HI
I curently use the Boss VE 20 to create vocal harmonies . The issue I have is that the lead and vocals record on a single track . The Boss VE 20 only has either a stereo out , mono out or a mono dry . Is there a way to separate after putting this down in Cubase that I can then separate it on two tracks to mix just the harmonies without the lead vocals ?
An “engineering hack” could be to record the vocals first in Cubase, use that output as the input to the VE20, record the “wet” to get a main+harmonies track and then reverse phase on the original vocals to cancel them out of the harmony mix. Might be messy, but it could be fun 
Good thinking @Thor.HOG !
Basically, I would suggest the same thing: Track the vocals first and run them through the VE20 afterwards. Only difference and if possible: Turn the harmony level up to 100% so that you just track the wet signal this time.
Or you track your vocals with two mics at the same time (position is important - phase issues!).
yes, and even better is to record a dry vocal and then record the harmony take. I mean sing it twice, that will sound more professional and natural.
Yes, that would definetly be closer to real harmonies. I agree!
However, sometimes you are looking for this artificial harmony stack sound based on just one lead vocal. Depends on your goals.
sure, I do it a lot too.
I typically split the dry signal before it hits an effect, and then simultaneously record the dry and the wet onto separate tracks.
That’s a bit more cumbersome to set up at first, but faster on subsequent iterations of the same workflow.
And it still allows for subsequent fx recording with different fx settings or even a different hardware unit from the original raw recording.
Big Ole Jet Airliner, man!!
Yeah, but his harmonizer is an external processor that only outputs input signal with the wet mix.
Edit: Better put, it only outputs the effect with the input signal.
I probably should have mentioned, that I use a DI box to split the dry signal into 2 signal paths before it ever hits the harmonizer (in my case a VoiceLive 3).
And (optionally) I turn down the original vocal voice volume in the virtual mixer in the harmonizer. Not sure if the OPs device has such a mix control in that harmonizer.
So in my setup, the dry output from the DI box gets recorded into one Cubase channel, and the output from the harmonizer box gets recorded into another Cubase channel simultaneously.
Yeah, for sure if it had an effects mix. Oddly, it only has a dry out (reportedly). I’m curious as to how well phasing will work, though I think @diegoalejo15’s idea is a good approach if the production style supports it and you don’t mind that slap effect on the vocals.
I checked the user manual and it’s not quite clear to me, if the dual mono mode possibly delivers only the fx on the other channel. That’s one thing I’d check.
Also: Singing things twice doesn’t necessarily apply if you’re in a situation where you work with someone else’s existing vocal track and getting them in to sing another track is impossible, difficult, undesirable, inconvenient, etc.
Or create harmonies without hardware by duplicating the original vocal track and then using Cubase Variaudio to pitch shift to the harmony notes. I’ve also done that lots of times rather than using a hardware harmonizer.
100%, and why I said “if your production supports it.” It would change the entire feel of the song, of course. My concern with a DI box would be fidelity of the signal you intend to phase out. I’ve actually never tested signal variations on a DI between outputs, and actually, I’ve never used a DI with a mic before (only instruments) so I don’t know. But if there is any variation at all the phasing hack won’t work (or as well). And in fact, it won’t work well if the Boss mangles the source either.
All around it’s a hack, so YMMV anyway.
If you have a multichannel audio interface use another output as send channel and other two input as returns. Assign the vocal channel to both, main and send. Then connect the send to the boss and it’s output to the returns. Create a stereo track for the returns, aet the boss to 100% wet and you’re done. When you sing the singnal will go to vocal track on one side and to the send > processing > return on the other side. Just keep the latency low.
That’s the way you would use on a mixing console.
How would that remove the input vocals from the harmony mix? The output of the Boss (reportedly) only provides for a wet mix including the input signal. His goal is to remove the input signal from the wet mix of the output.
It doesn’t really matter, but it’s an interesting engineering problem and just making sure I understand what you’re saying
I mean, the “solution” would be to not use the Boss, but that’s not what he asked
No, unfortunately that wouldn’t remove the input signal from the VE output as this is a gear limitation. That gear is designed mainly for live performances and to be managed in a very simple way (I guess Boss is assuming that not all the vocalist have tech skills … lol), hence the limitation (that also avoided them to make a signal split path in designing the box).
The only solution then, as you already noted, in your “engineering hack” …
I don’t use this but use other Roland/Boss products and in most of the cases they just cut out very useful options for very cheap manufacturing savings …
Work with make harmonies. Then add desired effects. I got lots of cool harmony vocal pads that sing the right lyrics when mixed in with my harmonies and Hollywood backup singers sound fat.
Yeah, endless possibilities out there 
Steinberg’s stock Vocoder is underrated as well.
EW Opus Ozempic Edition is a slimmed down version.
I find word builder to be pretty good once you spend the hours learning it. If mixed in they sound like their singing all the words. Soloed not so great. Stick to ohhs and ahhs.