Why Don Toliver’s Vocal Style Is So Unique
Don Toliver has one of the most distinct vocal styles in modern hip-hop and R&B. His sound blends smooth melodic runs, gritty textures, and ambient effects that feel spacey and hypnotic. Unlike polished pop vocals that aim for crystal clarity, Don Toliver vocals often retain a sense of rawness—adding authenticity and emotion to his music. It’s a mix of vulnerability, saturation, and reverb that makes each line hit differently.
So how do you take your own vocal recordings and give them that same raw-yet-polished energy? Whether you’re producing in Logic Pro, FL Studio, BandLab, or Ableton, this guide will walk you through how to mix raw vocals like Don Toliver, step by step.
Start With the Right Vocal Take
Before you touch a plugin, your vocal recording needs to carry the right vibe. Don Toliver’s delivery is laid-back but controlled. He doesn't over-sing or stack too many harmonies. His performances are relaxed but emotive—often floating over the beat.
To emulate his sound, record in a quiet space with a quality large-diaphragm condenser mic. Keep the take clean, intimate, and expressive. Don’t worry about being too perfect; some imperfection adds character. Aim for vocal peaks around -6dB, and leave plenty of headroom for processing.
Once your raw vocal take is captured, you’re ready to dive into the mixing chain.
Step 1: Subtle Pitch Correction
While Don Toliver often uses Auto-Tune or pitch correction, it’s never harsh or robotic. The correction enhances his melodic delivery without sounding artificial. Start by setting your Auto-Tune or pitch plugin to the key of the song. Use a medium to fast retune speed for smoother transitions, and adjust the humanize function to retain a natural feel.
This step is especially important if you're stacking harmonies later. Clean pitch movement ensures everything blends without clashing.
Step 2: Clean Up With EQ
Don Toliver’s vocals typically sit mid-range with a slight lift in the highs for air and clarity. Start by removing unnecessary low frequencies with a high-pass filter around 80Hz–100Hz. Cut muddiness in the 200Hz–400Hz range, and apply a gentle boost around 2kHz–5kHz to add presence.
A high-shelf boost around 10kHz can open up the top end—but go easy. Don Toliver vocals aren’t piercing; they’re warm and atmospheric.
If you're working with multiple vocal layers or ad-libs, use subtractive EQ to create separation and avoid a cluttered mix.
Step 3: Compress for Smooth Dynamics
Don Toliver’s tone is consistent and leveled, but it still feels natural. To achieve this, apply light to medium compression with a ratio of 3:1 or 4:1. Set a medium attack and a fast release to catch peaks without squashing the vocal’s movement.
You may want to use serial compression—two compressors back-to-back. The first smooths out transients; the second glues everything together. This helps you retain raw energy while ensuring every word is present in the mix.
Step 4: Add Saturation for Grit and Character
What really makes Don Toliver’s vocals stand out is that subtle saturation—a touch of harmonic distortion that adds weight and warmth. Use a tape or tube-style saturator plugin and dial in just enough to enhance texture without breaking the vocal.
Focus the saturation in the low-mids to give your voice depth. This helps the vocal cut through ambient-heavy beats without sounding thin or overprocessed. It’s the perfect balance of raw and refined.
Step 5: Build Space With Reverb and Delay
Don Toliver vocals often live in a wide, ambient space. That means reverb and delay play a major role in shaping his sound. Start with a plate or room reverb on a send channel. Use a decay time of 1.5 to 2.5 seconds and blend in the wet signal until the vocal feels spacious but not buried.
Then, layer in a stereo delay, synced to 1/4 or 1/8 note timing. Keep feedback low and filter the highs and lows of the delay so it tucks in behind the lead vocal. If you want a trippier effect, try ping-pong delays or pitch-shifted delays on background vocals.
This combination of reverb and delay creates the lush, floaty feel that defines Don Toliver’s sonic identity.
Step 6: Stack with Intention
Don doesn’t overuse vocal layers, but when he does, they serve a purpose. You’ll often hear soft doubles, low-octave harmonies, or vocoder-style backing tracks tucked under the lead vocal. Try recording a second take and pitch-shifting it down an octave, then blend it subtly beneath the main take.
Use wider panning and more reverb on background layers to create a three-dimensional feel. This adds movement to the vocal performance without overwhelming the mix.
Step 7: Add FX for Personality
From distortion throws to filtered delays, Don Toliver often uses effects to enhance specific moments. Automate a reverb tail on a phrase-ending word, or drop in a lo-fi filter for a bar to create contrast. These are the little moments that give a vocal identity.
Use automation lanes to bring FX in and out. You don’t want the vocal to be static—Don’s sound lives in its movement.
Bonus: Use a Don Toliver-Inspired Vocal Preset
If you want to fast-track your process and skip building a chain from scratch, Cedar Sound Studios offers Don Toliver-style vocal presets designed to replicate his raw, ambient sound. These presets are built using only stock plugins, so they work in FL Studio, Logic Pro, Ableton, and BandLab with no third-party hassle.
Load one up, tweak it to fit your voice, and you’ll be halfway to achieving that signature moody, melodic vibe. Our presets take care of the pitch correction, EQ, saturation, and reverb settings—so you can focus on the performance.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Raw, Keep It Real
Don Toliver’s vocal sound is a mix of technical skill and raw emotion. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being expressive. From airy harmonies to gritty textures and atmospheric FX, every decision in the mix serves the song's mood.
By starting with a clean vocal, applying the right effects, and embracing subtle imperfections, you can create vocals that feel alive in your track. And with the right preset or vocal chain in place, you don’t need a major studio to sound like a major artist.
Explore Cedar Sound Studios' full vocal preset collection to find the perfect chain for your sound—and take your raw vocals to the next level.