|
|
Vocal Recording Techniques and Tricks of the Trade
Are you about to lay down a new vocal track? Wait! Before you start wailing, there are a few basic things you should be aware of in order to get the cleanest and best sounding track possible. It is always possible to dirty up your vocals later and effects and so on, but starting with a clean vocal track is always a good practice.
Good mic technique is easy to achieve. Keep two things in mind: First, remember that the microphone's diaphragm reacts differently to the subtle variations in your voice, and the intensity of your vocal delivery. Second, your body position and proximity to the mic should be adjusted throughout the vocal delivery depending on the dynamics of your performance.
For vocal performance that remain soft and intimate from start to finish, the singer should stay positioned just a few inches from the mic. For louder, full volume singing, stand back two or three feet and let loose. If your delivery requires a mixture of both, then you need to move in close and back off the mic as needed. Start getting used to doing this even if its just for a couple words or a short phrase.
Ideally, you should keep your mouth just a few inches from the mic as long as you're not overloading the levels. If you do overload the levels, two things can happen to your track. One, you will get digital clipping- which sounds horrible. Two, it's possible that your mic will shut down temporarily depending on how sensitive it is. Both scenarios effectively ruin your recording, but both are also easily avoided by just 'wasting' your vocals a little. by this i mean just pointing mouth to the side or above the mic so you're not singing directly into it during loud bursts.
Getting rid of mouth pops and lip noise is crucial! Depending on the type of mic youre using, there may already be a pop-filter built in. Stage mics generally have the pop-filter built into the ball-shaped mesh grill that also serves to protect the sensitive parts. However, studio mics generally come with a foam sleeve that slips over the mic itself. Many engineers argue that the foam variety kills some of the high end frequencies and prefer the newer, nylon stocking O-ring pop filters. Positioning one of these between the singer and the mic will prevent blasts of breath from overloading the mic.
Avoid recording annoying mouth noise. Its and easily avoidable situation that requires minimal effort to correct, and makes a big difference in the end. Ok, brace yourself, here it is: drink lots of water, or have your singer drinks lots of water. It will go a long way towards eliminating unwanted mouth noise, and a few extra trips to the bathroom is a small price to pay.
Follow these simple rules and you will get a nice clean vocal track. Once you have that, you can freely add reverb, effects, and whatever else you can think of without worrying about enhancing the bad stuff while you're trying to get at the good stuff. These simple best practices will save hours of fix-it time in the end.
About the Author About to buy your next vocal mic? Before you do, check out the insanely low factory direct vocal microphones from VocalMicrophonesDirect.com. Why pay extra so your local music store can get new carpeting? get great deal on a wired mic, or even one of many wireless microphone systems at the lowest prices that the manufacturers will allow.
|
 |
Please Rate: |
|
Rating: |
 Processing ... |
(Average: Not rated) |
| Views: | 118 | |
|
| More Articles from Podcasting | | |
| Top Articles in Podcasting | | |
|
