Sound Like EsDeeKid — Beginner Friendly Guide

In this comprehensive guide, we'll dive into the secrets of sounding like EsDeeKid.

If you want a clear, punchy vocal like EsDeeKid, focus on a simple chain and small adjustments. Below is an easy, step‑by‑step workflow you can follow in any DAW. No advanced theory required — just follow the steps and listen.

Quick setup and signal chain

• Record clean: use a decent mic, pop filter, and record so peaks sit around -6 dBFS.
• Keep tracks organized: one dry lead vocal track, one parallel bus for heavy processing, and separate buses for delay and reverb.
• Save presets: name and save any settings that sound good so you can reuse them.

Step‑by‑step processing for beginners

1. Clean up with EQ

• High‑pass filter: remove low rumble by cutting below 60–120 Hz.
• Reduce muddiness: gently cut around 200–500 Hz if the voice sounds boxy. Try -2 to -4 dB.
• Add presence: boost a little around 3–6 kHz to make words clearer, about +1.5 to +3 dB.
• Air: a tiny boost above 10 kHz adds sparkle, about +1 dB.

2. Tame harsh S sounds with a de‑esser

• Target 5–9 kHz where sibilance lives.
• Set threshold so it only reduces the loud S sounds, not the whole vocal.

3. Control dynamics with compression

• Main compressor: ratio 3:1 to 5:1, medium attack and release. Aim for 2–5 dB of gain reduction so the vocal stays even.

4. Add warmth with saturation

• Light tape or tube saturation: push a little to add harmonics and perceived loudness.
• Parallel saturation: duplicate the vocal, add heavy saturation to the duplicate, low‑pass it, and mix it under the original for grit without harshness.

5. Create space with delay

• Delay first: use a tempo‑synced slap or dotted delay at low volume for rhythm.
• Automate sends so effects appear only where they help the song.

6. Widen the vocal with doubles and modulation

• Double takes: record a second take and pan it slightly left or right for natural width.
• Light chorus or doubler: apply subtly on a parallel track to thicken without sounding synthetic.
• Avoid widening low frequencies to keep the vocal focused.

7. Final polish and automation

• Volume rides: manually lower or raise words that are too quiet or loud.
• Automate effects for interest: bring delay or saturation up on fills or hooks.
• Mono check: listen in mono to make sure the vocal stays strong.

Checklist before you finish:

• Vocal is clear and sits above the beat.
• Sibilance is controlled but natural.
• Effects are used to support the song, not distract.
• The vocal still sounds good in mono.
• You saved your preset for future use.

If you want the EsDeeKid signature sound without the hours of tweaking, you can download the EsDeeKid Vocal Preset from Avion Audio. It’s a professional vocal chain of EQ, compression, saturation, and effects that gives you the signature EsDeeKid tone instantly, so you can focus on performance instead of settings: Get it here.