-
Drew,
I might be the first to say it but I’d bet anyone who reads your question will wonder what “pulling down the vocal in the mix” sounds like. A before and after would help me hear exactly what your symptom is and what problem might be. How might you be using the delay? As a plugin on a channel? How much time are you using? Enough to create a slap back or little enough to create comb filtering which literally could cause level to drop? Mix percentage of the delay if it is on the channell? Equal level (50%) mix of a dry and delayed signal is the perfect recipe for comb filtering.
Gain staging?? Is the output lower with the delay engaged in line but at 0 time. Does the vocal level actually get louder with the delay plug in out?
So many questions….
Is it your terminology accurate? … Are you saying the actual vocal level goes down or might you mean that, with the delay effect, the vocal recedes back into the music. Instead of in-your-face-leading-the-charge vocals, they’ve moved back into the mix?
I ask if it might be heretical to USE an “Elvis” slap back delay sound in your working genres.
As Waylon Jennings once wrote “I don’t think Hank done this a way.”
Excellent subject line by the way. Reminded me of an old entry in my to-do list of rap lyrics.
“You quote Shakespeare, I quote Dylan.
I like Beastie Boys when they’re illin’ “