#Top10 Isolated Vocal Tracks

#Top10 Isolated Vocal Tracks

There's also nothing quite like getting to hear a vocal take in isolation, where all the distinct idiosyncrasies are right on the surface. Here are our #Top10 isolated vocal tracks.

Aug 16, 2017 by Evan Feist
#Top10 Isolated Vocal Tracks
There are simply so many things you can do to sweeten, distort, and manipulate a vocal track in the studio.

There's also nothing quite like getting to hear a vocal take in isolation, where all the distinct idiosyncrasies are right on the surface.

Here are our #Top10 Isolated Vocal Tracks!


10. System of Down's "Chop Suey"
Vocals in at 0:48 seconds

How does Serj Tankien sing/scream like that without hurting his voice?

The answer is intense classical vocal technique training that has led him to more than a few professional opera gigs!

9. Ariana Grande's "Dangerous Woman"


There's something really charming and disarming about Ariana slightly pacing and seemingly singing to herself as if she's waiting for a bus (or another take).

Don't miss her "guitar" solo around 2:15.

8. Heart's "Alone"


Ann Wilson's vocal onsets are so interesting in this song, and you cannot beat this powerhouse performance!

7. Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"


As the story goes, Kurt Cobain's vocal doubles were performed with such precision that it presented phasing and chorusing issues.  

That's a level of perfection we rarely see in the age of Melodyne.

6. Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City"

Vocals in at 0:15 seconds


Make sure to catch the vocal synth doubling on the post-chorus tag; we love getting to hear all the little intricacies of Stevie's rhythms unobstructed!

5. Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"


The undisputed "King of Pop" has a timbre and style all his own, and it's the rhythmic interjections surrounding the verses that we want to feature. There's nothing quite like Michael's vocally percussive stabs as a kind of punctuation.

4. Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now"


Freddie Freakin' Mercury, amiright?! If this is a style and timbre you'd like to emulate, Marc Martel can help you with that!

3. Merry Clayton on The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter"


One must not look further than the documentary "20 Feet From Stardom" to hear the story of this impromptu 2 AM recording session (Clayton was reportedly pregnant at the time) that became one of the most infamous moments in Rock and Roll history.

2. The Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Nice"


With such revolutionary harmony writing, orchestration, and studio production, it's hard to remember that all of this was released before the age of "pitch correction."

1. The Beatles' "Abbey Road Medley"


"Because" alone earns the Fab Four our No. 1 slot but add in the rest of the B-side of Abbey Road? Please. 

Also well versed in the art of over-dubbing, the harmonies at the top of "You Never Give Me Your Money" is actually all Paul.

Honorable Mentions:

Sia's "Elastic Heart"


This might level the playing field a bit in trying to decipher what the heck she's saying!

Linking Park's "Numb"


The various timbres Chester Bennington musters are both diverse and awesome.

Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive"


This track was bounced "post-fader," and therefore all the wild effects are on it. Sounds pretty cool.

Jackson 5's "ABC"


He's the King of Pop, so he's allowed to appear on this list twice! Also, we think it's fair to say that this is both a different era and a completely different performer.

What's your favorite?
Who did we leave out?


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