GUIDE · YOUNG THUG VOCALS · ANY DAW
How to mix vocals like Young Thug.
Thug-style vocals jump from squeaks to growls inside one line, so the chain has to keep both clear: quick tune, controlled grit, a thick chorus and delay throws on the adlibs. Here's the chain with stock plugins, then the one-click way.
By Jordon Lumley, producer and maker of SCRAMBLE. · Nov 2026
The sound in four parts.
Quick tune that follows big jumps
Grit that doesn't fizz on high notes
Thick chorus
Delay throws
The chain, step by step.
In this order, on the vocal track. The numbers are starting points: trust your ears.
- Pitch correction. Song's key, fast-to-medium retune (8-15 ms) so big jumps still land.
- Low cut + EQ. High-pass around 120 Hz. Cut the 3-4 kHz area a little: squeaky notes get sharp there.
- Compression. Two stages, fast then slow. Growls and squeaks are very different levels, so it works harder than usual (5-6 dB).
- Grit. Saturation at 25-40% mix. Add a de-esser after, so the high squeaks don't fizz.
- Chorus. A thick chorus or doubler at 20-30% for that wide, syrupy sound.
- Throws. 1/4 note delay on a send, automated up on the adlibs and last words.
Young Thug is named only to describe a vocal style. SCRAMBLE isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Young Thug. The settings below are our own starting points for the sound, not anyone's actual session settings.
Or do it in one click.
Load SCRAMBLE, open the VOCALS page, pick SLIME CLEAN PRO (free), hit MATCH SONG KEY. With the Bundle, try SLIME GROWL, SLIME SQUEAL and SLIME THICK CHORUS. 12 slime chains.
Everything in the chain above, in one free plugin: Young Thug vocal chain presets →
SCRAMBLE is free.
10 vocal chains, 8 FX modes for drums, 808s, hats, loops and the master bus, and a Rubik's cube with 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 positions, each a different FX chain. Mac + Windows, no card needed.
Questions
Why do my high notes sound harsh?
Tune plus grit piles up energy at 3-5 kHz. Cut there a little and add a de-esser after the saturation.
Do I need paid plugins?
No. Every step works with your DAW's stock plugins (FL Studio, Logic, Ableton, Studio One all have a pitch corrector, EQ, compressor, saturator, delay and reverb). SCRAMBLE just does the whole chain in one free plugin.
Will it sound exactly like the record?
No chain will on its own: the voice, the mic, the performance and the beat matter more than any plugin. This gets your vocal into the same lane fast.