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Smule Effects Translation to real world FX doc attached

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jimventresco

Hi, new here, hope this is the right place to post this.  I have been playing with effects for a while in my home studio and got pretty frustrated by the naming of effects in Smule, so took some time this morning to come up with my best guess of what the smule effects approximate in a real world effects module along with the description of what the controls do.  I hope its useful to some.  

Smule Effects Translation to the Real World.jpg

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sdr
25 minutes ago, jimventresco said:

what the smule effects approximate in a real world effects module along with the description of what the controls do

Great job👍

Kudos to you for  finding it out and posting here. The musical terms that you used are difficult but it is a good starting point for people like me with no idea at all.

Thank you😁

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jimventresco

For people not knowing what the effects do, they could audition all the effects by opening anything, then choosing the mic icon and clicking on the little edit button on the effect, then adjust the controls using the sheet and get used to what effects names are and train their ears to learn what the effect sounds like.  Then after some time, when listening to their favorite artists, they should be able to pick out what effect is being used and then apply it to a song they are opening.  The sheet is also a good cheat sheet for people who have used effect pedals on guitars etc, then they would understand and make the translation to the smule name without doing all the auditioning.  😀

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Isa_Bella

Thanks so much for posting this... wow with the time and effort to research is unbelievable.. HATS UP to you... I have created 7 styles to use when I do my OC's  and choose what style suits to the song.    The effects that I used are Punchy, Dry and Super Studio. I am not a fan of Echo, Punchy and Dry are the best for this.  Thanks Again 🙏🙏🙏

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jimventresco

Thanks it only took about an hour or two 😀, echo is not a good choice since the echo repeat time is fixed in smule effects, therefore it does not typically fall on the beat, which makes your OC's sound unprofessional.  This seems to hold true for any of the smule effects that have some kind of echo (aka) delay in them. Thanks for letting me know which ones you use often as I am new here. Just in case anyone new here does _not_ adjust the microphone audio settings, always turn down the reverb on both settings to about 1/3.  It sounds so much better in the mix.  Also the volume needs to go down just a little.  Play with these while listening to your track, until it sounds somewhat like the original artist.  

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Isa_Bella
1 hour ago, jimventresco said:

Thanks it only took about an hour or two 😀, echo is not a good choice since the echo repeat time is fixed in smule effects, therefore it does not typically fall on the beat, which makes your OC's sound unprofessional.  This seems to hold true for any of the smule effects that have some kind of echo (aka) delay in them. Thanks for letting me know which ones you use often as I am new here. Just in case anyone new here does _not_ adjust the microphone audio settings, always turn down the reverb on both settings to about 1/3.  It sounds so much better in the mix.  Also the volume needs to go down just a little.  Play with these while listening to your track, until it sounds somewhat like the original artist.  

If I use the Punchy, I normally set to FX Character 40%... FX Amount 30%.. 

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jimventresco

That sounds about right (to me at least).  I usually pass by the OCs that are above 50% drenched in reverb blocking out the instrumentals, and forcing the volume down on the tune. 

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sdr
3 hours ago, jimventresco said:

the reverb on both settings to about 1/3.  It sounds so much better in the mix.  Also the volume needs to go down just a little

This is exactly what I do for all songs! Super Studio with both settings at 30% and mic volume below 50%. Haven't tried any other setting. With your cheat sheet, I am ready to experiment.👍😁

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  • 5 months later...
Arabhorselover

Thank you so much for doing this.  I see it's been a while.  They have added a "None".  Wondering if that means just me and the music with no special effects added?  I like to sound like myself with no "cheating".

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jimventresco

I think you are right on the none. I made this chart up as it wish they had labelled the effects as they are in the real world and also the adjustment knobs.  Oh well.  Delay Effect = Canyon... DUH.   DUh   duh   duh ..du  d... d.. d 

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Arabhorselover

It does make it hard to figure out what is what.  Also, why wouldn't they have an explanation someplace of what all of these things do/mean?

I see you are in Wisconsin.  I'm not too far away.

 

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jimventresco

Greetings fellow midwesterner, I am from Chicago now in Milwaukee, much more manageable. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
TheMajesticM
On 2/21/2022 at 6:05 PM, jimventresco said:

I usually pass by the OCs that are above 50% drenched in reverb

I am right with you. I do not like a lot of reverb. 

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TheMajesticM
On 8/2/2022 at 8:31 PM, Arabhorselover said:

They have added a "None".  Wondering if that means just me and the music with no special effects added?  I like to sound like myself with no "cheating".

I haven’t tried the none yet but I am going to. I noticed it today. 
 

Speaking of “cheating,” when I told someone I sang on Smule they laughed and told me the singers were all fake singers because of the reverb and that was years ago. 😂 Ever since I think of that comment when I post a song to my other social media circles. I feel almost dishonest when I use the small amount of reverb that I use at times. 

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Arabhorselover

I've been using "None".  I don't want a bunch of effects added to my singing.  I want to sound like myself, and when someone hears me sing in person versus on Smule I don't want them to say I don't sound nearly as good.

Very happy that they added "None".

 

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sdr
16 hours ago, TheMajesticM said:

they laughed and told me the singers were all fake singers because of the reverb

I think that is nothing to laugh about. Almost everyone sounds better with good sound equipment and quality recording. That's why people opt for recording studios! And if smule provides an equivalent solution it is something to be thankful for. 

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opentype

I would only consider something like auto-tune “fake”, where someone who possibly can’t even carry a tune will sound like an experienced singer through purely artificial means. 

But just adding audio filters (like reverb, gate, compressor, equalizer and so on) to the voice is standard practise for music productions, whether it’s a live performance or a professional studio recording. It’s how we are used to hear music. When the original songs have these filters, why should our karaoke versions not use them? 
(Of course there is always the possibility to overdo it, but that is another story.)

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TheMajesticM
4 hours ago, opentype said:

But just adding audio filters (like reverb, gate, compressor, equalizer and so on) to the voice is standard practise for music productions, whether it’s a live performance or a professional studio recording. It’s how we are used to hear music. When the original songs have these filters, why should our karaoke versions not use them? 

I did not know that! 

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TheMajesticM
5 hours ago, sdr said:

I think that is nothing to laugh about. Almost everyone sounds better with good sound equipment and quality recording. That's why people opt for recording studios! And if smule provides an equivalent solution it is something to be thankful for. 

I didn’t think it was too funny myself since I was the one singing but I laughed. I didn’t know what to say.

I honestly, until this thread today, did not know artists that we see live use the effects. I figured so with their recorded work but not live. Learned something new. 

Maybe I am not that bad of a singer after all. Not bragging but I sound decent with a little reverb. 

Edited by TheMajesticM
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Arabhorselover
16 hours ago, TheMajesticM said:

I didn’t think it was too funny myself since I was the one singing but I laughed. I didn’t know what to say.

I honestly, until this thread today, did not know artists that we see live use the effects. I figured so with their recorded work but not live. Learned something new. 

Maybe I am not that bad of a singer after all. Not bragging but I sound decent with a little reverb. 

Who are you on Smule?  I will listen to something of yours.

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TheMajesticM
4 hours ago, Arabhorselover said:

Who are you on Smule?  I will listen to something of yours.

M is for Mystery 😉 

When I get time I’ll check you out 😃👍🏼

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Arabhorselover
1 hour ago, TheMajesticM said:

M is for Mystery 😉 

When I get time I’ll check you out 😃👍🏼

Wonderful.  I would appreciate it as I'm just trying to get started.

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TheMajesticM
22 hours ago, Arabhorselover said:

Wonderful.  I would appreciate it as I'm just trying to get started.

I looked at the profile of the ID you have listed on here and that account has been on the app eight years so I don’t know. I tried 
 

 

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