What is a Vocalist? What is a vocalist track and how does the whole work actually?
To put it simple: A Vocalist is a device which can generate several voices. Up to four different additional voices can get mixed to the original voice.
Of course there still are other applications but these are for the one man band of no importance. The first so-called Vocalists (early Vocoder) appeared approx. 10 years ago. But these machines still sounded very modest. The so-called "Micky Mouse effect" couldn't be overheared. In the meantime the development got further, the whole the equipment has matured so that one can recommend it with a good conscience.
To achieve an optimal sound, though, one must assure that everything is right connected and adjusted!
With the new modern Vocalists, like the "Access", the "Studio Vocalist", or the "Workstation" (of Digitech) there are two possibilities to achieve a polyphony. There is the so-called Vocoder mode at which the control is carried out from played notes. This mode brings the advantage that one can get complicated melodies but with the disadvantage of less flexibly. This track is on midi channel 15 and we call it Arranged Vocalist Track (Arr.Vocal)
The Chordal mode, also called chord harmonization offers some more here. The control is carried out from played chords which the Vocalist gets over a midi output of the keyboard or midi player. The harmonies run the Vocalist through the song. The above-mentioned equipment even shows these chords on the display and one can read what is currently playing.
In this mode I can dial different programs: Programs (Voicing) in which whether I would like to have only the second voice or a second and a third voice, if the voices are above or under the original voice or one above and one under. Perhaps two voices above this and a third voice under. I also can cause a four-part harmony song if I would like.
As mentioned already, it is important that the harmonies are recognized faultlessly. To this there are a couple of tricks that we use in our midi files: This Vocalist track is always on the midi channel 16. With the foot switch (connection scheme) one can bypass the processing or not. The Bypass also can be included in the midi file. To this one needs a good Sequencer program and of course the computer.
After using vocalists several years i can assure that it will sound super if the device is adjusted correctly and my suggestions are taken into account.
Vocalists bought at Midi-Land are adjusted
and programmed so at the delivery that a smooth use of the equipment is ensured.
This connection scheme has proved itself in the practice. The microphone is plugged directly to mixer input, so the signal remains unaltered this way. The ouput of the Vocalisten shall not be connected to effect return but to two free channels. The advantage consists, that this signal still can in addition be provided with a reverberation effect and sound equalization and then can be mixed to the originally microphone signal. It is to take care that on that channels the effect regulator on which the signal is led to the Vocalisten stands on zero so that no feedback arises.