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The Weeknd Vocal Chain: How Jaycen Joshua Processes Vocals
If you’ve been watching Pensado’s Place lately, you may have caught the episode where Jaycen Joshua walked through the vocal chain he used on “The Reminder” remix featuring The Weeknd. I got into the weeds on it, put the chain together myself, and learned a few things along the way, so I figured I’d break it all down for you here.
Step 1: High-Pass Filter
The chain starts simple: a high-pass filter to cut out low-end rumble. Depending on the vocal, you’re looking somewhere between 48 and 100 Hz. On this particular vocal, which was recorded cleanly, there wasn’t much down there, but it’s always worth cleaning up any air conditioning noise or mic handling rumble before going further.
Step 2: Waves Rvox
Next up is the Waves Rvox. I typically bring the threshold down to around the 6 o’clock position and pull the gain back to match, keeping the level consistent. You’re looking at around 3 to 4 dB of compression here, nothing extreme. Since this vocal was well-recorded, it didn’t need heavy lifting.
Step 3: Low-Shelf EQ (The Cool Part)
This was the tip I found most useful. Instead of reaching for a bell curve to knock out proximity effect buildup around 250 to 500 Hz, Jaycen uses a low shelf, rolling things off from around 300 to 400 Hz. It’s a subtler, cleaner way to clear out that low-end muddiness that can make vocals feel thick and unclear. Once you hear it, you can’t unhear how much cleaner the bottom of a vocal gets with a shelf versus a bell.
Step 4: Multiband Compression
Every vocal chain I run includes a multiband comp. The key band I’m working is 2 to 5 kHz, which is where a lot of harshness lives. I’ll also use it to get some de-essing done in the high end, and if the low end still needs taming, I can address that here too. One trick worth knowing: you can also boost a low-end band and compress it, which lets you retain warmth and fullness while keeping the low end from getting out of hand.
Jaycen mentioned using a multiband but didn’t go into specifics, so the above is just how I apply it to my own chains.
Step 5: Air EQ
The AIR EQ comes in here for some top-end air and sheen. A gentle boost up top opens the vocal up nicely. It also has some great presets, like Vocal Bounce and Vocal Correction, that give you a solid starting point if you need more presence or need to tame a specific frequency range.
Step 6: Parallel Compression
Jaycen mentioned that he always parallel compresses his vocals, and this is a big deal on modern pop and hip-hop records. In Studio One, I use the Splitter to send the vocal to two paths: the main chain and a parallel chain running through a UAD 1176 (Blue Face) and a limiter. I set the parallel path at +6 dB to compensate for the level drop that happens when you split. The result is that blend of punch and presence that makes lead vocals jump out of a mix.
If you’re not on Studio One, you can accomplish the same thing with a duplicate track.
Reverb and Delay
Once the chain is set, it’s time for space. One tip I’ve been using a lot lately: if you want a big reverb but don’t want the vocal to disappear into it, give your reverb a healthy pre-delay. That pre-delay preserves the dry vocal transient so the reverb feels big without washing everything out. Seventh Heaven has been a go-to for this lately.
Whether you’re trying to get a Weeknd-style vocal sound or just looking for a new starting point for your vocal chain, this framework covers all the bases. And if you need your song mixed or mastered, head over to MixAndMasterMySong.com.