A vocal chain is more than just a random collection of EQ and reverb. It is a sequence. When a professional mixes a vocal, the order of plugins matters just as much as the settings. A de-esser before compression behaves differently than a de-esser after saturation.
Using free Waves vocal chain presets exclusive to our community allows you to:
Exclusive Alert: The presets linked in this article are not available on the Waves site. They are custom-built for aggressive modern radio pop, gritty lo-fi hip hop, and cinematic ballads.
Rap vocals need to cut through a heavy 808 and kick drum. This chain prioritizes the mid-range "knock" and side-chain ducking for the beat.
The Signal Flow:
Exclusive Download: This chain does not include a de-esser on purpose. The CLA-76 in "All buttons" mode naturally rolls off harsh sibilance. Try it. free waves vocal chain presets exclusive
Because you read this far, we are unlocking the "Live to Master" chain. This is a secret weapon used by mixers for Netflix vocals. It uses the Waves LinMB (Linear Phase Multiband) to glue the vocal into the mix without phasing issues.
The "LinMB" Glue Chain:
I tested these on a dry, dynamic microphone recording (male tenor, pop track).
Target Genre: Pop, Top 40, Modern Country Plugins Used (in order):
The Secret: The SSL EQ before compression pushes the air frequency, but the CLA-76 catches the peaks, creating a whisper-to-scream consistency. A vocal chain is more than just a
Because these are unlisted, custom presets, they are not for sale — only available through this release.
To download the full .zip file (5 presets + PDF guide):
[👉 EXCLUSIVE DOWNLOAD LINK — CLICK HERE 👈]
(If the link expires, DM “VOXCHAIN” on our Telegram/Discord for a fresh mirror.)
A huge frustration for users is downloading a "free preset" only to find it's a screenshot or a corrupted file. Here is the exclusive, correct method for loading these presets into your DAW.
Step 1: Locate your Waves Presets Folder Exclusive Alert: The presets linked in this article
Step 2: Create a New Folder
Inside each plugin’s preset folder, create a new folder named My Free Chains. Drop the .xps preset files (provided in our exclusive download link below) into this folder.
Step 3: Rescan (Crucial!)
Step 4: Save as Track Template Once you load a chain that works, save it as a DAW Track Template (e.g., "Pop Lead Vocal"). This loads all five plugins at once with the correct routing.
After downloading and installing (which requires the Waves Central app), you receive roughly 25-30 preset files organized into categories. Unlike a simple “one-knob” solution, these are multi-plugin chains designed for specific vocal scenarios.
Key categories include: