This may be an annoying answer, but it depends. Some will say yes, and that the vocals are the star of the show, so they should sit right above others. Some say no, and that louder vocals will take away from the fullness of a track.
The main point is that there is no exact wrong or right answer, so if you want to mimic something that you heard was a good idea or think is an industry-standard for your style, go for it.
Let's talk about some reasons you may or may not want the vocals louder than your beat.
Some producers and audio engineers will swear by the process of making your drums the loudest, your vocals the second loudest, and all of the rest of the instruments to taste at varying levels under the vocals.
This is not a bad sound to go for at all, and it makes sense to many listeners.
This way allows your beat to give the fullness and shine, your vocals to melodically shine and not compete with the other instruments, and those other melodic instruments to be the atmospheric addition right behind the vocal.
An example in decibels would be to set your vocal peak level at -9db, kick drum peak level at -6db, snare Drum peak level at -7db, and all other instruments' peak levels lower than -8db in your compression settings.
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Other music professionals will say that you need to have your vocals at the forefront of your mix. These people likely believe the vocal is the most powerful part of the song and the element that needs to stand out to the listener.
Now, just because the vocals are louder does not mean they will stick out like a sore thumb. They will likely be only a few decibels louder than the other elements (as a whole), so it will still blend nicely if done well.
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There are other audio professionals that like to have their vocals and instruments right at the same levels, as long as everything can be heard well enough. This is a simple way to go about things that can also sound pretty sonically pleasing if done well.
This works especially well for songs with many different instruments going on that need all the elements to shine together equally. Songs like this do not have vocal lines that lead, but they often blend well and melt right into the other instruments.
The genre of music that you are mixing a song for will be a big factor in the way you want your mix to be made.
If you are making an EDM track, for example, you may want to go for a mix that has your vocals as loud as your instruments since you want the complexity of your instrumentation to shine as much as the singer.
If you are mixing a soft rock song, you may want your vocals to sit right above the rest of the instrumentation. If you are making an R&B song, you might want the bass and kick to hit the hardest, followed by the vocal, then the rest of your instrumentation.
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Again, there is no right or wrong answer, especially if you are making music more for fun or for a smaller audience and not planning to go viral or be on the radio.
There is a little bit of wiggle room when it comes to levels that you can play around with to your liking if you're mixing music.
You may develop a certain style of mixing that works best for you and normally gets you the best feedback from the artists you are working with and the audience that hears the final mix.
You may want to choose the vocal levels depending on the message or the mood of your song.
If for example, the singer is taking a soft, heartbroken approach in their performance, they may benefit from lower vocal levels than if they were going for an aggressive approach.
If you have a song that is slowly building a climactic point, you could have vocals that are slightly lower in the beginning, with levels that increase bit by bit as the song gets more intense.
Of course, this will all be within a small window of appropriate decibel settings and nothing too dramatic.
The most important thing is to have vocals and instrumentation that are clear enough to be heard. You don't want the listener struggling to make out the vocal part and being distracted in their listening experience.
You also don't want a listener who can barely hear the instrumentation and is trying their best to hear a more balanced beat that matches the vocal. If all your elements in the song are clearly heard, then your mix will be pleasing to the ear.
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The decision of whether vocals should be louder than the beat or vice versa ultimately depends on various factors such as personal preference, genre, the message of the song, and the desired overall sound.
There is no definitive right or wrong answer, as long as the vocals and instrumentation are clear and balanced in the mix. Experimentation and listening to reference tracks can help you determine the best approach for your specific project.
Remember, at the end of the day, it's about creating a sonic experience that resonates with both you as the creator and your intended audience.
As a session singer, writer, and producer that has worked with over 300 clients to provide high-quality jingles, singles, and features, Yona spends her time creating and marketing new music and helpful resources for creators. Check out Yona’s latest releases on her Spotify, her Youtube and share if you like it!
If you are in need of singer, songwriter or song producer services, see what Yona Marie can offer you on her services page.
