Recording Acoustic Guitar



Great Vocal Recordings

Bob Kilpatrick

Rare is the person who sings well in the studio on their first recording. My first LP was recorded in Southern California at several very nice studios. I was so intimidated by the whole situation- standing alone on the other side of the glass from a very discriminating audience, wearing headphones, knowing this would become the definitive version of the song- that I was trembling; you could hear it in my voice. My wife, on the other hand, is that rare person. She did her parts in one take nearly every time (and still does.) She’s got great pitch while I struggle with it. She once ran out of the control room laughing during a take because I was so wildly off pitch. Good studio vocalists are mostly made, not born. I have some tips for vocalists and for producers that will help make a great vocal recording.

Vocalists, you’re going to be all alone in a room. There will be at least one other person listening to you, unless you’re producing your own song. You’ll have headphones on, or in-ear buds in your ears. You’ll probably have a click track going. There is no give and take between you and the band; you must stay with the click because it won’t move with you. It can feel sterile, so you’ll have to recreate the feel of the song. You’ll do multiple passes and so you’ll have to remain consistent in your delivery. Yikes! It’s beginning to feel like work!

Vocalist Number One- Practice before you get to the studio.

Doesn’t this just make sense? And yet I have had singers arrive for a session not even knowing their own song! When I’m producing, I’ll send mp3s of the mixes that the singer will be singing with so they can be prepared for their vocal session. Put some headphones on and practice singing along with the track from your iPod. Work hard on your timing and your tuning. These are the two skills you need most in the studio. Novice singers think they’ve got to “express themselves.” Expressing yourself is third on your priority list. We will discuss that more later.

Vocalist Number Two- Prepare yourself for a successful session.

If you need lots of water, coffee or hot tea to sing well, bring it to the studio yourself. Don’t expect that it will be waiting for you. I always have bottled water on hand but I appreciate those who come prepared to meet their own needs. If you don’t want a lot of people in the control room while you’re singing, let that be known. It’s your session. Tell the producer that you’d like to do this without the crowd. If, on the other hand, you do best when you have an audience, bring them yourself- and tell the producer in advance that they’re coming. Don’t, however, let the crowd take over the session. I’ve seen loads of wasted studio time with large crowds. As a producer, my preference is to record alone with the singer. I especially don’t want wife, husband, best friend or mother second guessing every decision. Lastly, print two copies of your lyric- one for you and one for the producer- in LARGE TYPE and bring them to the studio.

Producer Number One- Make a good environment.

The more comfortable your vocalist is in the studio, the better they will sing. I let the singer set the lighting in the studio to the level that they want. I make sure on behalf of the singer that the scene in the studio is relaxed. The producer should maintain firm but calm control over anyone else in the room so that the singer is free to do their best. I also familiarize them with the process of the session. Here are some things I want them to know;

- we’ll listen to the song together first and go over the vocal approach that will best serve the song.

- I want them to grow accustomed to the headphones, microphone and studio. There’s no hurry.

- the first couple of passes will be to set volume levels on the preamps. They can sing all the way through the song if they like while I’m fiddling around.

- I want them to have a great mix in their headphones. I’ll rely on them to tell me what they need to help them sing their best. I will ask them how it sounds to them and whether they need anything else in their phones.

- after that, we’ll record several takes so we can choose the best phrases from each for the final composite vocal track.

- everyone- even the best of singers- does multiple takes, and everyone sings badly at times.

- no one is going to die if we don’t get it right the first time.

- pitch can be corrected, but the right feel can’t be added to a vocal in the mix. Sing it like you mean it.

- relax and just sing.

Producer Number Two- Working the microphone.

If you have read my previous columns you’ll know that I am partial to the Audix SCX25 microphone. It is a mic that records best from a distance of 12 to 24 inches from the sound source. When I take the vocalist into the vocal booth I will help them find a place to stand. I’ll get them a music stand and position it where it works best for them. I will then place the mic where I want it to be and tell them that they don’t need to “work the mic.” They should remember where their feet are and return to that spot every time they come in to sing. I also talk to them about sibilances and pops and how to avoid them. I generally place the mic about 18 inches in front of them and about 12 inches above their mouths. The natural inclination of many singers is to then lean up toward the mic. I tell them that I’m placing the mic here on purpose; I want them to sing straight across so that their Ps, Bs, Ts and Ds don’t blow the mic away. If there is a wide volume variation in their delivery I will sometimes record the soft and loud parts on different tracks at different times and set the input levels accordingly. That way the vocalist doesn’t have to work the mic unnaturally.

Vocalist Number Three- Trust your producer or engineer.

If you’re working with a producer, let them produce. You have another job to do and that is to sing your best. If you are making decisions on the other side of the glass while you’re singing, it’ll probably have a negative effect on your performance. You’ll have plenty of time to hear what you’ve done and decide if it fits your idea of the song, but during the vocal session, just be the singer. Producers and engineers will want to do their best work for you. If you leave them to their job and do yours, the song will be better for it.

Vocalist Number Four- Expressing yourself.

When you are singing a song you are something of a musical actor. You are recreating a mood and telling a story. In some sense you take on a character and play out a scene in each song. Give this some thought before you go to record your vocal. Having an idea of your approach to the song will help you to be consistent in your delivery. Don’t get too carried away, however. Your first two priorities are timing and tuning. I’ve had vocalists trying their hardest to express themselves and ending up sounding like the worst kind of musical over-actor. I told one guy to whisper-sing the lyric. He was so bombastic in his delivery that the song was getting lost in his wide interpretation. Your personality will come through as you sing whether you like it or not and you won’t be able to stop it. The best singers, like the best actors, know that the best performance sounds like no performance at all. It sounds like it just happens naturally (think Sinatra.) Think about the lyric and what it means to you. Then sing it that way. Sing it like you would talk it. Just do it in time and on tune.

Producer Number Three- Get the best out of your vocalist.

Like the country doctor, have a good bedside manner. Keep the relaxed feeling going during the entire session. If the singer needs loads of excited affirmation, give it to them. If they’re better with muted praise. give them that. Paying attention to what they say will give you an idea how best to get the most from them. Many times I will tell a vocalist after he or she has done several good takes that, since we have these in the can, I’d like to hear them sing it in another style. I’ve had them whisper, shout and everything in between. What I want is for them to relax and do it naturally. And many times it’s that last carefree track that makes the album.

Producer Number Four- Watch your meters.

As the producer you are part psychologist, part engineer. Keep your eyes on your input levels so that you are getting the strongest signal without distortion. Listen for wildly out of tune notes or poor phrasing. Don’t stop and start too much, however, on the first or second takes. Let the singer lay into the track before you start splicing it up into bite size parts. Be judicious in your use of compression and equalization, and NEVER print effects on the original vocal track. Leave yourself the room to change your mind. Add them later. During the mix I will often compress the vocal at a threshold of -15 to -21 db, at a ratio of 1:3. I will also brighten it up at 3000 hertz and above and cut 125 hertz and below. This can give clarity and crispness to the voice and will help it ride over the other instruments on the song. These are general ideas, though, and should be tailored to each song.

byline: there is a house in New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun. It’s been the ruin of many a poor boy, and Lord, I know I’m bob@

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