Justin Coletti breaks down vocal automation into two distinct layers: macrodynamics, the section-to-section level changes that shape how a verse sits relative to a chorus, and microdynamics, the word-by-word or phrase-by-phrase adjustments that keep individual moments from getting lost or poking out.
One key idea here is using clip gain or pre-fader gain before the signal even hits the compressor. If a vocal performance is highly dynamic, the compressor ends up working unevenly, clamping down in some places and barely touching others, which can shift the tonal character of the vocal. Leveling the waveform upstream gives the compressor a more consistent signal to work with.
Post-compression, the focus shifts to emotional precision. Coletti encourages listening critically to individual lines and asking what specifically isn't landing, rather than having a vague sense that something is off and reaching for random fixes. A word that isn't standing out, or a phrase that's too prominent, can often be solved with a 1-2 dB ride rather than an EQ or processor change.
This kind of thinking, tracing the emotional arc of a vocal and acting on specific moments, is what Coletti identifies as the gap between work that sounds passable and work that sounds genuinely compelling.