Vocal processor for recording & live - ideas?

[midwayfair]

My friend and bandmate just made me a really spectacular birthday present of his old Garageband loaded Mac. I offered to pay him for it but he won't let me. So really the best I can do is make him stuff.

He's not big into guitar effects, though he likes the delay I made him. But he and his wife have a duo that play around town, and she's mostly just vocals (fantastic vocalist, in fact). So the first thing that came to mind was a vocal processor of some sort that could be used either on a recording or just live.

I have an SSM2166 chip that I just haven't built into anything yet. That's a pretty classic vocal compressor, so that should take care of the compression and gate part. For reverb, I have an unpopulated Tenebrion, or I could come up with something on my own or maybe just do another Rub-a-Dub board.

I'm wondering what else is in my reach here. I could try to make a de-esser, but live microphones don't usually have a frequency range high enough to worry about that and it's better to use a plug-in on a recording. I could use the Six Shooter board for a vocal eq, but that might be a little more than they need, and maybe something like the Bliovator is better (you could pump up the bass and treble to get more of a close-mic sound). I could definitely build a good FET preamp but I'm not sure how useful that is when someone has a PA system.

Lastly, I could consider adding a couple genuine effects effects in there, like flanger, chorus, etc., but I'm really trying to keep this to just a few knobs and maybe a button or two so she can use it live.

So whuduyafolks think?

[jimilee]

I really like a compressor and a sonic maximize on vocals myself. Delay is also a favorite, not a long delay but an always on delay that gives depth.

[Parra]

I would go with the compressor, equalizer (maybe 3 bands to keep it simple), and a spin FV1 based multi effects (for chorus, delay, reverb, etc...)

[derevaun]

Maybe a reverb based around this FV-1 daughterboard:

http://www.experimentalnoize.com/components/skrm-c8-xxx-reverb-effects-module/

[midwayfair]

Before this gets out of hand ... DSP is not within my capabilities and I don't want to mess with surface mount. I know that limits what I can do.

I just picked up a stereo BOSS volume pedal from Joe Gagan; I could add an expression jack for a delay.

I just realized I have to figure out how to hook up the xlr as well.

[wgc]

A nice reliable xlr to 1/8" converter/direct box might be a good way to go so she can use her favorite mic for recording with smart phone, tablet, laptop, etc.

Falling that, a nice tube preamp might be very welcome.

[aballen]

Show about this?

compressor -> multiplex mini -> rub a dub

put the the delay on a momentary, I think that would be cool for vocals.

[hoodoo]

If you just, have to make, the vocal processor, disregard this advice, but, you could always build and sell a couple of those miniature works of art that you do so well Jon, and buy them a TC Helicon, Harmony Singer, very impressive bit of kit, all the best, Matt.

[RobA]

I think it would be really cool to do one of the classic channel strips from one of the great analog mixing consoles of the 60's/70's. I've seen some schematics online before but unfortunately I don't have a ready link.

[Willybomb]

The Little Angel chorus at minimum settings works nicely as a *very* subtle doubler.