How to Achieve Psychedelic Rock Vocal Effects

How to Achieve Psychedelic Rock Vocal Effects – Vocal coach Mark Baxter breaks down the techniques you can use to get those iconic psychedelic rock vocal sounds.

Introduction

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It often uses new recording techniques and effects and incorporates elements of other genres such as experimental, electronic, India, and jazz.

Psychedelic rock reached the height of its popularity in the late 1960s, but it has since been revived in different forms. In this article, we’ll show you how to achieve some of the classic vocal effects used in psychedelic rock.

What You’ll Need

To create psychedelic rock vocals, you’ll need the following:
-An audio recording interface
-A microphone
-A computer & DAW software OR an analogue recorder
-An effects processor (optional)
-Headphones (optional)

With these tools, you’ll be able to record your vocals and experiment with different ways of processing them to create psychedelic vocal effects.

Basic Techniques

Psychedelic rock vocal effects can be achieved using a variety of techniques. One of the most common is using a vocoder. A vocoder is a device that is used to encode and decode audio signals. Other common techniques include using a talk box, using a filtered microphone, and using a delay unit.

Vibrato

Vibrato is a pulsating effect produced by quickly shaking the vocal cords. It can be used to add depth and feeling to a note, and is especially effective on long held notes. To produce vibrato, start by singing a sustained note. Next, quickly tighten the vocal cords while simultaneously relaxing them. This will cause the pitch of the note to rise and fall slightly. Try to keep the pitch variations as even as possible. Vibrato can also be produced by vibrating other parts of the body, such as the lips (brass instruments) or strings (guitar).

Yodeling

Yodeling is a form of vocalizing that involves rapidly changing between notes to produce a “yodeling” sound. This technique is often used in country music, but can also be heard in other genres such as rock and pop.

To yodel, start by inhaling deeply and then exhaling sharply to produce a “yodeling” sound. You can also try trilling your tongue or vibrating your vocal cords to create different effects. Experiment with different techniques and see what works best for you.

If you want to add a bit of pitch variation to your yodeling, try using vowel sounds instead of consonants. For example, you could use an “oo” sound instead of a “y” sound. You can also experiment with different tempo and rhythm to create different effects.

Yodeling is a great way to add interest to your singing and can be used for both solo vocalists and groups. With a little practice, you’ll be able to wow your audience with your yodeling skills!

Vibrato and Yodeling Combined

To get a truly psychedelic vocal sound, you need to combine techniques like vibrato and yodeling. This combination will give your vocals a wild, otherworldly quality that is perfect for creating an effective psychedelic experience.

Vibrato is achieved by rapidly repeating a note while simultaneously changing the pitch. This technique can be used to add interest and texture to your vocal performance. Yodeling is similar to vibrato, but instead of repeating a single note, you move up and down the scale while keeping the same pitch. This creates a “rolling” effect that can be very effective in creating an ethereal psychedelic vocal sound.

To combine these two techniques, simply start with a sustained note and then begin yodeling on top of it. As you move up and down the scale, vary the rate of the vibrato to create different effects. You can also experiment with altering the depth of the vibrato (how much the pitch changes) and using different vowel sounds to create different textures. Have fun and experiment until you find the perfect sound for your psychedelic masterpiece!

More Advanced Techniques

Now that you have explored some of the basic techniques for creating psychedelic rock vocal effects, let’s move on to some more advanced techniques. These techniques will require a bit more practice, but with some patience and persistence, you’ll be able to produce some truly trippy vocal sounds.

Vibrato and Yodeling Combined with other Effects

Yodeling is a fun and unique way to add vibrato to your voice. By rapid alternation between two pitches, you can create a cool warbling effect that is perfect for adding depth and interest to your vocals. To yodel, start by humming or singing a note in your normal range. Then, rapidly switch back and forth between that note and the note one octave above it. You can use your throat muscles to control the speed of the oscillation, so experiment until you find a yodeling speed that sounds good to you.

In addition to yodeling, there are other ways to add vibrato to your voice. One popular technique is called “vibrato on a vowel.” To do this, simply sing any vowel sound (“ah,” “oh,” “ee,” etc.) and hold it for as long as you can while slowly shaking your head side-to-side. This will create a subtle vibrato effect that can add interest and richness to your vocals.

Vibrato is just one of many vocal effects that you can use to enhance your singing. Other popular effects include echo, reverb, harmony, and delay. By combining these effects with vibrato, you can create unique psychedelic rock vocal sounds that will take your music to new sonic heights!

Singing Through a Rotary Speaker

One of the most popular effects used by psychedelic and classic rock vocalists alike is the rotary speaker effect. This effect is created by a device called a Leslie speaker, which contains a rotating horn and a bass speaker. The Leslie speaker was originally designed to be used with organs, but many guitarists and singers have discovered that it can also be used to create some very unique and interesting vocal sounds.

To use a Leslie speaker to create rotary speaker effects, you will need to place the microphone in front of the rotating horn. You can then control the speed of the rotation with a foot pedal, which is usually located on the floor near the Leslie speaker. As you increase the speed of the rotation, you will notice that the sound of your voice will begin to change. At slow speeds, the effect is relatively subtle, but as you increase the speed, the effect will become more pronounced.

One thing to keep in mind when using a Leslie speaker for vocals is that the effect is most noticeable when there is some space between you and the microphone. If you are too close to the microphone, you may find that the effect is not as pronounced as you would like it to be. You may also want to experiment with different positions for the microphone in order to find what sounds best for your particular voice and style of singing.

Conclusion

To get the most out of psychedelic rock vocals, you’ll need to experiment with a variety of effects and techniques. There’s no one right way to do it, so feel free to experiment until you find the sound that works for you. With a little patience and practice, you’ll be creating mind-bending vocal sounds in no time.