Advanced Techniques with FabFilter Pro-DS for Mixing Engineers

Quick Setup: FabFilter Pro-DS Presets for Instant Vocal ControlFabFilter Pro-DS is one of the most widely used de-essing plugins for vocals — transparent, fast, and flexible. This article walks you through an efficient workflow to get great results quickly using Pro-DS presets, explains what each preset does, and offers practical tweaks for common vocal problems. Whether you’re finishing a podcast, polishing pop vocals, or cleaning up broadcast dialogue, these steps will help you get reliable results fast.

Why use presets first?

Presets are time-savers. They provide:

• A starting point tailored to common vocal types and issues.
• A way to audition different approaches quickly without building settings from scratch.
• Consistent results across sessions, especially useful when working to tight deadlines.

Think of presets like recipe templates: they don’t replace ear judgment, but they avoid beginning with a blank slate.

Overview of Pro-DS controls (brief)

• Input gain: raise or lower the signal going into the detector.
• Threshold: the level at which de-essing engages.
• Range: the maximum attenuation applied when de-essing is active.
• Detector focus (frequency): selects the spectral region the detector listens to.
• Mode: Broadband or Split-band (sometimes labeled “Classic”/“Soft” etc., depending on version). Broadband applies attenuation across the full signal when sibilance is detected; Split-band surgically reduces only the sibilant band.
• Attack/Release: control how quickly attenuation starts and stops (available in more advanced versions).
• Side-chain options: some versions provide external side-chain routing or EQ for detector shaping.

Choosing the right preset: quick guide

FabFilter Pro-DS includes presets aimed at different voice types and use cases. Here are categories you’ll typically see and when to use them:

• Male Vocal — Natural: Use for lower-register male singers when you want transparency.
• Female Vocal — Modern Pop: Targets brighter sibilance common in contemporary female pop vocals.
• Radio / Broadcast: Designed for spoken-word with consistent, aggressive de-essing.
• Hard / Aggressive: Use when sibilance is severe or recording quality is poor.
• Soft / Gentle: For subtle taming when you want to preserve breathiness and detail.

Start by auditioning presets while playing the vocal track. Solo the vocal if necessary to hear the effect clearly, then toggle bypass to compare.

Step-by-step quick setup using presets

1. Insert Pro-DS on the vocal track (or bus) after any noise reduction and before final EQ/compression.
2. Set the plugin’s input so the metering sits around 0 dB on peaks — this ensures the detector sees levels similar to your mix.
3. Choose a preset that matches voice type (Male/Female/Spoken/Broadband/Split-band).
4. Play the track and engage Auto Listen or the listen feature (if your version has one) to hear exactly what the detector is picking up. If sibilance sounds off, switch presets.
5. Toggle bypass to A/B the preset versus dry. If the preset reduces brightness or intelligibility, try a split-band preset for surgical reduction.
6. Adjust Threshold if the plugin is too aggressive (lower threshold = more reduction; raise threshold = less).
7. Fine-tune Range to set maximum attenuation. Typical values: 3–6 dB for subtle control, 6–12+ dB for aggressive cases.
8. Shift Detector focus (frequency) to where the sibilance resides — for most voices this is 4–8 kHz, but female pop vocals can be 6–10 kHz.
9. If sibilance is gated or choppy, increase Release; if it’s lingering, shorten Release.
10. When satisfied, check in context of full mix and make tiny additional adjustments.

Common problems and quick fixes

• Vocal sounds dull after de-essing:
  • Switch to a split-band preset or reduce Range by 1–3 dB.
  • Raise detector frequency slightly to target higher sibilant energy.
• Some consonants get unnaturally attenuated:
  • Narrow detector focus or lower Range to avoid over-compressing transient consonants.
• De-essing is not engaging enough:
  • Lower Threshold or increase Input gain so the detector reaches the activation point.
• De-essing creates pumping or artifacts:
  • Slow Attack/Release (if available) or choose a preset with gentler settings; ensure you’re using split-band mode for surgical work.

Using Pro-DS presets for different genres

• Pop/Contemporary: Start with “Female — Modern Pop” or similar, then reduce Range to 3–6 dB for natural results.
• Rock/Heavy: Use “Hard” or “Aggressive” presets with Range 6–12 dB to tame loud, harsh S-sounds.
• Acoustic/Folk: Use “Soft/Gentle” presets and keep Range minimal (1–4 dB) to preserve breath and intimacy.
• Podcast/Spoken Word: Use “Radio/Broadcast” presets to keep speech intelligible and consistent; consider bus processing for multiple speakers.

Advanced tweaks (when presets aren’t enough)

• Use side-chain EQ (detector shaping) to de-emphasize frequencies that trigger false positives (e.g., cymbals) or emphasize sibilant bands.
• Automate Threshold or Range in sections where sibilance varies dramatically.
• Parallel processing: duplicate the vocal, de-ess the duplicate aggressively, then blend underneath to retain presence while controlling harshness.
• Combine Pro-DS with surgical dynamic EQ if you need very narrow-band attenuation or to restore presence at specific frequencies.

Preset checklist for quick workflow

• Solo vocal and audition presets: pick 2–3 that sound closest.
• Toggle bypass to compare.
• Set Input for stable detection.
• Adjust Threshold → Range → Detector frequency.
• Verify Attack/Release as needed.
• Check in full mix and automate if necessary.

Example starting settings (templates)

• Subtle pop vocal: Preset “Female — Natural”; Range 3–5 dB; Detector 6.5 kHz; Threshold −6 dB.
• Aggressive rock vocal: Preset “Hard”; Range 8–12 dB; Detector 5.5 kHz; Threshold −10 dB.
• Spoken word broadcast: Preset “Radio/Broadcast”; Range 4–7 dB; Detector 6 kHz; Threshold −8 dB.

(These are starting points — use your ears and adjust.)

Final tips

• Use short A/B comparisons to avoid ear fatigue and confirmation bias.
• Minor boosts with a narrow EQ at 3–6 kHz after de-essing can restore presence without reintroducing sibilance.
• Keep a few favorite presets saved for your common voice types to speed future sessions.

FabFilter Pro-DS presets speed up the process of getting clean, intelligible vocals. Use them as smart starting points, then tweak Threshold, Range, and Detector focus to taste. With a few presets saved for your regular sources, you can move from raw take to mix-ready vocal much faster.