Goal
Make every track clean, in time, and in tune before any sound decision. Editing removes what shouldn't be there (noises, clicks, excessive breaths, bleed) and corrects what is out of place (timing, pitch, phase), so that EQ and compression work on the music and not on the flaws.
Step-by-Step Procedure
1. Cleaning the Clips
- Cut the silences between phrases (vocals, guitars, horns) or lower them with clip gain of −10/−20 dB: chair noises, hiss, leaking headphones.
- Fades of 5–10 ms at the start and end of each clip; crossfades of 10–30 ms on internal cuts (longer on sustained sounds).
- Remove clicks, pops, and mouth noises with editing or with de-click (see "Noise Reduction and Audio Restoration").
- Breaths: lower them by 6–12 dB, don't remove them all; those before strong phrases add energy.
2. Timing
- Played drums: align the main hits (kick, snare) to the grid or to a human reference; quantize at 50–80% to preserve the groove. Work on all the drum tracks together (group edit) so as not to create phase problems between the microphones.
- Bass: align the note attacks with the kick where they play together.
- Double vocals and choirs: align the start and end of words with the lead vocal (VocAlign, Synchro Arts Revoice, or manual editing); the final consonants (s, t, k) of the doubles should be shortened or lowered to avoid multiple "hits."
- Samples and loops: cut exactly on the transient, with tempo and swing consistent with the project.
3. Pitch
- Lead vocal correction with Melodyne, Auto-Tune, or NewTone (FL Studio): centered notes, natural vibrato and glissandi preserved (see "Auto-Tune and Melodyne").
- Choirs and doubles tuned to the lead vocal, not just to the scale.
- Kick, 808, and tom samples tuned to the key of the song (Pitcher, NewTone, or the sampler).
4. Phase and Polarity
- Multi-mic setups (drums, guitars, bass DI + amp): polarity and alignment before any EQ (see "Phase Alignment and Polarity").
- Layered samples: first half-waves in the same direction.
5. Take Selection and Comping
- If there are multiple takes, build the best track (comp) phrase by phrase; keep the alternatives muted.
- Remove parts the arrangement doesn't use: fewer tracks means less mud.
6. Consolidation
- Print (consolidate) the edited tracks into new continuous clips from the start of the song: the session becomes lighter and the edits don't shift by mistake.
Target Values
| Check | Value |
|---|---|
| Clip fades | 5–10 ms; crossfade 10–30 ms |
| Breaths | −6/−12 dB relative to the vocal |
| Silences between phrases | Noise below −60 dBFS |
| Quantization of played parts | 50–80% |
| Timing offset of doubles | Within 10–20 ms on word attacks |
| Vocal pitch | Notes within ±10–15 cents of center where there is no intended expressiveness |
| Level difference between 808/bass notes | Within 2–3 dB |
Common Mistakes
- Quantizing played drums and bass at 100%: stiff groove.
- Editing just one drum microphone: phase cancellations between the microphones.
- Pitch correction that is too fast on non-stylistic vocals: unintended robotic effect.
- Removing every breath and noise: artificial-sounding voice.
- Leaving the final consonants of the doubles unaligned: multiple "s" and "t" sounds the de-esser can't control.
Starting settings
| Parameter | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fade | 5–10 ms, crossfade 10–30 ms | No clicks. |
| Breaths | −6/−12 dB | Natural, not intrusive. |
| Quantization | 50–80% | Precision with groove. |
| Doubles | Aligned within 10–20 ms, final consonants reduced | Vocal cohesion. |
| Pitch | ±10–15 cents where there is no expressiveness | Clean vocal. |
| Consolidation | Continuous clips from the start | Stable session. |
Frequencies to watch
| Range | What to do |
|---|---|
| 80–150 Hz | Plosives and mic bumps: HP on the syllable or clip gain. |
| 5–9 kHz | Unaligned final consonants of the doubles: they add up like multiple sibilants. |
| Full band | Editing clicks: 5–10 ms fades. |
Example chain
| Step | Tool | Settings | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanup | Playlist / Edison | Cuts, fades, clip gain | Silences and clicks. |
| Restoration | Edison / iZotope RX | De-noise, de-click | Residual noises. |
| Timing | Playlist, slicing, VocAlign | Quantization 50–80% | Precise groove. |
| Pitch | NewTone / Melodyne / Auto-Tune | Natural correction | In-tune vocals. |
| Phase | Alignment and polarity | Before EQ | Full sum. |
| Consolidation | Export or Consolidate | Continuous clips | Foundation for the mix. |
How to check the result
- Noise level in the pauses of recorded vocals and instruments below −60 dBFS.
- No audible click at the start and end of clips (listening while zoomed in on the cut points).
- Peak and RMS of the consolidated vocal: phrases within ±3 dB of each other before compression.
- 808/bass: level difference between notes within 2–3 dB; no note with a fundamental out of key.
- Sum of the drum microphones after group editing: Sub and Bass bands no lower than before editing.