Chris Lord-Alge emphasizes the importance of automating vocal levels before applying compression to achieve a more consistent and polished sound.
He prefers to manually even out the peaks and valleys in the vocal track, making it easier for the compressor to work effectively without distorting the sound. This preparation allows him to use his preferred Urei 1176 Bluestripe compressor, either as hardware or a plug-in, in a way that is less concerned with leveling the dynamics and more centered on enhancing the vocal tone.
Additionally, Lord-Alge highlights the need to pre-EQ the vocal, rolling off some bottom end and adding top end before compression. He also addresses the issue of loud breaths by manually reducing their volume to prevent them from being overly amplified by the compressor. This meticulous preparation ensures a smoother vocal performance running into the compression, giving more creative freedom in how the compression is used.