Electronic Music in Cubase Pro, Part 4: Vocal Harmonies and Leads

Creating Chord Backing from Vocal Samples

First, we will create chord backing using the vocal as our source material.
Adding harmonies to the main vocal melody will establish the chords.

Start by duplicating the vocal track for each harmony voice you want to add.
Here, we want a root-note part plus three harmony voices, so we create four duplicate tracks in total.

Insert Pitch Correct on each track and set Scale Source to External MIDI Note.
This forces the vocal pitch to follow the pitches of MIDI notes received from outside the plug-in.

Create MIDI tracks and enter the notes you want to play.
When entering the notes, it is important to use pitches lower than the main vocal so that the harmonies do not get in its way.

Here, we keep things simple, entering only chord tones in close voicing.

Route each MIDI track containing the notes to the corresponding instance of Pitch Correct.
Each vocal track will now change pitch according to the specified MIDI notes.

Creating a Vocal Lead from a Vocal Sample

Next, we will create a vocal lead: a sound somewhere between a voice and a synth lead, commonly heard in the electronic music of the time.

For this, we will use a sampler track to process a short section of the vocal.

Split off a section of the main vocal track and use Render in Place.

Drag and drop the resulting audio file onto a sampler track.

Use the start and end points to specify the portion you want to play.

Enter MIDI notes at the desired positions to play the vocal lead.
Playing it at a higher pitch than the original gives it a formant character more like a lead sound.

Matching the Sample's Key

Adjusting the sample's key to suit the song makes it easier to play the part.

Applying Glide

Applying glide lets you create smoother melodic lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Which plug-in should I configure to create vocal harmonies in Cubase?

Insert Pitch Correct on each track and set Scale Source to External MIDI Note. This forces the vocal pitch to follow the pitches of incoming MIDI notes.

Q2. How many duplicate vocal tracks do I need for chord backing?

It depends on the chord voicing you want to use. As a guide, create three duplicate tracks for a triad consisting of the root, third, and fifth, or four for a four-note voicing that includes the root.

Q3. Why play a vocal lead at a higher pitch?

Playing it higher than the original vocal brings out a distinctive formant character, making it sound like a clearly defined synth lead.

Q4. What are the benefits of using glide on a sampler track?

Glide smooths the pitch transitions between notes, creating a more natural, flowing melodic line and helping give the result a polished finish.