7 reasons why high-pitched vocals hurt and how to adjust them to be gentle on your ears

Jul 20

3 min read

If you try to make your vocals brighter by raising the high frequencies, your voice may become thinner or sting your ears. This is often caused by a combination of multiple factors, not simply because there are too many high-pitched sounds.

If you try to fix the painful treble with EQ alone, it's likely to create another problem. The first shortcut is to identify the cause.

1. Sibilance is already strong at the recording stage

If the microphone is placed directly in front of your mouth and close to it, it will be easier to pick up the components of "Sa line" and breath. First, try adjusting the recording side, such as moving the microphone a few centimeters to the side, changing the angle a little, or reconsidering the distance. It is easier to maintain the texture of the voice than by just post-processing.

2. The range from 3kHz to 6kHz is too forward

This is the band where the presence of the voice tends to gather, but raising it too much can lead to hardness and stinging. Rather than significantly reducing a wide range, using dynamic EQ to suppress only the moment when a problem occurs will make it easier to maintain its normal brightness.

3. De-esser is too narrow or deep

If you strongly suppress just a narrow band, sibilance remaining in other bands may become noticeable. Conversely, if the setting is too wide, not only the consonants but the entire voice will become dark. Rather than drowning out the sound solo, I aim to make it so that it doesn't bother me when I listen to it with accompaniment.

4. Consonants are lifted by the compressor

If you increase the makeup gain after applying strong compression, even the originally small breaths and consonants will come forward. Try positioning the de-esser before and after the compressor, splitting the weaker process into two stages if necessary.

5. High frequency overtones are increasing due to saturation

Even if you intend to add warmth, depending on the material and mode, the graininess in the high range may increase, giving a harsh impression. Compare the same volume with the one when bypassed to see if the sound is better or just louder.

6. Sibilance from reverb and delay remains

Even after adjusting the dry sound, if there are still components that stick to the reverb at the send destination, the endings of the words will sound painful. It is effective to place a de-esser before the reverb input or to gently adjust the high range on the return side.

7. Judgment volume is too loud

At high volumes, you will be more sensitive to high frequencies, and at lower volumes, it will be easier to judge the balance of the midrange. Switch between normal work volume, low volume, and short-time confirmation volume, and search for a point that will not fail anywhere.

Recommended order of confirmation

Remove all de-esser and EQ and check the recorded material
Consider whether the microphone position and recording level were the cause.
Check if the way it sticks changes before and after the compressor
Mute the reverb and delay and check the reverberation components
Finally, check with low volume and earphones

Making the treble sound clear does not mean reducing the treble. It is important to adjust only the moments where you feel pain while leaving the necessary brightness.