch of the vocals throughout your mix.

If you want to achieve hard-tuned, robotic tones, pick a single pitch in the vocal and tune it like crazy. The MIDI section is where to go for classic vocoder effects. Yes, the plugin is very digital, but you can still add some grit and warmth with the same classic tube saturation model that’s included with the Decapitator.

Little AlterBoy gives you all the tools you need to perfectly replicate the sounds of the classic vocoder hardware. It’s definitely worth having in your collection.

Pros

• Wide selection of effects in a user-friendly interface
• Doesn’t take up much CPU
• Impressive formant shifting

Cons

• Only works monophonically

2. SONiVOX Vocalizer Pro

The SONiVOX Vocalizer Pro is an exciting vocoder plugin that can be used to make some super special sounds. It’s set up in the same way as the VocalSynth 2 with a four module system. You can move the modules around in any order you like to develop some truly unique, complex tones. You are only limited by your own creativity.

On each module you’ll find a number of parameters to mess with, including pitch shift, filter, and modulate—all with the use of high-quality LFOs. The SONiVOX has been optimized for live use, so it can be used both inside and outside the studio. At the bottom of the GUI, you’ll find eight MIDI map pads in two rows. You’ll be able to save various presets and parameters on the top row. This makes them easy to access in the middle of a live performance. The bottom row gives you the tools you need to map out chords and put sequences together.

You’ll also find an Effects tab with several options like Chorus, Reverb, EQ, and Delay. This plugin also features a high-quality browser system that allows you to search presets based on genre, color, and other qualities. There’s definitely a bit of a learning curve with this one, but the sounds you get from the Vocalizer Pro are worth the effort.

Pros

• Customized routing capabilities
• Built-in effects tab
• Numerous presets to work with

Cons

• Some might find the interface a little overwhelming

3. iZotope VocalSynth 2

The VocalSynth 2 is among the most popular and powerful vocoder plugins you can get your hands on today. It has an awesome selection of features to help you create some interesting vocal effects. There’s four panels found on the interface: the Polyvox panel, Vocoder panel, Compuvox, and Talkbox panel.

The Vocoder panel is what you would expect; you can utilize it to apply classic robot-like effects. You can also choose from a wide selection of vocoder modes to create different tones from vintage to futuristic. The Polyvox panel is perfect for when you want to build rich vocal harmonies with the help of a polyphonic pitch shifting device. It can also be used to add numerous effects from organic BGVs to artificial sounds.

The Compuvox panel gives you crazy computerized effects like speech synthesis and glitchy vocals. Finally, the Talkbox panel allows you to apply talkbox sounds, which are pretty similar to a vocoder but with their own distinct tone. Additionally, you’ll have access to distortion modules, filters, pitch correction, and delay modules. The VocalSynth 2 is not cheap by any means, but the versatility and functionality it offers make it well worth the cost.

Pros

• You can reorder effects
• Advanced processing engine
• A good selection of modules to work with

Cons

• Shred algorithm generates bad pops and clicks

4. XILS Lab XILS Vocoder 5000

The XILS Lab XILS Vocoder 5000 is a replication of the famous EMS 5000 module with some added digital features. You’ll get that iconic EMC 5000 sound along with a number of other features like a Freeze button, detailed PWM and FM mods, some Slew rate mods, a top-notch output detection module, a great selection of oscillator waveforms, and Emphasis and Emphasis ponderation with the filters.

With this plugin, you can achieve all the complexity of the EMS 5000 with an easy-to-use design and an intuitive interface. No matter what your level of experience is, you won’t have a problem using this plugin. The interface is comprised of a single panel with all the controls you need right at your fingertips. If you need some help getting started, there are plenty of presets to get you going.

If you prefer to take a deeper dive, you’ll be able to explore all the additional parameters when you open the “center door” behind the logo. This secret stash of more elaborate options is perfect for sound designers and others who like developing different routing and filtering options.

Pros

• Super versatile design
• An impressive collection of creative parameters to work with
• Awesome built-in synthesizer

Cons

• Can overwhelm your CPU

5. Image Line Vocodex

The Vocodex from Image Line is a super straightforward software vocoder, but it produces sounds that are better than just about any of its competitors. It simply contours any sound with the use of various modulators.

The plugin has a modulator noise reduction feature, which works great for eliminating ambient noise. This means that your results won’t be skewed by the plugin picking up notes or harmonics in the background. The Vocodex can handle all your standard vocoder needs and can also double voice and add reverb to get a fatter result.

One unique feature is the Soundgoodizer, which will help give you a warm, limited output so that your vocoded vocals mix well with your leads. The sidechain carrier gives you more freedom, and there are 100 bands that can be launched at any point in the frequency spectrum. Overall, a solid vocoder plugin to consider adding to your toolbox.

Pros

• Warm and limited output
• Technology that decreases ambient noise
• Top-notch vocoder sounds

Cons

• Might have problems if used with other DAWs besides FL Studio

6. MeldaProduction MVocoder

The MVocoder from MeldaProduction has a ton of exciting features that will meet all of your vocoder needs. It comes with a hefty 102-page manual, so you know this thing is loaded with functionality. Actually, you could probably modulate or manipulate just about any parameter that you could imagine. There are a total of four distinct modulation sections, which come with a great selection of morphable shapes, envelopes, followers, and so much more. You’ll find some impressive options in the Band Matrix and Band Graph sections, and you can also take advantage of the onboard upsampling and M/S capability.

The GUI is completely stunning with an impressive collection of controls to work with. You can pick from 11 distinct interface styles with varying colors and layouts. As you might have guessed from the novel of a manual, it takes a lot of time and effort to wrap your mind around everything this plugin offers to maximize your experience.

If you want to dive deep into all the layers of the vocoder realm, this is the absolute best plugin out there. It’s super detailed and gives you every tool imaginable to control your sound and achieve optimal results.

Pros

• Option to use your own synthesizers
• Crazy powerful
• Modulation potential is top-notch

Cons

• Very CPU-hungry
• Takes a lot of effort to learn the software

7. TAL TAL-Vocoder

Togu Audio Line (TAL) has a great reputation partially based on some incredible free VSTs that they have in their lineup. The TAL Vocoder VST is so good that you’ll feel like you’re ripping someone off by not paying for it. It’s designed to replicate the classic vocoder sounds from the ‘80s. It features an 11-band filter and a built-in carrier synth. It’s super simple to dial-in various waveforms, including noise, synch, saw, osc, portamento, sub, pulse, and others.

This plugin also allows you to use external sounds as carriers. TAL doesn’t use direct convolution with the carrier and modulation signals like many of their competition do. Instead TAL utilizes an envelope follower on each band. One exciting feature is the Panic Button, which uses the synth clip LED to freeze sustained notes. This prevents your input signal from clipping. We think that’s pretty awesome.

Overall we can say that this is an incredible VST with way more functionality than you would expect from a free synthesizer.

Pros

• Infinite routing options
• Super user-friendly
• Faithfully reproduces the classic sound

Cons

• Can’t complain about something that’s free

8. XILS Lab XILS V+

The XILS V+ is a ten band vocoder VST that utilizes string and human voice synthesis. The V+ is essentially a replication of the Roland VP-330 Vocoder unit but with greater in-depth routing capabilities. XILS has been a respected player in the digital realm for quite a while, and they definitely don’t disappoint with the V+.

Similar to the XILS Lab Vocoder, it takes plenty of time and effort to learn all the ins and outs of this plugin. This means it’s geared more towards those who are really invested in the vocoder effect, not those who just use it every now and then. It also adds in complex synthesis if you’re someone who appreciates that kind of thing. It’s about the most versatile vocoder plugin you’ll find on the market.

If you want to explore the advanced settings, you’ll find a top-notch effects pane, modulation controls, and freeze and water controls. If you really want to go to a different level, check out the arpeggio panel. You’ll be able to manipulate pitch, customize the shape of the added strings, or mix the human voice with various oscillators.

The V+ plugin may have a classic vintage design, but its synthesis is more advanced than anything else you’ll find in this arena.

Pros

• Very authentic synth sounds
• Both paraphonic and polyphonic
• Impressive VP-330 clone

Cons

• Expensive
• Difficult to learn

9. Zynaptiq ORANGE VOCODER

If you’re looking for a vocoder plugin with contemporary vocal effects, Zynaptiq has you covered with their Orange Vocoder. With this plugin you’ll get impressive sound quality and sonic versatility. This latest version features many upgrades to give you the best possible processing experience.

At the center of the Orange Vocoder is a 32-voice synthesizer. This is supported by more than a dozen distinct vocoder algorithms that each bring their own style into the mix. The algorithms give you an incredible range from cross-synthesis modes to analog circuits. Whether you want pure digital transparency or analog warmth, this plugin has your back. And you can choose to work with either samples or waveforms.

You’ll find two modulators that you can set to either LFO or dedicated pitch modulation. Its other features include a freeze button, rich reverb, ring modulation, and a helpful mixer section. The GUI is visually stunning, and it is designed to help you work more efficiently. You’ll also appreciate the awesome selection of sub-presets and the smart section randomization feature.

Pros

• User-friendly
• Flexible sounds and parameters
• Tones are immediately satisfying

Cons

• Nothing to mention

Value the Vocoder

At the end of the day, which vocoder plugin is right for you will depend on how and how often you plan on using it. It’s ok to take the cheaper route if you only occasionally use the effect to shake things up. But if the vocoder is more of a feature than an enhancement in your mixes, you’ll definitely want to check out the higher-quality options we’ve talked about in this article.