George Kusunoki Miller has many aliases, such as Pink Guy or Filthy Frank. But nowadays, he is better known as Joji. Joji took the music world by storm in early 2017 with an atmospheric
sound with lo-fi elements. Here are the steps to help you emulate his dreamy vocals in your mix.
Get the Source Right
Try to record in a quiet space with minimal background noise. Joji holds his mic far to capture a full sound. Use a quality microphone with the audio interface. A large-diaphragm condenser microphone often works well for capturing vocal performances. Record multiple takes of your vocals. It gives you more options during the mixing phase. You can comp together the best parts of each take.
Pay attention to your vocal performance. Joji has a singing style that sounds very intimate—practice singing in a relaxed manner to achieve a similar effect. Try to focus more on emotion rather than power.
Layer the Vocal Tracks
Joji layers his sound to get his signature vocal style. Record 2-3 takes for verses. Take three or more recordings of choruses. Each take should be a full performance. Don’t just go for harmonies or ad-libs. Include a mix of normal and deeper vocal tones. Try singing in different registers or with slightly different timbres.
Slightly vary your performance in each take for a fuller sound. Try changing the timing slightly or emphasizing different words. Experiment with whispered or spoken word layers to add texture.
Correct the Pitch
Pitch correction or autotune can add a new dimension to the sound. Find your desired retune speed and keep the humanize setting high. It will correct the pitch without making your voice sound robotic. Joji's vocals often have a slightly imperfect quality. Don't over-correct too much. It can result in an artificial-sounding mix.
Remove Muddiness in the Vocals
Apply a high-pass filter to remove sub-bass frequencies. It helps remove any muddiness in the vocals. Boost the high frequencies to add air. It also brings clarity to the vocals. Play around with the EQ setting until you reduce boxiness. Boost the presence of the vocal in the track.
Even out the Dynamics
Use a compressor to even out the dynamics of your vocal. Start low and adjust the threshold until you get your preferred gain reduction. Use a medium attack and release to maintain a natural sound. Consider using two compressors in series with gentler settings instead of one heavy compressor.
Get Rid of Plosives
Joji keeps some distance between himself and the mic while recording. It reduces any chance of a sibilant sound in his track. If you have a bass-heavy sound, you can use a de-esser to tame the harsh-sounding sounds from the track.
Add a Sense of Space
Listen to his hits like “Slow Dancing in the Rain” or “Glimpse of Us,” you will hear the atmospheric sound that makes his sound stand out. You can achieve this with clever use of reverb.
Use a plate reverb with a short decay time. Try experimenting with different types of reverb for added effect. Go for a short room reverb for intimacy. A longer hall reverb can help achieve an atmospheric sound.
After you are satisfied with the mix, go for stereo widening. A stereo widening plugin can help you achieve the wide vocals that Joji is known for. Go easy on it to avoid phase issues. Pan the layer slightly left and right to create width.
You can also EQ each layer differently to create space in the mix. Try applying more reverb to background vocals and more compression to your lead vocals. It will help you create an interesting texture to the mix.
Bring in Delay
Add some delay to create depth in the track. Use a stereo delay with different times for left and right channels. Keep the feedback low. Experiment with tape delay emulations to add character to your vocal track.
Saturate the Mix
If you want a warm voice full of character like Joji’s, then saturation is your friend. You can use a saturation plugin or dedicated effects like harmonic exciter. Try playing with different amounts of saturation to different frequency bands for a more nuanced effect. Don’t go overboard with the saturation. It will result in the track sounding distorted.
Introduce Vocal Effects in the Mix
Once you have all the components in place and the mix sounds correct, introduce some effects Joji uses in his tracks. His hits use “vocoders” for a robotic sound. He adds pitch shifting to create harmonies or octave doubles. You also get hints of distortion in his songs.
One effect Joji is fond of is the lo-fi sound. He uses an EQ to cut both low and high frequencies. His main focus lies on the midrange. Play with different low-cut and high-cut until you get the desired result.
Add distortion or bit-crushing for a grainy texture. Experiment with different types of distortion, such as tube, tape, and digital, which all have different characters—layer in other textures like tape hiss or room tone for more character. Use a chorus or vibrato effect to emulate the wobble of old tape recordings. Consider using a low-pass filter with some resonance to emulate the sound of an old radio or telephone.
Fine Tuning the Mix
After applying these tricks to the track, just polish it. It will help the track sound professional. Pay attention to the vocal clarity. Hear the track closely. Can you understand the lyrics? Are the lead vocals balanced with the background vocals in the track?
Hear the blend of vocals with the instrumental track. Trust your ears to make changes until you are completely satisfied. Mixing takes technique and creativity. Don't hesitate to add your touch to your mixes.
If you want an easy way of achieving the Joji sound in your mix, you can use our Joji Vocal Preset. It will work with your favorite DAW without tinkering, as we use only stock plugins. Add it to your vocal chain to see your mix get a professional sheen.