What are vocal chops?
Vocal chops, as the name suggests, involve chopping up vocal samples and rearranging them to create a new melody or rhythm. This technique has been widely adopted in various genres of music, from electronic dance music (EDM) to pop and even in hip-hop. The use of vocal chops can add a distinctive and engaging element to a track, providing a fresh perspective to the traditional use of vocals in music.
Origins of vocal chops
The technique of vocal chopping has its roots in the early days of electronic music, where producers began experimenting with sampling and manipulating sounds. The advent of digital audio workstations (DAWs) and other music production software made it possible for producers to take a vocal sample and chop it up into smaller pieces. These pieces could then be rearranged, pitched, and processed to create a completely new sound.
Early use in electronic music
Electronic dance music (EDM) was among the first genres to extensively use vocal chops. Producers in these genres would often take a small snippet of a vocal track, often just a single word or syllable, and repeat it throughout the track. This created a rhythmic element that added to the groove of the track. The vocal chop would often be processed with effects like reverb and delay to create a spacey, ethereal sound.
One notable example of early use of vocal chops in electronic music is Daft Punk's track "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger." In this track, the French duo chopped up a vocal sample and used it as a central element of the track, creating a catchy hook that is instantly recognizable.
Adoption in other genres
While EDM was the early adopter of vocal chops, the technique quickly spread to other genres. Producers in genres like hip-hop and pop began experimenting with vocal chops, using them to create unique hooks and melodies. In hip-hop, producers often used vocal chops to create a rhythmic element that complemented the beat, while in pop music, vocal chops were often used to create catchy, memorable hooks.
One notable example of vocal chops in pop music is Justin Bieber's track "Where Are Ü Now," produced by Skrillex and Diplo. In this track, a vocal chop of Bieber's voice is used as the main melody, creating a unique and catchy hook that helped the track become a massive hit.
How vocal chops are created
Creating vocal chops involves several steps, starting with the selection of a vocal sample. This can be a sample from a pre-existing song, a recorded vocal, or even a synthesized vocal. The chosen vocal sample is then imported into a DAW or other music production software, where it is chopped up into smaller pieces.
Once the vocal sample has been chopped up, the producer can then rearrange the pieces to create a new melody or rhythm. This can be done manually, by dragging and dropping the pieces onto a timeline, or automatically, using a sampler or other software tool. The chopped vocals can then be processed with effects like pitch shifting, time stretching, reverb, and delay to create a unique sound.
