Recording vocals doesn’t have to be an especially difficult proposition—after all, it’s nowhere near as complex a task as miking up a full drum kit, for example. With a good mic, a decent space, and, of course, a skilled and talented performer, it should be relatively easy to lay down excellent-sounding tracks. But there are a few pitfalls that can get in the way of achieving the best vocal recordings, especially for less-experienced artist, and people on a budget. Here are a few “don’ts”—common mistakes to avoid when capturing that all-important vocal part.
Sounding good on a mic is very important, Some people don’t understand the the mic is a very positive feature to the right sound you want your fans to hear.
Some can hear the difference while some embrace being different.
Music and Recording
Being at home and practicing is a totally different sound you will get from a studio mic. Studio mics are clean and can pick up all the details your voice brings. Don’t worry we can enhance the sound or take out certain sounds to make you sound better. Practicing with a studio mic is key to your songs. You often have to listen to yourself to see where you could improve. The people at our studio are here to help.
Things You Might Not Know About Music Recording.
Recording vocals is arguably easier than recording a drum kit, but there are still common mistakes to avoid when laying down vocal tracks or recording vocal talent. Here’s six things to bear in mind.
Stage Mics are Different Then Studio Mics.
We are full of education of how this-or-that famous singer always records with his trusty SM58 (the classic $99 hand-held standard club mic), and still manages to sound great. And it’s probably true, at times—certainly many live mixes have vocal tracks that were taken in with this (or another equivalent) workhorse dynamic mic—I’ve mixed quite a few myself, and I thought they came out fine. But despite this, the SM58 and its ilk won’t really provide the best sound quality for a studio recording, up against other carefully-recorded instrument tracks. While stage dynamics sound ok in a busy mix, if the vocal is more isolated, or accompanied (even in parts) by a more minimal arrangement (solo acoustic guitar or piano, for example), the dynamic’s lack of clarity and air (openness) will be a limitation, and their often-slightly nasal quality will be more apparent. You can EQ for tone, but you can’t add clarity and air after the fact. That’s why most artist use a studio-standard large-diaphragm condenser for vocals—not only do these mics have the desired open-ness, but their tonal balance is often optimized to help the vocal float effortlessly above the mix, with a minimum of fuss or EQ needed. We often have to educate new artist about these fine details. Some can relate while some can’t but that’s a big part to having a successful sound.
While you may be tempted to get right up on the mic—especially if there is other sound in the room that you want to avoid leaking into the vocal track—this is not the best idea, especially with typical studio large-diaphragm condensers. These mics need a little distance—around 6” to a foot or so—to achieve their characteristic air and openness, and the best frequency balance.
One potential downside of having the vocalist maintain a little distance from the mic is that if he/she moves around too much in performance at that distance, you may be able to hear the vocal tone and ambient level change in the recording—an unwanted distraction, that may be difficult to fix later (especially if the mix is relatively dry). A little rhythmic swaying will probably be fine, If you do run into this issue, it needs to be handled delicately—this is where your studio savvy and that psychology degree your mother made you earn (you know, “as a fallback”) will come into play. You don’t want to intimidate the singer or put a damper on his/her enthusiasm, but you also don’t want to end up with a fatally-flawed take of an otherwise great performance. A gentle request or reminder, and maybe an X on the floor (with gaffer’s tape) can help the singer stay in position.
