How to Mix Vocals Like Bad Bunny (Reggaetón & Latin Trap Guide)

How to Mix Vocals Like Bad Bunny (Reggaetón & Latin Trap Guide)

by Byron Hill II in News

Modern reggaetón vocals are confident, bright, and rhythm-first. This guide shows you a Bad Bunny–style vocal approach: chain blueprint, Spanish-friendly tuning, dembow FX, doubles/coros, and export targets that translate to phones and clubs. For a fast starting point, try curated vocal presets and customize the last 10% to your voice.

I. Signature palette: what listeners expect

Latin trap and reggaetón vocals carry groove and attitude. The voice rides the dembow or 808 pattern, with clear consonants and a polished top. Hooks lift through coros (layers) and harmonies; verses stay dry and close, with short slap/tempo delays for movement. Ad-libs add character and space between phrases.

  • Clarity: articulate 2–4 kHz, no woolly low-mids.
  • Shine: controlled air at 10–12 kHz, never sharp.
  • Groove: delays lock to tempo; reverb is tight and filtered.
  • Control: level is steady via serial compression, not brickwalled.

Quick terms: dBFS is digital level; 0 clips. LUFS is perceived loudness. True peak (dBTP) catches inter-sample spikes—protect headroom for mastering later.

II. Chain blueprint (from capture to polish)

Route all leads to a LEAD bus, stacks to a COROS bus, and ad-libs to an ADLIB bus. These feed a Vocal Master. Mix into a gentle chain so decisions stick.

  1. Pitch correction: fast retune for rap-sung lines; humanize to avoid warble; preserve formants.
  2. Subtractive EQ: HPF 70–90 Hz; dip boxiness 200–350 Hz as needed.
  3. Compressor 1: slow/medium attack for punch, 3–6 dB GR on peaks.
  4. De-esser: broad band 5–8 kHz; reduce only what you hear.
  5. Saturation (low mix): density, not distortion; match output level.
  6. Compressor 2 (safety): faster, 1–2 dB GR to catch spikes.
  7. Polish EQ: tiny presence/air shelf if the mic is dull.
  8. Send FX: mono slap, tempo delay, compact plate/hall, plus creative throws for ad-libs.

III. Spanish delivery: tuning, timing, and diction

Tuning for Spanish vowels. Spanish vowel sustains are pure; fast retune can sound robotic if pushed. Use a quick retune for hooks, moderate for verses; add “humanize/transition” so long vowels do not wobble. Keep formant correction on to preserve color during pitch moves.

Diction and sibilants. “S,” “ch,” and bright fricatives can poke on earbuds. Set the de-esser gently first; if needed, add a second, lighter de-ess later in the chain. Avoid narrow boosts above 8 kHz—prefer a broad, small shelf.

Timing the groove. The dembow swing sits between straight and triplet. Align doubles within ±10 ms; anything wider turns into chorus. Use clip gain to even loud syllables before compression.

IV. Practical settings (step-by-step)

  1. Gain stage. Track raw peaks around −12 to −8 dBFS. Trim regions so the chain sees steady input.
  2. Pitch correction. Set key/scale. Retune fast for hook phrases; moderate for verses. Humanize 20–40%. Formants preserved.
  3. Subtractive EQ. HPF 70–90 Hz; remove mud 200–350 Hz (wide dip). If honk lives near 1 kHz, dip gently. Keep cuts small.
  4. Compressor 1 (shape). 2:1–3:1; attack 10–30 ms; release 80–200 ms or auto; 3–6 dB GR on loud lines. The consonants should still snap.
  5. De-esser. Start 5–8 kHz; wide band; reduce 2–4 dB on S’s. Check on earbuds.
  6. Saturation. Tape/triode or clean transformer. Mix 5–10%. Match output so you’re not fooled by loudness.
  7. Compressor 2 (safety). Faster, 1–2 dB GR to catch peaks when coros stack up.
  8. Presence polish. If needed: +0.5 dB at 3–4 kHz (wide bell). Air shelf +0.5–1 dB at 10–12 kHz for shine, not hiss.
  9. Space. Mono slap 80–120 ms; LPF the return ~6–8 kHz. Tempo delay 1/8 or 1/4 with low feedback; sidechain-duck the delay from the lead so repeats breathe between words.
  10. Automation. Lift the lead +0.5–1 dB into downbeats; dip FX during dense consonants so words stay readable.

V. Coros, dobles y ad-libs (the stack game)

Doubles (dobles). Two tight doubles on hooks thicken the center. High-pass slightly higher than the lead, more de-ess, and keep each double 6–9 dB below the lead. Pan subtly L/R if you want width, or stack center for thickness.

Coros (harmonies). Treat as a soft bed. Less saturation, more de-ess. If the stack clouds, dip 200–300 Hz a dB or two on the COROS bus. Add a darker plate/hall reverb with 20–60 ms pre-delay so the lead stays upfront.

Ad-libs (ad-libs en español o Spanglish). Personality lives here. Try band-pass “phone” effect (300 Hz–3 kHz), micro-pitch for spread, or a triplet echo on transitions. Pan off-center to leave the hook focal point in the middle.

Routing recap. Lead → LEAD bus; doubles/harmonies → COROS; ad-libs → ADLIB; all into Vocal Master. This speeds mixing and keeps decisions organized.

VI. Beat relationship: dembow & 808 without clashes

Over a 2-track beat. Treat the beat as a MUSIC bus. Carve space at 2–4 kHz using a dynamic dip keyed to the lead. If the kick or 808 masks syllables, a narrow dynamic cut around 120–180 Hz (keyed to the vocal) cleans collisions. For clean deliverables later, learn how to export stems from Logic Pro so versions line up.

With stems. Group DRUMS, 808/BASS, MUSIC. Adjust 808 envelope so tails don’t smear words. Use sidechain only as flavor; too much pumping distracts from the lyric.

Delays that groove. Many Latin trap hooks love a short stereo 1/8 with very low feedback, or a mono slap that clicks with the dembow. Filter the return; let the words lead, not the echoes.

VII. Two chain examples (stock-only and third-party)

Stock-only chain (any major DAW):

  1. Pitch Correction: key/scale set; fast for hooks, moderate for verses; humanize 20–40%.
  2. EQ: HPF 80 Hz; wide −2 dB at 250 Hz if muddy; tiny +0.5 dB at 3.5 kHz if dull.
  3. Compressor 1: 2:1; attack 20 ms; release 120 ms; 3–5 dB GR.
  4. De-esser: 6–8 kHz, broad; reduce 2–4 dB on S’s.
  5. Saturation: warm/tape, 5–10% mix.
  6. Compressor 2: faster, 1–2 dB GR.
  7. EQ polish: shelf +0.5–1 dB at 10–12 kHz if the mic is dark.
  8. Sends: mono slap 90–110 ms; 1/8 tempo delay; short plate (0.7–1.2 s) with HPF/LPF on the return.

Third-party flavor (example):

  1. Auto-Tune / Melodyne: quick for hooks, musical for verses; preserve formants.
  2. FabFilter Pro-Q 3: HPF 80 Hz; dynamic notch 250 Hz on loud phrases.
  3. LA-2A / Opto: gentle, musical body.
  4. Sooth-style resonance control: light in 4–8 kHz.
  5. Analog-style saturation (low mix).
  6. 1176-style comp: fast, 1–2 dB GR on peaks.
  7. Air EQ (Maag-style): +0.5–1 dB at 10–12 kHz if needed.
  8. FX: EchoBoy slap + 1/8 note; Valhalla Plate short decay, filtered returns.

VIII. Loudness, headroom, and delivery

During mixing. Keep raw vocal peaks at −12 to −8 dBFS. After your chain, leave headroom. Do not slam a hard limiter on the mix bus. Your final mix should peak around −3 dBFS with true peak ≤ −1.0 dBTP. Loudness belongs in mastering, not in vocal mixing.

Final bounce. Export 24-bit WAV at the session sample rate. Provide a clean premaster for mastering. If you want cohesive, platform-ready loudness and a labeled set of alternates (instrumental, a cappella, clean/radio), book notes-driven mastering services. Need help finishing the mix or balancing the beat and stacks? Collaborative professional mixing services can take it across the line while you focus on writing.

IX. Fast fixes (common problems, quick cures)

  • Harsh top on phones: widen de-ess band; reduce 8–10 kHz by 0.5 dB on the lead; low-pass delay returns to ~6 kHz.
  • Vocal too thin in hooks: back off HPF a few Hz; add +1 dB at 160–220 Hz (wide); blend 10–20% parallel saturation.
  • Words lost under 808: dynamic notch on 808 around 120–180 Hz keyed from the lead; small 2–4 kHz dip on MUSIC bus when the vocal speaks.
  • Robotic tuning: slow retune slightly; raise humanize/transition; make sure formants are preserved.
  • Stack cloudiness: on COROS bus, −1 to −2 dB at 250 Hz (wide), more de-ess, darker reverb.

X. Workflow that finishes songs

Save a vocal template with LEAD, COROS, and ADLIB buses plus slap, tempo delay, plate, and “FX” sends. Build a small reference playlist from Latin trap/reggaetón records you trust. Work at a steady monitor level. Make small moves. Let arrangement and stacks create lift between sections.

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Tate McRae’s vocal sound is intimate in the verses and glossy in the choruses—breathy but clear, bright without harshness, and always steady in level. This guide walks you through capture, routing, chain order, FX design, stacks, and export targets so your mix survives phones, earbuds, and big rooms. If you prefer a head start, drop in pop vocal presets as a base map and customize thresholds and sends to your voice. I. What listeners expect from this aesthetic Modern pop-dance vocals feel close and emotional. You hear soft consonants and breath texture in the verse, then a lifted, airy hook that floats above synths and drums. The top end is pretty rather than piercing, the low-mids stay lean, and the dynamics are steady through serial compression—not a slammed limiter. Presence: readable 2–4 kHz without harsh spikes. Air: gentle sheen at 10–12 kHz; de-ess before you add shine. Depth: short plate/room plus tempo delays that move with the groove. Lift: doubles, whispers, and tight harmonies that rise in the chorus. II. Capture choices that pay off later Record 15–20 cm from a pop filter. Aim raw peaks around −12 to −8 dBFS. Keep the booth quiet; avoid heavy EQ or compression on the way in. If you need a small HPF for rumble, set it conservatively. Comp clean takes. Preserve natural breaths—this style relies on air texture. If you need help building a reliable recording space, this home vocal studio guide covers room basics, gain staging, and workflow so takes arrive mix-ready. III. Routing that keeps you fast and organized Create four lanes: LEAD – main vocal lines. BGV – harmonies and pad-like stacks. WHISPER – breathy doubles used sparingly for gloss. ADLIB – character moments and transitions. All feed a Vocal Master bus where you monitor through a gentle chain. Sends: mono slap, tempo delay, short plate or tight room, and a “throws” bus for moment effects. IV. The baseline chain (numbers you can trust) Keep moves small. 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Plate reverb 0.7–1.4 s decay with 20–60 ms pre-delay. Automation. Ride the lead ±1 dB through sections. Bring doubles up in hooks and tuck them in verses. Prefer a faster start? Load a genre-matched chain from the vocal presets library, then fine-tune threshold and sends. IV. Layering, doubles, harmonies, ad-libs Doubles. Record two tight doubles for the hook. High-pass a bit higher than the lead, de-ess more, and keep each double 6–9 dB below the lead. Pan slightly L/R or keep centered if you want thickness without width. Harmonies. Treat as a bed. More de-ess, less saturation. Roll a touch of 200 Hz mud if stacks feel cloudy. Bus them to BGV with lighter compression and a darker plate reverb. Ad-libs. These are personality. Use a separate ADLIB chain: playful saturation, subtle formant shift, band-passed “phone” effect (300 Hz–3 kHz), or a triplet echo for call-and-response. Pan off-center or add micro-pitch for spread. Routing tip. Lead → LEAD bus; doubles/harmonies → BGV bus; ad-libs → ADLIB bus; all into Vocal Master. This keeps processing focused and mixes faster. V. Effects that read modern (without washing out) Slap delay (vibe): 80–120 ms mono slap for attitude. Filter to ~150 Hz–6 kHz. Tuck quietly. Tempo delay (movement): 1/8 or 1/4, 10–20% feedback, synced. Use side-chain ducking keyed from the lead so repeats breathe between syllables. Plate reverb (depth): small plate; 0.7–1.4 s decay; pre-delay 20–60 ms; HPF/L PF the return so it doesn’t mask the lead. Special FX: quick telephone band-pass in transitions; a short chorus for ad-libs; creative throws on the last word before a downbeat. Check effects at low volume. If words blur, lower delays/reverb, shorten pre-delay, or add volume automation to FX returns. VI. Beat integration (2-track or stems) If you are mixing over a stereo instrumental, treat it like a submix. Place the beat on a MUSIC bus. Carve space at 2–4 kHz with a small dynamic dip keyed to the vocal. A gentle side-chain compressor on the MUSIC bus (keyed by the lead) can add bounce without obvious pumping. For a full walkthrough, see mixing vocals over a 2-track beat. With stems, group DRUMS, MUSIC, and 808/BASS. If 808s crowd the lead, use dynamic EQ around 120–180 Hz keyed from the vocal. Always A/B against two reference tracks at the same volume. VII. Doja-style tuning & timing (natural yet polished) Tuning. Fast retune speed for hook lines; moderate for verses. Enable “humanize” so sustained notes don’t warble. Keep formants on to preserve character when shifting pitch. Tightening. Use clip-gain to even loud syllables before compression. For doubles, align timing with your DAW’s align tool or by hand. Nudge within ±10 ms so it feels tight without chorus swirl. Micro-edits. Tuck breaths where needed, but don’t erase them all; they convey attitude. De-pop with clip-gain dips on P/B consonants rather than hard gates. VIII. Gain staging, loudness, and export Keep the vocal chain honest. Raw vocal peaks around −12 to −8 dBFS. After the chain, aim for healthy headroom; no master-bus limiter in the mix stage. Your final mix should peak around −3 dBFS with true peak ≤ −1.0 dBTP. Let mastering set competitive loudness. If you want a release-ready pass with alternates (instrumental, a cappella, clean/radio), book clear, notes-driven mastering services. IX. Troubleshooting (fast fixes) Harsh S’s on earbuds: widen de-ess band, reduce 8–10 kHz by −0.5 dB on the lead, and lower delay HF content. Vocal sounds thin: back off HPF a few Hz, add 1–2 dB at 160–220 Hz with a wide bell, or blend 10–20% parallel warm saturation. Vocal buries in busy hooks: side-chain a 2–4 kHz dip on the MUSIC bus, lift slap delay 0.5 dB, and automate the lead +0.5–1 dB into downbeats. Over-tuned artifacts: increase humanize/transition, slow retune slightly, or reduce vibrato processing on long notes. Low-mid mud (200–350 Hz): subtract 1–2 dB wide on the lead or BGV bus; keep one small cut rather than several tiny ones. X. Two example chains (stock and third-party) Stock-only chain (any major DAW): Pitch Correction: fast retune, humanize 20–40%, keep formants. EQ: HPF 80 Hz; −2 dB at 250 Hz (wide) if needed; tiny +0.5 dB at 3.5 kHz. Compressor 1: 2:1, attack 20 ms, release 120 ms, 3–5 dB GR. De-esser: 6–8 kHz broad, reduce 2–4 dB on S’s. Saturation: warm/tape style at low mix (5–10%). Compressor 2: faster, 1–2 dB GR to catch peaks. EQ polish: shelf +0.5–1 dB at 10–12 kHz if the mic is dark. Sends: mono slap (100 ms), 1/8 delay, small plate. Popular third-party chain (example): Auto-Tune / Melodyne: retune fast for hooks, moderate for verses. FabFilter Pro-Q 3: HPF 80 Hz; dynamic cut at 250 Hz on loud phrases. UAD LA-2A (or opto): gentle, musical control. Sooth-style dynamic resonance: light, focus 4–8 kHz. UAD/Analog-style saturation: 5–10% mix, just for density. 1176-style comp: fast, 1–2 dB GR for peaks. Maag/air EQ: tiny +0.5–1 dB at 10–12 kHz if needed. FX: EchoBoy slap + 1/8 note; Valhalla Plate short decay, filtered returns. XI. Workflow that finishes songs faster Save a base template with your buses (LEAD, BGV, ADLIB, Vocal Master), sends (slap, tempo delay, plate, FX), and conservative chain settings. Build a small reference playlist. Work at one monitor level. Make tiny moves on the lead and let arrangement—doubles, harmonies, ad-libs—create lift between sections.  XII. Final thoughts A Doja-style vocal mix is clean, confident, and fun. Keep the low-mids tidy, shape presence with care, use short delays for movement, and let doubles and ad-libs add personality. Commit to one chain and learn it well. For a head start, try genre-matched vocal presets, then customize thresholds and sends to your voice. When it’s time to ship, a focused pass of mixing services will secure loudness, translation, and platform-ready deliverables.

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