6:54
Shure Vocal Mastery - Video Workshop N°3: „Vocal Health“
If the string of a guitar breaks, it will be replaced by a new one... Unlike other instruments, our very own instrument – our voice – can sometimes n…
In this last Shure Vocal Mastery video workshop, Steven Wilkinson from ACM talks about recording vocals in a studio and what to keep in mind before and during recording sessions.
First of all, Steven explains how to prepare before a recording session. For example, is it a good idea to go out and have a bender the night before? Rather not! But what you can do is bring lyric sheets. Even if you don’t need them – and you shouldn’t need them – it is very helpful for the producer to track where you are at in the song and maybe tell you which phrases or words to repeat. As mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t need a lyric sheet in a recording session, you should know the lyrics by heart – even if it is a cover!
In the studio it is a little bit about experimentation. The producer will help you find out which mic to choose. Several types of mics should be at choice and you should try out many different ones, as your voice doesn’t sound the same with each type. The two most-used types are dynamic and condenser mics. Which one to use depends on you and what kind of song you want to sing.
What else is important? Don’t forget about the right headphone mix. Ideally, closed-back headphones should be used and you need to tell the producer whether you prefer re-verb or delay or if the sound is too loud or too quiet.
Another important topic are your feelings. Feelings come across on vocal recordings. Therefore you should put yourself in a mindset which corresponds with the feelings of a song.