# Question about vocal buses

**URL:** <https://community.mwtm.com/t/question-about-vocal-buses/12734>\
**Category:** Q&A Jon Castelli\
**Created:** [January 7, 2025, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/question-about-vocal-buses/12734 "2025-01-07T18:24:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![john\_martin](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.mwtm.com/john_martin/32/79_2.png) [@john\_martin](https://community.mwtm.com/u/john_martin)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2025, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/question-about-vocal-buses/12734/1 "2025-01-07T18:24:19Z")

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I produce and mix my own music at home, and I’m fairly happy with the sounds that I’m getting, but I always get insecure about not being sure with how many effect buses I should use to get the sound that I want. Sometimes I feel like I get the sound with just doing parallel compression With an 1176 style compressor, and a few random reverbs. Are you experimenting a lot with finding a sound, or do you know that you’re only going to use 4 to 6 parallel buses to get the sound that you want. Thank you!

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**Author:** ![Jon\_Castelli](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.mwtm.com/jon_castelli/32/2107_2.png) [@Jon\_Castelli](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Jon_Castelli)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 1:40am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/question-about-vocal-buses/12734/2 "2025-01-08T01:40:35Z")

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John! Great question. Less is usually more. I don’t use 6 parallel tracks let alone 1 sometimes. I tend to stay away from that. I think you can get a desired result with just an SSL channel strip. Many monumental records were mixed with only that tool. For example, I did zero parallel processing on most of the Billie Eilish vocals. I’d say it’s 90% ssl channel comp, some 1176 on a couple of song, and some tape emulators. Very simple chains. Just make it sound like you like it! It’s that easy!