Chris Liepe, a seasoned vocalist and vocal coach known for his educational videos and dynamic singing style, has released Vocal Menace—a new all-in-one vocal effects plugin designed to streamline vocal processing.
Chris has gained a massive following on YouTube, where his videos have racked up millions of views. Beyond his channel, he offers online courses and private lessons, and his voice is featured in various commercial projects, from catchy theme songs to radio jingles. To help vocalists refine their craft, Chris has launched for macOS and Windows (with mobile support coming soon), aimed at providing an easy way to enhance vocal practice and recording sessions.
Vocal Menace is engineered to simplify the vocal production process, delivering professional-quality results without needing deep technical expertise. Despite his friendly approach and background in creating upbeat content for commercial use, Chris is a big fan of intense, gritty vocal styles, including aggressive screams. If you’re into that sound, Vocal Menace can push your vocals in that direction with just a few tweaks.
One of the standout features is the Heat control, which acts as a threshold setting for the compressor/limiter, allowing you to dial in intensity and power. Combine that with the Drive knob, which introduces saturation to the compressed signal, and you can get everything from a subtle edge to a full-on distorted scream. This setup is perfect for achieving that fierce, in-your-face tone needed for heavier genres.
However, Vocal Menace isn’t limited to just harsh vocals. The Heat and Drive can also add a touch of texture to clean pop vocals, giving them more character and making the sound fuller. The plugin really excels at adding a slightly raw feel, making it an ideal tool for vocalists who switch between melodic, pop-rock styles and more aggressive, rhythmic vocals—think bands like Bullet For My Valentine.
The plugin also features additional shaping controls to refine your sound. Sheen adds presence and air, bringing clarity to even the most intense vocal takes, while Girth provides low-end warmth that avoids harshness. These subtle tweaks help maintain a polished vocal sound without losing the grit.
For a more dramatic effect, the Cup function introduces a lo-fi band-limited sound, great for achieving that radio-style, compressed tone. It’s not a subtle effect, but when used sparingly, it can give your vocals a unique edge.
The plugin also includes reverb and delay controls to create spacious, atmospheric vocal tones. The Wash control adjusts reverb length and volume, while Call sets the delay feedback, and Pain introduces sidechain compression to keep the effects balanced in the mix. The delay is tempo-synced to your DAW, adding a rhythmic element that enhances the vocal’s presence and width.
Vocal Menace is a versatile plugin that’s available as a free download once you create an account on MyMusicalVoice. If you want to support Chris’s work and access extra content, there are two paid options: a $20 version that helps fund future projects and a $40 version that includes access to Vocal Menace recording workshops.
Regardless of which option you choose, Vocal Menace offers a powerful suite of tools to help vocalists and producers shape their sound with ease.
Download: Vocal Menace (FREE – MyMusicalVoice account required)
Here is a video on Vocal Menace –
