What is a DeEsser?

What is a DeEsser? – Have you ever listened to a song where the singer’s “s” sounds seem to pierce your ears? That’s sibilance, and it’s a common culprit behind harsh-sounding vocals. But fear not, audio wizards! There’s a tool specifically designed to combat this issue: the de-sser.

What is a De-Esser? - Have you ever listened to a song where the singer's "s" sounds seem to pierce your ears? That's sibilance, and it's a common culprit behind harsh-sounding vocals. But fear not, audio wizards! There's a tool specifically designed to combat this issue: the de-esser.

RECORD, MIX AND MASTER – A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO AUDIO PRODUCTION. BUY NOW!

Imagine a compressor, but instead of affecting the entire audio spectrum, it targets a specific frequency range. That’s essentially what a de-esser does. Sibilance resides in the high frequencies, typically between 4 kHz and 10 kHz depending on the voice. A de-esser listens for these frequencies and turns them down only when they exceed a certain threshold.

When to Unleash the De-Esser

Not every vocal recording needs de-essing. It really depends on the severity of the sibilance. Here are some signs that a de-esser might be your friend:

The “s,” “sh,” “f,” and “ch” sounds are noticeably harsh and fatiguing to listen to.
Sibilant sounds seem to stand out more than the rest of the vocals.
You’ve tried EQing to reduce the harshness, but it’s affecting the overall brightness of the vocals too much.

How to Use a De-Esser

De-essers typically have a few controls:

Threshold: This sets the level at which the de-esser starts to attenuate the signal.
Frequency: This allows you to dial in the specific frequency range where sibilance occurs.
Range: This controls how wide the frequency range being affected is.
Reduction: This determines how much the de-esser reduces the sibilant frequencies.

Here’s a basic approach to using a de-esser:

Start with a low threshold and reduction. You can always add more later, but it’s easier to dial in subtle changes than fix over-processed vocals.
Sweep the frequency knob until you hear the sibilance being affected. A little goes a long way, so find the sweet spot where the harshness is reduced without losing the brightness of the vocals.
Adjust the range if needed. A narrow range will target only the specific sibilant frequencies, while a wider range might affect other high-frequency elements in the vocal track.

Remember: Use your ears! The goal is to achieve a smooth and natural-sounding vocal, not a muffled one. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the settings until you find what works for your specific recording.

With a little practice, the de-esser will become your secret weapon for achieving professional-sounding vocals. So, the next time sibilance rears its ugly head, you’ll know exactly how to tame it!