We’ve talked recording, comping, editing… and now we’re wrapping up our vocal series with the good stuff—parallel compression, slap delays, long reverbs, throw delays, saturation, and all the FX that give your vocals that final polish.

In this episode, we break down how we set up our vocal FX chains—what plugins and routing we use, how we layer effects without cluttering the mix, and why sometimes less is more. Whether it’s slap mono or ping pong stereo, background vocal throws or a subtle vocal plate—this is the sauce that brings the whole thing to life.

We also dig into how we treat doubles, how we automate delay times, and the FX we put on a bus that nobody talks about… but should.

🎧 Plus, we answer a great listener question about how to stay objective when you’re mixing your own music—especially when the project drags on.

You’ll Learn:

• How we use parallel compression and saturation without overcooking it

• Our go-to delay chain: slap, long, ping-pong, and throws

• Reverb choices that don’t get in the way (plate vs room vs ambient)

• Where background vocals live in our mix—and why they get their own world

• Smart delay automation tricks that bring life to a vocal phrase

• Why we route vocals and instruments separately before the final mix bus

• The “parallel wine” joke Chris couldn’t resist

• Steve’s go-to EchoBoy presets (and how he automates delay time)

• The magic of combining plate and ambient reverb

• Using lesser takes as doubles—and why it works

• How we process background vocals with width, air, and even chorus

• The mystery of the smiley-face EQ on the final vocal bus

Huge thanks to S. Conway for the thoughtful question on mixing your own music. We share our personal struggles with staying objective—and what finally helped us get over the mental roadblocks of “over-listening.”

Vocal FX are about feel. Use templates, sure—but know when to break the rules. Let the vocal lead, and let the FX serve the story.

📩 Submit your question here: Form Link
We’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.

Alright, we’ve recorded the vocals. Now what? In this episode, we’re diving into what comes after the red light turns off—editing, tuning, clip gaining, EQ, compression, automation… all the good stuff that takes your vocals from "usable" to "undeniable."

We’re talking about our start-to-finish vocal mixing workflows—from first comp checks to final automation passes. You’ll hear how we prep vocals for pitch correction, when and why we bounce tracks, what our go-to compressor chains look like (hint: they’re stacked), and how to know when not to touch anything at all.

Plus, we answer a listener question about working with MIDI drums and when to commit those tracks to audio.

You’ll Learn:

• Why clip gain can make or break your vocal mix

• How we approach pitch correction manually (and why we avoid the "auto" button)

• The vocal chain order we actually use—and how we layer EQ and compression

• Why sometimes less processing is the right move

• When to leave the VST drum processing on… and when to nuke it
  
  

• Our favorite channel strip tools and vocal compressors

• Chris’s take-your-pill alarm goes off mid-recording

• Why Steve buckled a CL1B into the passenger seat of his car

• The truth about "nonsense plugins" and when we finally let them go

• Mixing vocals with your speakers turned way down
  
  

Shoutout to Jim Kelly from Kilkenny, Ireland! We tackle his question about routing and processing MIDI drums—and how we decide whether to use the plugin processing or start from scratch.

There’s no one right way to mix vocals—but there is your way. The key is to make intentional choices and always ask: "What serves the song?"

📩 Submit your question here: Form Link
We’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.

This week, we’re turning the mic around—literally.

Chris and Steve explore what it’s really like to record vocals on your own, in a home studio setup where you’re the singer, engineer, and producer… all at once. From gear choices and room noise to workflow hacks and accidental plumbing victories, this episode is both practical and painfully relatable. If you’ve ever chased the perfect take while dodging noisy kids, furnace hums, or the neighbor’s lawnmower—this one’s for you.

Self-recording is equal parts freedom and frustration, but with the right mindset (and a bit of creativity), it can also be incredibly rewarding.

• How to choose the right mic when recording yourself

• Why committing effects while tracking can actually be freeing

• Tips for building a self-recording workflow that won’t kill your vibe

• How to control tone with mic distance and positioning

• Ways to deal with room noise, family noise, and fan noise

• Why using two different mics for lead and background vocals can help your mix

• How to stay creative (and sane) while recording solo

• The reality of tracking vocals in a non-soundproofed house

• What to do when your perfect take is ruined by kitchen chaos

• Using mic position and off-axis techniques to tame harshness

• The joy of experimenting when no one’s watching

• How Chris’s plumbing failure turned into a vocal tracking lesson

• Workflow hacks: wireless control, DAW shortcuts, and phone/tablet remotes

• Using different mics—or even different mic angles—for variety in background vocals

• Why your forehead might actually sound great (don’t ask)

• Embracing late-night sessions and finding the quietest window to record

• Dealing with the curveballs of self-engineering: distractions, delays, and duct-taped mic tricks

Lyndon Aguilar from Manila asks: “Can you mix with closed-back headphones without using any of the AI sound-reference tools?”
Chris and Steve unpack the pros and cons, when they’d use them, and why headphone EQ (with or without emulation) makes a big difference—especially outside of the studio.

Recording yourself is a creative playground—messy, unpredictable, but full of freedom. Set up a workflow that inspires you, control what you can, and embrace the rest. Some of your best takes will come from the most unexpected moments.

Pro Home Recording with Cubase shows you how to get clean, polished recordings using the tools you already have.

From setting up Cubase properly to recording vocals, drums, guitars, and more—this course gives you a clear, step-by-step workflow that saves you hours of frustration and makes your tracks easier to mix.

➡️ Start recording like a pro with the tools you already own.
Check out PRO HOME RECORDING WITH CUBASE

Let us know in the comments or tag us on socials—we’d love to hear from you!

Got a question for a future episode?
📩 Submit your question here: Form Link
We’ll answer as many as we can in upcoming shows.