Does copying the vocals then pasting them into a new track (i.e. so you end up with 2 tracks, each containing the same vocal) have the same effect as just doubling the volume? Or does it make the vocals sound more powerful (not necessarily louder) than if you used just one track of vocals?
It seems so simple in principle, yet it's so confusing!
Thanks in advance for your help.
GarageBand (Mac) '11, Mac OS X (10.6.7)
Doubling up on vocals is a long-standing technique in recording. It has the effect of making them sound more powerful and "smooth". Of you just double a track, it really only boosts the volume. Some singers will actually sing the song (or part of a song) twice, paying close attention to timing and vocal nuances. A good singer will get it almost perfect, but it will never be absolutely a carbon-copy of the original track. When they are put together, the tiny differences make it sound nice. Just copying and pasting creates a too sterile, too mechanical replication for my liking. You can copy and paste, of course, but think about applying a different EQ to the second track, panning them to various degrees, or dragging one track so that they are slightly out of phase (only slightly, mind you--you don't want to stuff the whole song). These techniques can make it sound like a more natural doubling.
Duplicating vocals in Garageband
