Studio Success Guide Pt. 4 - Vocals

Welcome to another edition of Phosphene Productions Studio Success Guide! This week we're going to discuss what it takes to achieve a killer sounding vocal take when recording in the studio. But before we get to the studio we have some things to prepare for... let's take a look.

Vocalists are generally classified as the “front-man (or woman)” of the band and usually have the biggest spotlight glaring on them. The singer carries the music along, tells a story of some fashion and keeps the audience interested. Though there are many different styles of singing (opera projection, screaming, whispering, etc...), generally the recording process is pretty straight-forward.

(*Just sing in the microphone right?!*)

First let's take a look at proper singing technique and that is: sing from your diaphragm!
It truly amazes me the amount of singers that don't know the first rule to great sounding pipes and that is to sing properly. Remember to sing properly and practice often - your voice is an instrument and must be taken care of to sound good.
A good idea is to avoid things that can damage your vocal chords. Before coming to the studio, try to avoid smoking, screaming, or anything else that could potentially jeopardize your singing voice. You'll be amazed at how quickly your voice can become fatigued when running through vocal takes with your engineer. If you want to sound good, take care of your instrument!

Possibly the most important task of the singer will be knowing parts and lyrics. Be sure to practice what you intend to sing and practice with your band (or your instrument).
A great idea is to write your lyrics out (or type them up), share them with the rest of your band and bring them to the recording studio. Not only will this help the whole band know what you're singing and when, but your engineer will thank you now he knows what you intend to sing as well!
If you intend to have vocal harmonies in your song, practice and write those out as well, again practicing them with the music. Knowing what you intend to record before reaching the studio will save your band time and money!

So now you're singing properly and know your lyrics - how are you going to translate that into a microphone?

Maranda Stamm of Foxy Dangerous

When getting ready to give a vocal performance in the studio, being comfortable is key. Your engineer is looking for your best possible performance and knows you'll get it if you're cool and collected. Sometimes we recommend removing the rest of the band members from the control booth, allowing the singer to have full attention on the vocal parts at hand. Band distractions can kill a vocal recording session; do your vocalist a favor and let them do their thing UN-interrupted! Your engineer will likely offer you some water but, if you prefer something other, bring it in the booth with you before you start takes! Have water at hand and keep your vocal chords hydrated.

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Likeliness is you'll be singing on a condenser microphone. Though if your doing hip-hop takes, rap or beat-boxing, even screams, It's likely you'll be given a dynamic microphone. Your engineer will have likely set-up a pop-filter for you to sing into(attached to the microphone of course!), which is probably set to the closest distance you'll want to get on the microphone. A good rule of thumb is to try to remain between 6-9 inches from the microphone, unless your engineer thinks otherwise.

(*The microphones used in the recording studio are sensitive and can pick up your vocals without you swallowing it!*)

Thick Red Wine recording group vocals

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Vocalists get one of the most tedious jobs in the studio, as It takes many takes and allot of time to get everything needed to produce a great sounding vocal comp. Some engineers love double-takes, whisper tracks, screams, harmonies, etc...

Being prepared to do as many as 10 runs through a single song is usually an honest representation of how long a song can take.

So now your ready! Keep these tips in mind the next time you're getting ready to go into the studio, and discuss any concerns you may have with your engineer. Any engineer worth his salt will be able to help you achieve exactly what you're looking for and produce a fantastic-sounding vocal track.

Good Luck and Happy Recording!

Phosphene Productions~

“The secret to great sounding vocals is potato chips, smooths the throat. Just ask any Mo-town singer!” -Anonymous