Use Vocals to Create a Buildup

Update: 2023-08-17

Description

Transition effects are an unavoidable component of modern electronic music. They are audio materials used for progressing from one section of a track to another. It can be created using various audio samples, such as noises, synth lines, and so on, but in the following tutorial, I will show you how to use vocals to create a buildup.

As usual, I have prepared a short sequence in our SoundBridge: DAW, which contains most elements of a full mix, including a vocal. Let’s first listen to it in the context of the whole mix and then solo.

This is a screenshot of my mix before applying any processing on the vocal phrase.

~Full Mix – Vocal (Unprocessed)

~Vocal – Solo (Unprocessed)

Stretch Your Vocal Sample So It Plays Till the Drop Hits

As you may have noticed, I have a more extended portion of the arrangement before the drop. I did this on purpose so that I could process the vocal in such a way that it became a buildup. Because the articulated sequence is relatively short, and I want it to last until the drop, I will need to stretch it. My approach is to take a small portion of the vocal phrase ending and then copy it until the drop hits.

This is a screenshot of my mix and vocal phrase channel.

~Vocal – Solo (Last Part Copied)

Use the Vocals With Effects to Create a Buildup

After completing this, I will employ two additional effects. The first will be a gate effect (A1 Trigger Gate by Alex Hilton). I will use this gate effect to create a rhythmic sequence from a portion of the vocal that has been copied. After the buildup, I’ll use a reverb (MCharm by Melda Productions) to add space and fuzziness to the overall sound. I have gradually automated the mix parameters of the A1 Trigger Gate and MCharm Reverb effects, as seen in the image below. After the drop, I created a gradual fade-out for the entire vocal.

This is a screenshot of my mix and vocal used to create a buildup with automation of the gate and reverb effects.