5 Tips On Recording Vocals

If you've got a storming vocal on record you're halfway towards a fantastic production. Even if all the music you're making is produced via MIDI, the probability is that sooner or later or other you'll have to record vocals while using the traditional tools of a singer plus a microphone. The vocal line is invariably the focal point of an song, therefore it really needs to be good, and because a persons voice is the natural sound with which we are most acquainted, any weaknesses in a vocal recording are usually instantly evident. Luckily, providing you have a vocalist that can sing in tune, obtaining a great vocal sound is notnuclear physics - you need to simply follow a few basic guidelines, and possibly consider benefit of a couple of methods of the trade to obtain a professionally produced vocal sound.

1. Ensure the singer is well rehearsed, physically comfy, and under no psychological pressure. Most performers perform most optimally standing up in a room that features a comfortable but not over-warm temperature. If they're distracted by other members of the band or by hangers-on, send everyone but the engineer (and producer, if you have one) from the studio.

2. Take the time to get the vocalist's headphone mix correct, and provide them a bit reverb to assist them to perform more confidently. Whenever you can rig up a method which allows vocalists to adjust their own monitor level, it will make life much simpler. A good headphone mix truly helps to encourage an excellent performance.

3. Always employ a pop shield between your singer and the mic. Failure to do this will almost

certainly result in unnatural 'pops' on plosive 'b' and 'p' sounds that can't be fixed afterwards. The pop shield is often a commercial model or even a DIY job comprising stocking material over a wire coat hanger frame, or even a fine metal or plastic sieve or chip-pan splash guard. Any of these will certainly do the job without affecting the tone of the mic. Foam wind shields tend to be practically useless in combating pops.

4. Work with a good microphone: it doesn't have to be something too special, however you should stay clear of low-cost 'bargain' models or those made for use with home stereos or mobile cassette recorders. Professional studios generally use capacitor mics, but in the project studio a good back-electret micor possibly good dynamic vocal mic might create great results.

5. Select a mic to match the vocalist. Singers with thin or excessively bright voices could possibly sound better with a dynamic microphone, such as the ubiquitous Shure SM58, while those needing much more of an open sound might reap the benefits of a capacitor or back-electret microphone. If you have numerous mic models from which to choose, try a test recording with each and find out which is most complementing to the vocalist.

By: James Deacon

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