UAD Spotlight: How to Dial in a Pro Vocal Chain - Pt.1

Take your vocal mixes to the next level with expert signal chains, insider tips, and plug-in picks from Universal Audio's Drew Mazurek. In this UAD Spotlight episode, Drew walks you through two complete vocal insert chains tailored for very different styles — one powerful and aggressive, the other airy and intimate. Get hands-on with classic UA plug-ins like the 1176, Fairchild 670, LA-2A, Studer A800, Neve 1084, and Pultec EQs, plus 3rd-party favorites like Melodyne and Soothe. Learn how to treat dynamics, control harshness, and “park” a vocal with precision — all while shaping tone with vintage vibe and modern control. 00:00 - Intro 00:41 - Tuning Your Vocals with Melodyne 02:34 - Previewing the Vocal 03:05 - Taming the Vocal with Soothe 2 03:49 - Beefing up the Vocal with Studer A800 04:34 - Softening the Vocal with Oxford EQ 05:22 - EQ and Compression Chain 07:37 - A/B Comparison 08:45 - New Vocal Example 09:35 - New Vocal Chain Explanation 11:56 - A/B Comparison 12:35 - New Vocal Chain (Cleaner) 13:47 - New Vocal Chain Explanation 14:15 - Outro Song 1 artist: Cara Francese (@carafrancese on IG) Song 2 artist: Ryan Wright (@ryanwrightmusic on IG) Plug-ins shown: Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder https://www.uaudio.com/products/studer-a800-tape-recorder Sonnox Oxford Dynamic EQ https://www.uaudio.com/products/sonnox-oxford-dynamic-eq Neve 1084 Preamp & EQ https://www.uaudio.com/products/neve-1084-preamp-eq Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection https://www.uaudio.com/products/fairchild-tube-limiter-collection Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor Compressor https://www.uaudio.com/products/empirical-labs-el8-distressor-compressor Precision De-Esser https://www.uaudio.com/products/precision-de-esser Pultec Passive EQ Collection https://www.uaudio.com/products/pultec-passive-eq-collection UA 175B & 176 Tube Compressor Collection https://www.uaudio.com/products/ua-tube-compressor-collection API Vision Channel Strip Collection https://www.uaudio.com/products/api-vision-channel-strip-collection UA Social Links → Learn more about Universal Audio: https://www.uaudio.com → Subscribe to UA’s YouTube Channel: https://m.youtube.com/user/UniversalAudio → Follow @uaudio on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uaudio → Check out @u.audio on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@u.audio → Find @uaudio on X: https://x.com/UAudio → Like Universal Audio on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/universalaudioinc