: Use heavy compression with a ratio of approximately 15:1 , a fast attack, and a medium release to keep the vocals consistently front-and-center. A second stage of light compression (like an LA-2A style) is often used for "glue".
Set the frequency to target between . Aim to reduce only the harsh peaks without dulling the vocal's natural brightness.
| | Price | Required Plugins | Best For | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Rap Vocal Preset (Stock Plugins) | $39.95 | None (FL Studio stock only) | Producers wanting a clean, mix-ready sound with no extra purchases | | J. Cole Type Vocal Chain | £9.99 | Manny Marroquin EQ, CLA-76, CLA-2A, H-Delay, L2 Ultramaximizer, OVox, RCompressor, RVox, TrueVerb, Waves Tune Real-Time | Users already owning these Waves plugins | j cole vocal preset fl studio
His engineer, Juro "Mez" Davis, who has worked with Cole for over 13 years, emphasizes this approach. On their breakthrough album 2014 Forest Hills Drive , Mez says they were "more certain on the sound we wanted. We were more seasoned and conscious of what we wanted out of every song."
Clean up mud by applying a steep high-pass filter around 80Hz to 100Hz. : Use heavy compression with a ratio of
Pitcher . Set it to a slow response speed (100-200ms) to act only as a safety net. Alternative: Waves Tune Real-Time . Step 2: Surgical EQ Plugin: Fruity Parametric EQ 2 . Action: High Pass Filter: Cut everything below to remove rumble. Low-Mid Cut: Aggressively cut around (-3dB to -5dB) to reduce "mud" and make room for the 808. High Shelf: Gently boost above Step 3: Compression (The "Cole" Glue)
Here’s how to implement this chain in FL Studio: Aim to reduce only the harsh peaks without
: Boost frequencies between 3kHz and 5kHz to enhance articulation and help the voice cut through the beat.