EsDeeKid Vocal Preset FL Studio: How to Get That Melodic Rap Sound 2026

EsDeeKid's vocal sound is one of the most distinctive and imitated in melodic rap right now. That ethereal, almost sung quality to his rap delivery — the way his voice sits somewhere between singing and rapping — comes from a very specific chain of processing and careful vocal arrangement.

If you're producing for EsDeeKid or trying to capture that signature melodic vibe, understanding his vocal chain is the key. And once you do, you'll realize Avion Audio's EsDeeKid Vocal Preset basically puts that entire sound together for you in one click.

Let's break down exactly what makes his vocals work, then show you how to recreate it.

The EsDeeKid Vocal Sound: What Makes It Stand Out

EsDeeKid doesn't rap in a traditional boom-bap or trap voice. His delivery is almost conversational, with heavy melodies woven into the cadence. The vocal processing amplifies this — it's warm, slightly compressed, with a touch of reverb that makes everything feel spacious and layered.

His signature elements:

- Warmth from saturation - a slight tape or tube saturation that adds harmonic richness

- Moderate compression - not squashed, but controlled enough to make every syllable sit

- Rich reverb - not an obvious effect, but enough to give the vocals space and depth

- Slight delay - creates doubling without actually doubling the take

- Subtle high-end boost - keeps the clarity and presence even with all the warmth

This is the exact approach that works for melodic rap vocals in general. EsDeeKid just nailed the formula.

Step 1: Start With a Clean Vocal Recording

Before you touch processing, you need a solid recording. EsDeeKid's vocals sound clean and present because they were recorded properly from the start.

Microphone placement: Position the mic about 6-8 inches from your mouth, slightly off-axis (not straight-on). This captures the warmth while reducing harsh plosives.

Recording levels: Aim for peaks around -6dB to -3dB. You want headroom to process without clipping.

Take multiple passes: Record at least 3-4 clean takes of each line. Melodic rap needs the flexibility to layer and blend takes together for depth.

Once you have a solid vocal take, you're ready to chain.

Step 2: EQ — Carve Out Mud, Bring Out Presence

EsDeeKid's vocals sit perfectly in the mix because his EQ is surgical. You're not adding brightness aggressively — you're removing what doesn't serve the song.

High-pass filter: Gently roll off everything below 80Hz. Use a subtle slope, not a brick wall. This removes proximity and mud without killing the fundamental warmth.

Dip around 200Hz: Pull down about 2dB at 200Hz with a wide Q. This removes the boxiness that makes vocal chains sound cheap.

Gentle boost around 2.5kHz: Add about 1.5dB at 2.5kHz. This is the sweet spot for vocal clarity and presence in rap. It makes every word cut through without being harsh.

Subtle presence lift at 4kHz: About 1dB boost here adds air without sibilance problems. This is what keeps the vocals from sounding dull even with all the warmth being added downstream.

De-esser for sibilance: Set it to catch peaks above 8kHz. You want to control just the harsh "s" sounds without affecting the overall brightness.

Think of this as creating a clean foundation. You're not trying to make the vocal sound good yet — you're just removing problems.

Step 3: Saturation — Add Warmth and Harmonic Richness

This is where EsDeeKid's vocals get their character. Saturation adds subtle harmonics that make everything sound richer and more expensive.

Saturation plugin: Use FL Studio's Gross Beat or grab a free saturation like Fabfilter's FREE plugins (if you have access) or even just use the Fruity Stereo Shaper with a touch of saturation.

Settings: Aim for about 15-25% saturation. You want subtle warmth, not obvious distortion. Think of it like warming up a room rather than turning on a space heater.

Type: Soft saturation works better than hard clipping. Tape saturation emulations are perfect here.

EsDeeKid's vocals have that expensive, radio-ready quality because of this step. It's what separates amateur vocal chains from professional ones.

Step 4: Compression — Control Without Squashing

Compression is essential for melodic rap. It evening out the natural dynamics of your delivery so every syllable hits at about the same loudness.

Ratio: 4:1 to 6:1 (moderate compression, not aggressive)

Attack: 10-20ms (gives the initial vocal transient some punch before clamping down)

Release: 80-120ms (lets the compressor recover quickly between words without sounding pumpy)

Threshold: Set it so the compressor engages on the louder peaks (around -20dB to -15dB depending on your recording level)

Makeup gain: Bring the overall level back up so the compressed vocal sits at about the same loudness as the uncompressed version

This creates that controlled, present sound that EsDeeKid has. Every word is equally important and equally heard.

Step 5: Reverb — Space Without Mud

Reverb is tricky with rap vocals. Too much and they disappear into the background. Too little and they sound dry and cheap.

EsDeeKid's approach is subtle but effective.

Reverb type: Spring or plate reverb (smaller, tighter spaces)

Pre-delay: 20-40ms (this keeps the dry signal clear while adding space)

Room size: Small to medium (don't go into cathedral territory)

Wet/dry mix: 15-20% wet (audible but not dominant)

Decay time: 1.5-2.5 seconds (not a long tail, just enough to add dimension)

This reverb is what gives EsDeeKid's vocals that spacious, layered quality. It's not obvious — it's just enough to make everything feel bigger and more professional.

Step 6: Delay — Create Depth Without Muddying

A subtle slapback delay (a short delay that bounces back once) adds another layer of dimension.

Delay time: 1/8th note at your song's tempo (calculate based on BPM: divide 60,000 by BPM, then divide by 8)

Feedback: One repeat only (set feedback so it decays in one bounce)

Wet/dry mix: 10-15% wet (barely audible but adds depth)

Tone: Slight high-pass filter on the delay (around 400Hz) so it doesn't muddy the mix

This is the secret sauce that makes melodic rap vocals feel layered and dimensional. It's not a noticeable effect — it's just a sense of space.

Step 7: Final Vocal Chain Order in FL Studio

Your processing chain should flow like this:

1. High-pass EQ (80Hz filter)

2. Surgical EQ (the boosts and cuts we discussed)

3. De-esser (catch harsh sibilance)

4. Saturation (add warmth)

5. Compressor (control dynamics)

6. Reverb (add space)

7. Delay (add dimension)

Each step builds on the last. Don't skip any — they're all necessary.

Vocal Layering: The Missing Secret

Here's something that separates EsDeeKid's vocals from amateur melodic rap: layering.

He doesn't just record one vocal take and process it. He layers multiple takes on top of each other:

Main vocal: Centered, full processing, front and center.

Harmony layer: Doubled slightly lower in pitch, less aggressive processing (maybe skip the delay/reverb), panned left or right at maybe 30% width.

Ghost layer: A super-subtle double of just key words or phrases, heavily reverbed and pulled way back in the mix (like 5-10% wet).

This creates that rich, almost choral quality to his vocals without sounding like he's singing. It's rap, but there's texture.

Layer 2-3 takes on top of your main vocal. Each one gets the same chain, but the reverb/delay on the doubles can be more aggressive since they're pushed back in the mix.

Put It All Together: Your EsDeeKid-Inspired Vocal Chain

Here's the quick reference:

Why the Free Preset Does This For You

Building this chain manually takes time and skill. You need to know EQ values, compression settings, reverb pre-delay timing — it's a lot of technical knowledge packed into seven processing steps.

The EsDeeKid Vocal Preset from Avion Audio is built exactly on this framework. It's pre-dialed to capture that warmth, clarity, and space that makes his vocals work. One click and your raw vocal recording goes into that exact chain.

But now you understand *why* each step matters. You're not just loading a preset blind — you know what each plugin is doing and how it contributes to the final sound.

That's exactly how you get that EsDeeKid melodic rap sound.

But if you want a shortcut and skip the manual chain building, you can grab the EsDeeKid Vocal Preset from Avion Audio. It's a one-click preset for FL Studio that instantly locks in that melodic, spacious vocal tone without touching a single knob.

Get the EsDeeKid Vocal Preset →