Tune the low end of your mix for incredible detail and punch.
For many top mix engineers, the Little Labs Voice Of God is the ultimate bass resonance tool. This unique 500 series module allows you to intuitively shape the all-important low frequencies of your mix, as well as add depth and "oomph" to vocals and other sources.
Authenticated by Little Labs, the Voice Of God Bass Resonance plug-in for UAD-2 hardware and Apollo interfaces perfectly models this unique processor, making it a go-to tool in the hands of multi-Platinum mixers like Joe Zook (Katy Perry, The Hives) and Joe Chiccarelli (Beck, The Killers).
- Easily add size and weight to any source
- Make your mixes' low-end leaner, tighter, and punchier
- Craft bass frequencies on drums, bass, and more, far beyond simple EQing
- Add chest resonance and "heft" to vocals
History
Little Labs has a knack for creating problem-solving tools for the studio that perform equally well as creative coloration effects and tone-boxes. The original collaboration between UA and Little Labs saw the release of the UAD Little Labs IBP plug-in — widely recognized as one of the most versatile phase correction plug-ins available today. Continued collaboration between Universal Audio and Little Labs now provides another instant studio classic, the VOG.
Upon its introduction in 2009, owners of the hardware VOG quickly realized multiple units are a must have — one for bass, kick drum, toms, low frequency percussion, and especially vocals. Fortunately, with the Little Labs VOG plug-in for the UAD-2, producers and engineers can have as many instances as they need to make "the low end" come to life.
Operational Overview
Two simple knobs allow you to dial in the VOG's desired frequency and effect amplitude. The center of the sweepable frequency range is selected via two push-buttons of 40 Hz and 100 Hz, or you can set the center to 200 Hz by pressing both buttons simultaneously. Everything below the targeted frequency peak is rolled off in a smooth curve — up to -24 dB per octave — ensuring that the low end is always tight and out of the mud, while the frequencies above remain intact. The higher the amplitude of the peak resonance frequency, the more you cut off the mud below, effectively performing two functions at once. A dedicated "flat" button allows you to quickly audition A/B comparisons.
In Use
The VOG is intended for mixing, mastering, post-production sweetening, sound design, and audio restoration. Use it to easily simulate proximity effect for adding chest resonance and "heft" to vocals. Simple adjustments will also yield enormous sounding drums just like tweaking the tension of a drumhead. Or, completely transform the tonal characteristics of electric bass tracks — for example, go from a solid body sound to a chambered body sound in seconds. The VOG's flexibility makes it the right choice on a wide range of musical sources; it's the perfect way to tune the low end of any mix for incredible detail and punch.
Stereo Functionality
Unlike the original hardware (which is monophonic), the plug-in enables stereo use with one control set, providing perfectly matched stereo response. When the plug-in is used in mono-in/stereo-out and stereo-in/stereo-out configurations, the controls affect both the left and right signals.
Little Labs VOG Controls
Amplitude
Amplitude adjusts the amount of the effect. Increasing the control boosts the gain of the frequencies determined by the Frequency and Center controls.
Note: The control values for Amplitude, which range from 0 - 10, are arbitrary and do not reflect a particular dB value.
Frequency
This control adjusts the target frequency of the effect. Frequencies above the current setting are boosted by the amount set with the Amplitude control. Frequencies below the current setting are attenuated by -24 dB per octave.
The available frequency range is determined by the Center button settings, and are shown in the Center Switch Frequency Values chart below.
Like the original hardware, increasing the Frequency value (rotating clockwise) actually lowers the target frequency ("increases the low end"). Changes to this setting are heard only if Amplitude is set above zero.
Note: The control values for Frequency, which range from 0 - 10, are arbitrary and do not reflect a particular frequency value.
Center
The two Center switches define the active center frequency of the effect, which in turn determines the available frequency range. The four available center frequencies, and resulting frequency ranges, are shown below.
A switch is ON when its LED is red. A green LED indicates the switch is OFF.
Frequency Settings by LED Status
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40Hz Mode (Standard Low)
LEDs: "40" is Green | "100" is Green
Frequency Range: 18 – 60 Hz
Use for sub bass, 808s, and huge kicks
-
42Hz Mode (Adjusted Low)
LEDs: "40" is Red | "100" is Green
Frequency Range: 20 – 62 Hz
Use to tighten subs and beef up metal kicks
-
100Hz Mode (Mid Range)
LEDs: "40" is Green | "100" is Red
Frequency Range: 50 – 180 Hz
Use for bass guitar punch, heft for radio-style vocals, and to thicken toms
-
200Hz Mode (High Range)
LEDs: "40" is Red | "100" is Red
Frequency Range: 100 – 305 Hz
Use to add snare drum body and to thin out mud in acoustic sources
Flat
The EQ circuitry is bypassed when Flat is enabled (red LED); the circuit is active when Flat is disabled (green LED). When Flat is on, the dry signal path of the hardware is still being modeled and DSP is used. For true bypass, use the Power switch.
Power
Power is the plug-in bypass control. When set to OFF, emulation processing is disabled, the LEDs are dimmed, and DSP usage is reduced (if UAD-2 DSP LoadLock is disabled). Power is useful for comparing the processed settings to the original signal.
VOG Tips and Tricks
Use these tips and tricks with Little Labs' VOG to assist your mixes.
Kick Drums
One popular use for the VOG is to fill out the sound, making thin, "clicky" kick drums sound massive.
Tuning trick: Sweep the Frequency knob until the kick "locks in" with the song's key.
Layering: If you have a kick that has great "beater" but no "thump," set VOG to the 40Hz setting. Boost the amplitude until you feel the sub, then sweep the frequency to find the fundamental of the drum.
Bass Guitar
Focused lows: Use the 100Hz setting to add "chest" to a bass guitar that sounds too thin or DI-like.
Frequency accentuation: Because the resonance is so sharp (high Q), it can sometimes make one specific note (like a low G) much louder than the others. Use a light compressor after the VOG to even out the performance if one note starts blooming too much.
Vocals
The VOG was originally designed for voice-overs to simulate the proximity effect (the bass boost you get when standing very close to a ribbon mic).
Chest effect: Use the 100Hz or 200Hz (both buttons in) settings. This adds weight or authority to thin voices without making the vocal sound tubby or muffled in the low mids. This setting is also great for fixing vocals recorded with a high-pass filter engaged on the mic that now sound too "wispy."
Synthesizers and 808s
808 definition: If an 808 is felt but not heard, or vice versa, use the VOG to shift its energy.
Synth punch: Use the VOG on on low-frequency synth parts to give them the aggressive, percussive "push" found in classic new-wave tracks. This helps the synth poke through a dense mix.
Mixing and workflow tips
"Search & Destroy": Turn the Amplitude up to 10 (max) and sweep the Frequency until you hear the most resonant, "annoying" or "huge" point. Once you find that frequency, back the Amplitude down to a musical level (usually 3-6).
Phase alignment: If you are using the VOG on a kick out or sub mic, be careful of phase. Since it's a filter, it introduces a slight phase shift at the cutoff point. Always check the phase relationship with your overheads or "Kick In" mic after processing.
Audition flat: Use the Flat button frequently. It leaves the circuitry in but flattens the curve, allowing you to hear exactly how much "artificial" low end you’ve added compared to the original source.
The Little Labs VOG hardware unit
v260120