Logic Pro's stock plugins are good enough for release-quality vocals. The Compressor alone models several classic hardware styles, which makes the two-stage compression most engineers use easy to build. Here's a complete chain in the order that works (why: vocal chain order explained).
- Pitch Correction (or Flex Pitch for manual edits) first
- Channel EQ for the high-pass and mud cuts
- Compressor: Vintage FET for peaks, then Vintage Opto for levelling
- DeEsser 2 for sibilance
- Delay and reverb on bus sends; save it all as a channel strip setting
The stock Logic Pro vocal chain
| # | Plugin | Job |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pitch Correction | Set key and scale. Fast response for a hard effect, slower for natural. Use Flex Pitch for note-by-note fixes. |
| 2 | Channel EQ | High-pass 80–100 Hz, cut mud 200–400 Hz |
| 3 | Compressor (Vintage FET) | 1176-style peak control, 3–5 dB |
| 4 | Compressor (Vintage Opto) | LA-2A-style smooth levelling, 2–3 dB |
| 5 | DeEsser 2 | Sibilance, usually 5–10 kHz |
| 6 | ChromaGlow or Phat FX | Saturation for presence and grit (ChromaGlow arrived in Logic Pro 11) |
| 7 | Channel EQ | Broad presence boost and air shelf |
Numbers to start from: vocal EQ cheat sheet and vocal compression settings.
Delay and reverb on sends
Click a Send slot on the vocal channel and choose a new bus. Logic creates an aux; put Tape Delay or Stereo Delay on one and ChromaVerb or Space Designer on another, both 100% wet. Send doubles and adlibs to the same auxes so the vocals share one space. Settings: vocal delay settings and vocal reverb settings.
Group the vocals
Select the lead, doubles and adlib tracks and create a Summing Stack. The stack's main track becomes a vocal bus: a light compressor there (1–2 dB) glues everything and gives you one fader for the whole vocal.
Save your chain
- Channel strip setting: click the Setting button at the top of the channel strip → Save Channel Strip Setting As.
- Patch: in the Library, save as a Patch to include sends and aux effects as well.
Using Waves chains in Logic
Waves plugins load in Logic as Audio Units. Insert StudioVerse Audio Effects (Audio FX slot → Audio Units → Waves) and load the .xps preset. The whole chain runs in one slot, and you can still add stock plugins around it. Details in StudioVerse and StudioRack explained.
FAQ
What's the best compressor in Logic for vocals?
The stock Compressor. Vintage FET for fast, aggressive peak control, Vintage Opto for smooth levelling. Using both in a row is a classic move.
Pitch Correction or Flex Pitch?
Pitch Correction works in real time across the whole take. Flex Pitch lets you edit note by note. Many people use both.
Can I mix rap vocals in Logic with stock plugins?
Yes. Follow how to mix rap vocals with the chain above.
