Henrik Udd’s Dayseeker Vocal Approach: Elevating Emotional Performances

Rory Rodriguez of Dayseeker lays down some seriously emotive and powerful vocal performances. Tracks like "Sleep Talk," produced by Daniel Bronstein, are a testament to getting things right at the source. But even a perfectly tracked vocal can be taken to another level in the mix. In this breakdown, we’ll dive into how renowned mixer Henrik Udd (Bring Me The Horizon, Architects) takes Dayseeker's stellar vocal recordings, initially shaped by Bronstein, and infuses them with that extra magic to perfectly complement the song's emotion. We got a peek into his session, and there are some killer takeaways for your own mixes.

Building on a Solid Foundation: Daniel Bronstein's Vocal Tracking & Pre-Mix Chain

Henrik Udd often receives vocal stems that have already seen some love, and Dayseeker's tracks are no exception. Producer Daniel Bronstein did an excellent job prepping Rory's vocals, giving Henrik a fantastic starting point. This "pre-cooked" vocal approach often involves a few key steps.

Initial Cleanup and Shaping

Before any fancy effects, it’s about a clean, solid core. Daniel's chain started with practical moves:

• Noise Suppression: A simple noise suppressor was first in line, likely to clean up any ambient noise between phrases, a common practice seen in many pro sessions.
• Tuning: Modern metal vocals often benefit from precise tuning. It appears Melodyne or a similar tool was used, with the vocals being committed (printed with the tuning) at least twice. This suggests a meticulous approach to locking in the pitch.
• EQ – Initial Brightness: The Waves Renaissance EQ (the classic RAXX) was employed to boost the top end, adding that initial air and clarity to Rory's performance. This helps the vocal cut through a dense mix right from the get-go.

Adding Character: Saturation and Control

With the basics handled, some character and control were introduced:

• Distortion/Saturation: A bit of distortion was added. While the specific plugin wasn't named, think of tools like Soundtoys Decapitator or FabFilter Saturn for adding subtle harmonics and grit that help vocals sit forward.
• De-Essing: Sibilance can quickly become harsh, especially with added top-end EQ and compression. A de-esser (like the Waves Sibilance or a similar plugin) was used to tame any piercing "S" sounds.
• Rounding it Off with Compression: To smooth things out and add a bit of glue, an LA-2A style compressor was the final touch in Daniel’s chain. This iconic optical compressor is known for its gentle, musical compression that helps to level out dynamics and add a warm character. For more on how compression can shape your vocals, check out these metal compression secrets.

This pre-mixed vocal, with its thoughtful processing, provides a robust and nearly mix-ready sound, allowing Henrik to focus on creative enhancements rather than corrective surgery.

Henrik Udd's Magic: Taking Great Vocals to Epic

With a solid vocal stem from Daniel, Henrik Udd then weaves his own magic, focusing on adding depth, space, and that final polish. This largely involves a well-thought-out effects setup and some strategic insert processing.

Crafting Ambiance: Essential Vocal Effects Sends

Henrik utilizes a variety of send effects to create the space and character around Rory's vocals. These aren't just slapped on; they're carefully chosen and blended.

Core Reverbs for Space

• Main Vocal Reverb (Avid Revibe): For the primary sense of space, Henrik often turns to the Avid Revibe plugin. He typically sets it to around 2 to 3 seconds decay time. He mentions it sounds good pretty much out of the box, often starting with a factory default and making minor tweaks.
• Track-Specific Reverb (Valhalla Room): Interestingly, on the Dayseeker lead vocal track itself (as an insert, not a send for this one), Henrik uses Valhalla Room with a very subtle mix – around 16% wet. This adds a specific character and controlled ambiance directly to the lead.

Signature Delays for Depth and Interest

Henrik is a big fan of Soundtoys EchoBoy for his delay duties, using multiple instances for different purposes:

• Quarter Note Delay: A standard quarter note delay from EchoBoy, with some low and high cuts to help it sit nicely in the mix without cluttering the low end or becoming too washy.
• Long Delay (Sneddon-Inspired): A longer delay, also likely EchoBoy, is used for creating a sense of distance and trailing effects, a technique he’s showcased before.
• Half Note Delay Throws: Another EchoBoy instance, this time set to a half note, is primed for delay throws. These are the big, echoing tails you often hear automated on the end of vocal phrases or guitar solos for dramatic effect.
• Medium Hall Delay: A "medium random hall" type delay, set to about 2 seconds, serves as another key vocal delay, adding a different textural layer.

Width and Ethereal Textures

To add more dimension and atmosphere, Henrik employs:

• Chorus (Soundtoys): A Soundtoys chorus plugin (likely MicroShift or a Dimension D emulation) is used to add width and subtle movement to the vocals.
• Shimmer Reverb (Valhalla Shimmer): A staple for modern ethereal vocal sounds. Henrik uses Valhalla Shimmer, often close to its default settings with a "dual" or "big stereo" mode, and the mix knob cranked all the way to 100% wet. This effect is usually always present in his vocal mix.
• Blackhole (Eventide Blackhole): Similar in vibe to the shimmer, the Eventide Blackhole plugin is another go-to for vast, atmospheric reverb, used sometimes in conjunction with or as an alternative to the shimmer.

These effects provide a rich palette to paint the vocals into the sonic landscape of the track. You can see Henrik build these effect chains from scratch in his Dayseeker Nail The Mix session.

Polishing the Lead: Insert Processing Power

On the main vocal track or bus, Henrik applies further processing to ensure the vocals sit perfectly and have maximum impact.

The Final Squeeze: More Compression

Even with Daniel's initial compression, Henrik often adds an "extra push for compression." This isn't about squashing the life out of the vocal, but rather about providing that final bit of control and consistent energy, making the vocal confidently sit at the front of the mix.

Sculpting with Precision: EQ Techniques

EQ is crucial for fitting the vocal perfectly within the instrumental arrangement.

• Targeted Cut: A specific cut around 234Hz was made. This area can often hold boxiness or mud, and a surgical dip here can clean things up considerably. Learn more about strategic cuts with these EQ strategies for mixing modern metal.
• The Pultec Shine (Altec Pro / Rule Tec): Henrik uses a Pultec-style EQ (he mentions an "Altec Pro" plugin, and also his fondness for the Rule Tec Artsy Edition). The classic Pultec trick of simultaneously boosting and attenuating at 10kHz is employed to add smooth, airy top-end. A gentle boost around 100Hz also adds a touch of warmth and body, even if there isn't a lot of fundamental vocal information there. This EQ move also inherently adds a slight bit of volume, which can be a "happy accident" but is something to be aware of.
• Tackling Resonances with Automation: For Rory’s powerful long notes, especially when layered with doubles and harmonies, problematic frequencies can build up. Henrik often automates an EQ, adding a narrow dip (high Q setting) around 800Hz to 1kHz to dynamically tame these resonances only when they occur. This is a highly effective way to maintain clarity without thinning out the vocal unnecessarily.

The EQ Match Trick for Consistency

Ever had vocals from different recording sessions or even different songs that you wish sounded more alike? Henrik shared a brilliant trick. He noticed vocals on another Dayseeker track ("Drunk") sounded slightly preferable. Using an EQ matching plugin (he mentions the Brainworx bx_digital V3 as a favorite for this over FabFilter's offering), he captured the frequency spectrum of the "Drunk" vocals as a reference. Then, on the current track, he captured its spectrum and let the plugin generate a corrective EQ curve. The key here is to apply this matching conservatively – often not at 100% – to gently nudge the vocal towards the desired tonal balance without making it sound unnatural.

Bringing It All Together

Transforming Dayseeker's already strong vocal performances into the polished, impactful sound heard on their records involves a meticulous two-stage process. It starts with Daniel Bronstein’s excellent tracking and pre-mixing, creating a solid, characterful foundation. Then, Henrik Udd steps in with his arsenal of effects and precise insert processing, adding layers of depth, space, and that final professional sheen. From subtle reverb and delay blends to surgical EQ and clever matching techniques, every move is deliberate.

These are the kinds of details that separate good mixes from great ones. Watching a pro like Henrik Udd make these decisions in real-time, explaining his thought process, is invaluable. If you want to see exactly how these techniques are applied, and learn to craft incredible metal mixes, check out Nail The Mix. You can get access to the full multitracks from Dayseeker and watch Henrik mix the song "Sleep Talk" from scratch in his exclusive NTM session. For a deeper dive into modern metal mixing beyond just presets, explore our guide on unlocking your sound.