Vocal Rider by Waves vocal level plugin interface

Vocal Rider: Automatic Vocal Level Plugin by Waves

Rated 4.5/5 on Plugin Boutique (32 ratings)

Vocal Rider is an effects plugin from Waves that automatically raises and lowers vocal gain to keep a set target level. It is designed for music, podcast and video narration vocals.

VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS

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01Overview

Consistent vocal levels matter in almost every style of popular music, yet riding faders by hand is slow. Waves describes Vocal Rider as a way to handle that job automatically. You set a target level for the vocal, and the plugin adjusts gain in real time to hold it. The developer positions it as an alternative to heavy compression, which can change the character of a voice. The plugin is also aimed at podcast and video narration work.

Best for

Lead vocal levelling
Podcast voice consistency
Video narration mixing
Live vocal mixing
Vocal tracking and recording

Developer: Waves
Category: Vocal Processing
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Automatic gain riding to hold a set vocal target level
No manual drawing of automation curves required
Avoids over-compression that can suffocate the voice
Real-time operation with no added latency
Suitable for both studio and live mixing
Writes an automation track for easy level fine-tuning
Designed for music vocals, podcasts and narration

03In depth

How Vocal Rider Controls Vocal Levels

Vocal Rider works by riding gain rather than compressing dynamics. Waves says it raises or lowers the vocal to maintain the target level, much as an engineer would with fast, precise fader moves.

Because the plugin writes an automation track, you can review the level changes afterward and fine-tune them. This lets you keep manual control over the final balance while avoiding drawn automation curves.

Real-time operation adds no latency, so the plugin can be used during live tracking and live mixing as well as in the studio.

Who Vocal Rider Is For

Vocal Rider is built for vocals and voice work. Waves lists music vocals, podcasts and video narration as its main uses.

The plugin is a good fit for producers who need steady vocal levels without the coloration that heavy compression can add. It is available in VST2, AU and AAX formats, so it can be used in most common digital audio workstations on both macOS and Windows.

04Specs