It would be easy for a vocalist to be on the stage, but the whole scenario changes when a time comes to spend most of the time behind the microphone? As vocal recording is itself an art, it becomes quite difficult for an artist to sing surrounded by equipments. It is quite obvious that the songs are the most important factor for an artist to get noticed and gain positive attraction. While recording in studios there are some factors that had to be deemed to ensure high quality vocals. As human voice is one of the natural sounds, it is quite obvious that others could easily determine the imperfections by hearing vocals on a recording compared to other instrumental parts.
Below mentioned are tips and tricks would help in nailing down the perfect vocals:
- Just Relax:
A better performance could only be delivered if the singer feels calm and comfortable. Instead of being nervous just rehearse before the recording to raise confidence. A vocalist should not face any distraction inside the studio, because it would seriously affect the quality of the outcome. Instead of ignoring the situation discuss the issues, drop the worries and sing freely.
- Quality is must:
The quality of vocals also depends on the type of microphone that they use. As there are several microphones with different types, brand and specs in the market, it becomes essential for a producer to buy a suitable one. You can’t buy microphone of a stereo system as it is unsuitable for professional recording. Condenser or capacitor phones are most commonly used for recording vocals in the recording studio as they are sensitive compared to dynamic microphones that are normally used for live vocal performance.
Before starting the session its better if one just checks the microphones.
- Just Play with your Technique:
Quality of results totally depends on the factor and manner the microphone gets used. The beginners should learn to put the microphone at a correct distance. If you are too close to it, the risk of cracking and popping of sounds will increase. If you stay far away from the microphone, it is quite obvious that the volume would be diminished, but it would also cause the sound to bounce back from the wall resulting in complete distortion of vocals.
Vocalist should also learn to adjust themselves when hitting loud or having high notes. This would make the whole music even from start till end.
Microphone should be mounted on a stand because holding the microphone in your hand could result in absorption of unwanted and residual noises.
- Shield it:
The other sounds caused by singing in front of the microphone are quite difficult to fix during the editing and mixing of songs. Hence, a pop shield would be a great help in this difficult situation.
- P.P.R.:
It is true that no individual could give astral performance on the first take; it is possible that you might notice some imperfections after your first vocal. If you are confident then there is no need to get settled for some mediocre sound striving for perfection would give you the happy outcome. Practice, Perform and Repeat (P.P.R.); these are the three keywords you should deem before getting into the studio.
Finally, achieve the greatest performance with all the technicalities so that the listener gets immersed in your song.
Author Bio: Ryan Holman is a professional sound engineer with experience in live and recording studio. He has more than 15 years of experience as an instrumentalist, vocalist and composer.