Tutorial Overview
SWA Complete iZotope Velvet is a deep-dive instructional course designed for producers and engineers who want real control over sibilance, tone, and vocal artifacts — not just a quick fix.
Rather than treating Velvet like a traditional de-esser, this course walks you through why the plugin works the way it does, how its dual-path engine separates problems intelligently, and how to make musical decisions that preserve clarity, presence, and character.
Every chapter builds practical understanding, so you’re not guessing, chasing presets, or over-processing.
This tutorial is aimed at intermediate home-studio users and music producers who want reliable, repeatable results in real mixing situations — vocals, dialogue, acoustic instruments, and beyond — using workflows that translate to everyday sessions.
Chapter 1 – Introduction to the Dual-Path Engine
- Why Velvet is more than a traditional de-esser
- How audio is automatically split into Sibilant and Tonal paths
- Understanding the interface layout and signal flow
Chapter 2 – The Sibilance Channel
- Using the Learn function to detect problem areas quickly
- Setting Threshold to control what is treated as sibilance
- Scaling intensity globally with the Amount control
Chapter 3 – Advanced Sibilance Shaping
- Working with the six-band dynamic EQ
- Using Up, Down, and Static behaviors musically
- Soloing bands to surgically find harsh frequencies
- Layering multiple gentle bands instead of one aggressive move
Chapter 4 – The Tonal Channel and Adaptive Shaping
- Choosing the right target profile for vocals, dialogue, or instruments
- Understanding Lift versus Tame and when to use each
- Focusing processing with Low, Mid, and High scaling
- Reading the Difference meter without mixing visually
Chapter 5 – Cleaning Up with Mouth De-click
- Removing lip smacks and tongue clicks using RX-powered repair
- Setting detection sensitivity with Amount
- Targeting problem areas with Freq Skew
- Auditioning removed artifacts safely
Chapter 6 – Global Controls and the Delta Test
- Using Delta to hear only what Velvet is changing
- Soloing Sibilance and Tonal channels for balance checks
- Blending processing naturally with the Mix control
- Avoiding over-processing through verification
Chapter 7 – Practical Use-Case Scenarios
- Fixing sibilant podcast dialogue
- Taming resonant acoustic guitar recordings
- Smoothing brittle drum overheads
- Polishing intimate close-mic vocals
Chapter 8 – Workflow Optimization and Presets
- Using factory presets as learning tools
- Creating flexible user presets for future sessions
- Understanding latency and where Velvet fits in a mix
- Developing a repeatable Velvet workflow