Asking Alexandria Vocal Production: Taylor Larson’s FX & Mix Approach

Getting those Asking Alexandria vocals to slice through a dense metal mix while retaining power and clarity, and having all those cool effects pop? That’s no small feat. We got an inside look at how producer Taylor Larson tackled Danny Worsnop’s dynamic vocals, and let me tell you, it’s a masterclass in creative processing and strategic mixing. If you’re looking to elevate your own vocal productions, buckle up – Taylor dropped some serious knowledge bombs.

This isn’t just about slapping on a reverb and calling it a day. It’s about intricate layering, smart automation, and knowing when to push your tools (and your bus) to the limit. Let’s dive into some of the key techniques Taylor Larson uses to make those Asking Alexandria vocals command attention, with actionable tips you can try in your next mix. Check out the full session here. Let’s dive in!

The Foundation: Cleanliness and Strategic Automation

Before you even think about those epic delays and gritty saturation, you gotta lay the groundwork. Taylor emphasizes a clean starting point and making sure every cool vocal moment gets its chance to shine.

Taming the Lows: The First Step to Clarity

One of the first things Taylor points out is the importance of cleaning up the vocal tracks. This means getting rid of any low-end rumble, muddiness, or problematic low-mid frequencies. This isn’t just for the main vocal; it applies to effect tracks too. A clean slate ensures that when you start adding processing, you’re enhancing the good stuff, not amplifying problems. This initial cleanup is crucial for ensuring your vocals don’t fight with the bass and guitars for space. For more on carving out room, check out these EQ strategies for mixing modern metal.

Making Effects Pop with Automation

Ever had a killer delay tail that just gets lost in the mix? Taylor’s solution: automation, and lots of it. He specifically mentions a chorus section where a delay needed to be heard, a note from the band themselves. The answer was to automate the volume of that delay, pushing it up when it needed to pop out. To make this automation smoother and more predictable, a touch of limiting on the effect track can help. Something like a Waves L1 can keep the signal in place, so when you automate it up, it responds consistently.

Choosing the Right Tools for Depth and Character

With a clean base, Taylor then starts sculpting with specific tools to place vocals in the mix and add unique textures.

The LA-3A: Parking Effects in the Mix

For backing vocals or effect tracks that need to be audible but not right in your face, Taylor often reaches for an LA-3A style compressor. He describes the LA-3A as placing elements “parked back” in the mix, offering depth without them jumping to the forefront. This contrasts with an 1176, which he feels brings vocals “right up here.” The beauty of the LA-3A? Its simplicity – often just two knobs for gain and peak reduction, making it quick to dial in.

Reshaping Pre-Processed Sounds with Tilt EQ

Sometimes, you get tracks that are already heavily processed, and not always how you’d do it. Taylor encountered some “mangled” vocal tracks in the Asking Alexandria session. Instead of piling on more complex processing, he opted for a Tilt EQ. Imagine your standard EQ graph line; a Tilt EQ shifts that entire line up or down, gently brightening or darkening the whole signal without creating sharp peaks or dips. This was perfect for leaning a harsh track forward a bit without exacerbating its existing issues. Plugins like the one from Softube or even the tilt function in FabFilter Pro-Q can achieve this.

Soothe: Your Secret Weapon Against Harshness

If a vocal track is just plain harsh, Taylor has a go-to: Soothe by oeksound. He calls it “life-changing,” and for good reason. This plugin intelligently identifies and reduces resonant harsh frequencies, cleaning up vocals (and other sources) in a very transparent way. For one particularly problematic vocal effect track, Soothe was key to making it sit in the mix without tearing your ears off.

Layering Harmonies and Doubles for Width and Impact

Harmonies and doubles are essential to Asking Alexandria’s massive vocal sound. Here’s how Taylor makes them count:

Processing Harmonies: Filters, Compression, and Presence

For harmonies, the approach was about support and width.

• Filtering: Basic low filtering to remove unnecessary bottom end.
• EQ: Interestingly, no boosts were applied, as Taylor felt they were already harsh enough.
• Compression: An 1176 was brought in with some classic settings: Attack right in the middle, Release as fast as it can go, and a 4:1 Ratio. This combo is a workhorse for a reason, adding control and vibe. Want to dive deeper into aggressive vocal compression? Explore these metal compression secrets.
• Forwardness: To help them cut through and add a bit of low-end “oomph,” Taylor used Waves R-Vox. It’s a super simple plugin – often, just pulling the main fader down does the trick, pushing the vocal forward.

Panning and Doubles

The doubles received similar processing to the harmonies but were panned differently to create a wide stereo image. Taylor mentioned he kept some of the original panning schemes the band had, a good reminder to respect the artist’s vision when possible.

Dialing in Aggressive Screams

Danny Worsnop’s screams are iconic. Taylor’s approach here is about enhancing their raw power and making them hit hard.

EQ and Dynamics for Scream Vocals

• EQ: Again, filtering out the rumble is step one. Then, a bit of “air” at 16kHz and some presence around 8kHz helped them cut.
• Compression: The trusty 1176 with the same settings as the harmonies (Attack mid, Release fast, Ratio 4:1) was used to clamp down and add aggression.

Decapitator: Adding Grit and Harmonics

For that up-close, aggressive, and harmonically rich scream sound, Taylor turned to Soundtoys Decapitator. He describes it as “so cool for screams,” bringing them close and adding “sick harmonics.” His method? No overthinking. He started at zero and turned up the Drive knob until it sounded awesome. A great lesson: sometimes the simplest moves are the most effective.

R-Vox for Extra Punch

Yep, R-Vox makes another appearance on the screams, again for that low push and to bring them even closer to the listener.

Crane Song Phoenix: Roundness and Chest Thump

To add weight and smooth out the screams, Taylor employed the Crane Song Phoenix II tape emulation plugin. He used it on the “Dark Essence” setting (the darkest character) with “Opal” (the darkest tape type). This combination made the screams “super round,” giving them that “feel it in your chest” low-mid presence and an overall bigger, smoother sound.

Crafting the Main Vocal: Presence and Power

The lead vocal needs to be king. Taylor’s chain ensures it’s controlled, present, and massive.

The Main Vocal Chain: Compression and Tape Emulation

1. Waves L1 Limiter: First in line, used subtly to “keep it in place”—much like he might use it on a bass guitar—providing a consistent level.
2. 1176 Compressor: The L1 feeds into an 1176, adding its characteristic punch and control.
3. Waves R-Vox: For that familiar forward push and low-end enhancement.
4. Crane Song Phoenix II: This is a big one for the main vocal. Taylor used a brighter setting (“Luster”) with a neutral top end. He raves about this plugin for making vocals “sound huge and kick through the mix.”

Creating Space with Delays and Reverbs

Effects are crucial, but they can’t clutter the main vocal.

• Delays: Taylor often uses Soundtoys EchoBoy, setting up different delay times on the left and right sides to create a wide stereo spread that stays out of the way of the dry center vocal. His general rule: keep delays wide and the main vocal as dry as possible in the center.
• Reverb: A go-to vocal verb (often a preset to start) provides ambiance.
• The Pre-Delay Trick: This is a golden nugget! By increasing the pre-delay on a reverb, you create a small gap of silence between the dry vocal and when the reverb tail kicks in. This keeps the vocal upfront and clear, while still giving you that sense of space and polish. If the pre-delay is too short, the vocal can feel washed out and distant.

The “Wacky” Vocal Bus: Gluing It All Together

This is where Taylor’s approach for this Asking Alexandria mix got particularly interesting. He routed all the vocals—main, harmonies, doubles, effects, reverse reverbs, everything—to a dedicated vocal bus for some serious collective processing.

API 2500 for Front-and-Center Vocals

On this main vocal bus, an API 2500 compressor was the first insert. Taylor explained that with all the different vocal elements, especially effects and layers panned wide, the bus compressor helped “pull everything to the front.” The overarching goal for the vocals in this mix was to get everything heard, and the API 2500 was key to achieving that cohesive, upfront sound. For more insights on bus compression, you might find our guide on metal compression techniques useful.

Bus EQ for Overall Polish

Following the compressor, an EQ on the bus (hitting all vocals globally) added some final shaping – a bit more presence and an 18kHz shelf for “air.” This helps all the vocal layers breathe and cut through the mix together. Fine-tuning your EQ on a bus like this can really make a difference, as detailed in our EQ strategies guide.

Final Phoenix Treatment on the Bus

You guessed it – more Crane Song Phoenix II! This time, on the entire vocal bus, with settings similar to the main vocal (Luster) but with a bit less of the process knob dialed in. This added a final layer of tape character and cohesion to the entire vocal performance.

Pushing the Limits: Running the Bus Hot

Taylor admits he was running this vocal bus hot, even clipping a little bit. His philosophy? “If it works, it works. And if it sounds good, then cool.” While not always conventional, sometimes pushing your gear (or plugins) can yield exciting results. This aggressive bus processing was a bit different from his usual workflow but crucial for this specific mix.

Navigating Mic Differences and Final Polish

An interesting challenge in this session was that Danny’s vocals were recorded on two different microphones within the same song: a Neumann U 47 FET and a Sony C800G. Taylor noted the U 47 FET can be a “very harsh mic,” cool and with attitude, but potentially “pokey.” He suspects the extensive use of the Crane Song Phoenix II, especially at the end of the chain on the vocal bus, helped to “soften it up a little bit, but still kind of keep it up front.”

Get Inside the Mix with Nail The Mix

Phew! That’s a lot of killer techniques, from foundational cleaning and automation to complex effect chains and bold bus processing. Taylor Larson’s approach to the Asking Alexandria vocals is all about making smart choices, using plugins creatively, and not being afraid to experiment to achieve that powerful, upfront sound.

Want to see how producers like Taylor actually build these vocal sounds from scratch, explaining every plugin, setting, and decision? That’s exactly what Nail The Mix is all about. Each month, you get the multi-tracks from a real song and watch the original producer mix it live, sharing their secrets. You can even try mixing the Asking Alexandria tracks yourself and see how Taylor crafted this vocal magic firsthand by checking out the Asking Alexandria session on Nail The Mix.

If you’re ready to go beyond presets and truly unlock your sound in modern metal mixing, then seeing these techniques applied in a full mix context is invaluable. Dive into the Asking Alexandria NTM session and start nailing those vocals!