Vocal Chain Breakdown: DJ Swivel on Rema's "Calm Down"
When it comes to crafting polished, radio-ready vocals, few do it better than DJ Swivel (Jordan Young). In this article, we break down the exact vocal chain he used while mixing Rema’s international hit “Calm Down.”
This plugin chain showcases DJ Swivel’s approach to clarity, warmth, and spatial depth — while preserving the artist’s original tone and emotion.
DJ Swivel was kind enough to share a screenshot of his settings. You’ve gotta check it out his new plugin! I’m dropping the link – https://djswivel.com/products/all-plugins/?ref=IVAN15
Screenshots from the actual session: Rema, Selena Gomez - Calm Down
1. Waves Renaissance DeEsser
Tames initial sibilance and smooths out harsh “S” and “T” sounds for a controlled vocal base.
2. Waves SSL E-Channel
Handles EQ and compression with an analog-style vibe — perfect for tonal shaping and control.
3. Waves R-Vox
Adds tight compression and forward presence in the mix with simplicity and power.
4. Brainworx SPL Vitalizer MK2-T
Psychoacoustic enhancer for improved clarity, richness, and mix-friendly tone.
5. Slate Digital Fresh Air
Enhances top-end sparkle and modern shine — perfect for crisp vocals.
6. FabFilter Pro-Q 4
Surgical EQ adjustments for cleaning up mud, resonances, and sculpting the final tone.
7. Waves Renaissance DeEsser (2nd Pass)
A second round of de-essing to control added brightness post-enhancement.
8. Valhalla Room
Natural reverb for subtle space and depth — helps place the vocal in a 3D mix environment.
9. Waves H-Delay
Rhythmic delays and slapbacks to add motion and interest to the vocal phrase.
10. Waves Doubler
Stereo widening and subtle chorus-like thickening for a bigger vocal sound.
11. Valhalla Vintage Verb
Warm, lush reverb tail — adds final polish and emotional space behind the lead vocal.
One More Thing…
Also—check out my other blog posts! I recently transcribed a ton of content, so now you can see all my plugin chains and hardware setups with clickable links.
And if you’re looking for pro-level results fast, I’ve got Grammy Award-winning templates and my brand new sample pack ready for you. Don’t miss it.
1 comment
Good