Recording tips for singers.

[Ayo]

I found recording tips on the website of a good friend of mine, Kate Schutt. She got this jazz/blues/folk style. I think she won John Lennon Songwriting contest grand prize last year. Anyway, she posted her recording tips on her website. I thought it would be helpful for singers. I strongly recommend that you try out different mics.

 

Here is Kate's website.

[OldMattB]

It is unusual for an artist to give such an intimate look at the recording process. Interesting reading. Having said that, the information is a little less practical for low-budget hacks like me when it begins something like, "we auditioned $100K worth of microphones for a professional engineer and producer at our leisure in a huge, expensive studio."

 

There are several good books out there about the recording process if you look for them.

 

oldMattB

[WowieZowie]

I have not read the article, but I certainly will. Thankyou for the post!

 

I have learned that if you have a bunch of reverb on your voice while recording, you will not be able to hear mistakes as readily. (you won't be able to adjust as easily. You simply can't hear the mistakes. Everything is soft, and cushie, and warm and fuzzy.) Then, when you hear the recording, some fools will then show you the dry version of your singing. Well, it becomes very apparent that you didn't hit the notes, or slid into them, and it all sounds sloppy, and you end up questioning your ablility.

 

So, when recording, make it dry at first, and listen to that dry version through your headset, then add effects after. Dry allows you to hear and hit the notes.

[Ayo]

Well, when I cannot afford for a high-end studio, I usually become friends with engineers to get some tips and sometimes they lend me equipments for cheap or even for free. My engineer friend (he has worked for major labels) told me that there is no need for a high-end studio as long as you have good equipments nowadays. So, definitely there are different ways to record good music.

[careful now]

 

I have not read the article, but I certainly will. Thankyou for the post! I have learned that if you have a bunch of reverb on your voice while recording, you will not be able to hear mistakes as readily. (you won't be able to adjust as easily. You simply can't hear the mistakes. Everything is soft, and cushie, and warm and fuzzy.) Then, when you hear the recording, some fools will then show you the dry version of your singing. Well, it becomes very apparent that you didn't hit the notes, or slid into them, and it all sounds sloppy, and you end up questioning your ablility. So, when recording, make it dry at first, and listen to that dry version through your headset, then add effects after. Dry allows you to hear and hit the notes.

 

 

absolutely agree! i hate it when a singer insists on having a lot of reverb or delay in the headphones during recording for just that reason. when played back dry, it often is a sub-par performance and has to be re-done anyway.

 

singers, please, just start the session "dry" and save us all the time and trouble.

[WowieZowie]

absolutely agree! i hate it when a singer insists on having a lot of reverb or delay in the headphones during recording for just that reason. when played back dry, it often is a sub-par performance and has to be re-done anyway. singers, please, just start the session "dry" and save us all the time and trouble.

 

I gotta tell you that this really blew me away when I realized that it wasn't me. I swear, I was walking around all bummed out thinking that I was a totally bad singer. Every, and I mean every entry note was like way flat, then I would slowly swoop into the correct pitch. It was really aweful.

 

And this dude who did the recording, (Teaches audio engineering at this community college) told me that I had some pitch problems. Well, he said with a creepy smile, "you are a bit pitchy." He is the one who asked me if I wanted reverb. I didn't know how it would affect my recording. I have a feeling that he did, however. We were in this jazz band together. I sure didn't want to be "pitchy." He actually used the same term when describing another vocalist who he had worked with. And, I had seen her live a few times and she was great.

 

I thought about it long and hard. Was my hearing that bad? I put it together one night, while tossing and turning. I was so happy. Then I felt as if the dude was really just trying to screw with me. It was wierd.

 

Glad to know that I am not the only one who has had to deal with this in some way.

[Jersey Jack]

This is an interesting perspective, one that I had never thought of before. The problem with monitoring vocals dry is the same problem one encounters listening back to a dry recording: It represents one's voice at its most vulnerable and this can easily have a negative impact on confidence.

 

Now I always thought that engineers pushed reverb through the monitor mix precisely to pump up the singer's confidence. You want to get a singer in a groove, no? Monitoring one's voice dry is not likely to inspire a great performance.

 

Still, I do get the point. I have to try this out.

[careful now]

This is an interesting perspective, one that I had never thought of before. The problem with monitoring vocals dry is the same problem one encounters listening back to a dry recording: It represents one's voice at its most vulnerable and this can easily have a negative impact on confidence. Now I always thought that engineers pushed reverb through the monitor mix precisely to pump up the singer's confidence. You want to get a singer in a groove, no? Monitoring one's voice dry is not likely to inspire a great performance. Still, I do get the point. I have to try this out.

 

absolutely, do try it. if the singer can get over the confidence/vibe issue, what you end up with is often a performance that sounds really good, even dry.

 

now, guess how good that performance sounds when you sweeten it up?

[WowieZowie]

absolutely, do try it. if the singer can get over the confidence/vibe issue, what you end up with is often a performance that sounds really good, even dry. now, guess how good that performance sounds when you sweeten it up?

 

Exactly