When you only have a stereo instrumental, it can be tricky to shape it around the vocals. Here’s how to make it work: 🔎 1. Mid-Side EQ Magic: - Use a mid-side EQ plugin (e.g., FabFilter Pro-Q, Ozone EQ). - Cut some mids (around 1-4 kHz) in the center to create space for the vocals, while leaving the sides untouched. This keeps the stereo width intact but makes room in the vocal’s frequency range. - You can also boost the low-mids or highs on the sides to enhance the instrumental’s width without clashing with the vocals. 🎚️ 2. Dynamic EQ or Multiband Compression: - Use a dynamic EQ or multiband compressor to tame clashing frequencies when the vocals hit. - Example: If the vocals feel buried, apply multiband compression to subtly reduce the instrumental’s midrange (around 2-5 kHz) only when the vocals are present. 🎤 3. Subtle Ducking with Sidechain: - Use a gentle sidechain compression on the instrumental, triggered by the vocal. - This makes the instrumental subtly dip in volume when the vocals are present, keeping the vocal upfront without noticeably affecting the instrumental’s energy. ✅ Pro Tip: If the instrumental feels flat, add parallel saturation or harmonic exciters to bring it to life without overpowering the vocals. Hope this helps!