Hi Friends, I get asked this question ALL the time! How did I get great vocals, well of course it goes way beyond the gear! Having a great performance is THE most important thing! Please check out the video and leave me any comments and questions and of course feel free to let us know your own personal experience! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Thanks for the information. Personally, I would rarely, if ever, reduce the arrangement for the vocalist (meaning, omit certain parts or instruments) because I consider it important that the singer hears the FULL band or orchestra so that he or she can tailor the performance to that orchestration and also because the vocalist(s) will be performing the song with the full band in live concerts. I would, however, attenuate the midrange frequencies to some degree so that the vocalist can hear himself properly in the headphones.
Hi Reverend Eslam, great comment! I've personally reduced the arrangement to create more a intimate vocal performance many times, it's been very successful for me, particularly with Isaac from The Fray. Ultimately there are many tips and tricks to get great results and it's important to have many different tools in your arsenal! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Great points. As an artist who's recorded with multiple producers, I can say that what stood out to me most about recording vocals with Warren was how comfortable he made me feel. Personally, tracking vocals was always the most stressful part of making a record. However, he keeps the room feeling light rather than making it feel like a giant spotlight is on me and every vocal moment. It's an atmosphere that's helped me grow immensely as a singer. Thanks, Warren!
I wrote a song and recorded it. No matter how much I tried I couldn't beat that first vocal. Even though it clipped a bit. He's bang on the money with that last comment. It's fresh it has emotion that matters.
I recorded a vocalist last year who would come in for sessions, but we actually needed an hour of each session for him to lose his anxiety. We worked this out after the first session and started each subsequent session with a relaxing cup of tea on the sofa, just chatting away. I could sense him relaxing over time and he signaled me when he felt ready to record.
The advice about sometimes the first recording of a song is the best is totally correct. No matter how hard i try I can't replicate the first take of a song. It's gold
Warren, you are so spot on when you talk about getting a vocal recorded at the time when it's relevant in the singer's mind. I have experience of recording a vocalist who wrote a beautiful and angry song about losing a loved one a few years ago, but he didn't actually get round to recording it until this year. Guess what - the passion, the fire, the tears and the emotion in his voice had gone because he'd got over it and his life had moved on. As a result I got a passable vocal performance in the end, but nothing in the class that I would have had if I had just got him to sing the vocals into a computer at the time when his life was in pieces. Keep up the excellent work Warren, we love what you do.
I love how you’re not snobby about these things; you’re accessible to anyone from cheap homemade studios (like mine) to professional studio setups. Love your videos, thank you! I’m hoping to record the vocals for my next album today, in a study, through an SM58, through an M-Audio interface into Reaper...wish me luck!
Thanks! #5: Yes, as a songwriter, there is often something very emotional and magical happening when writing, and it sorts of fades out a little after a while :)
My morning is fun and exciting. The word of God and prayer time and Warren pushing me to be better today and Warren you are a pitcher of silver full of golden apples thanks.
I'm an audio engineering graduate and I can share one of my early experiences regarding this subject matter: People who you record are unfortunately not always well rehearsed when it's time to record. So what you end up doing is recording his/her vocal performance a couple of times and essentially having to "fix it in the mix" by chopping up and using different parts of the recordings you did. Therefore it is important to isolate the singer from the rest of the band and make sure that every recording follows the same tempo. It just makes things easier to fit the vocals back into the track. I'm still learning though, and having a feeling that I will never stop learning in this field. :)
Headphone mix is super important. I always start the mix with just a little bit of reverb too if they ask for more, the reverb send is already setup and I can quickly give them a smidge more, and if they don't want it, I can pull it down in their mix.
Good example for the "performance is key" (and the click track thing): on Christina Aquielra's "Beautiful" you hear a click in her headphones (especially at the end of the song). That is because it is the recording of the very first time she sang that song in Linda Perry's studio. That performance was so good they decided to keep it, despite the click. (Edit: that story is told on Christina's Story Tellers, missing the fact that there is a click in the recording) Another great tip if your happen to get a lot of smacking sounds from the singer, let them have an apple! :-)
My best & (my opinion) recording, mix, performance to date was the very first go, and I did a straight freestyle and had to write the words Down in order to redue it. The same thing happened on different occasions with half the technology on instruments as well. The 1st take is usually my best, it just sucks when there's too big of an error to fix. But I'm learning the hard way, maybe I just need a singer
Fantastic video. I used to record always my own voice in the last decades, but it happens, that I know work with a guest vocalist and some things are maybe so obvious, that I wouldn't have thought about :). Thanks Warren!
Pure class as always. Superb stuff. This is exactly what we need to see on You Tube -- a global village of like-minded people helping each other out. As Morrissey (love him or hate him!) wrote on the Smiths song 'I Know It's Over': "It's so easy to laugh and so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle and kind." Thanks Warren for rising above the rabble with your pure positivity! Keep it up, and you've got a fan in me forever. Cheers mate.
I've found that I get easily distracted by robust mixes, and I can usually get a better vocal performance with a stripped down version of the mix -- i.e. guitars / drums (or whatever the main instrument is). Also, I prefer to mute the vocal channel and pop the left headphone ear off slightly so I can hear myself. Thanks for the awesome video and channel.
As always, I find your tutorials to be entertaining, informative and inspiring. Thanks for making me feel better about the fact that I prefer recording vocals with my secondhand Shure SM57 than I do with my Bluebird that I paid four times as much for. It's funny how you can feel like you're doing something "wrong" even though your ears are telling you that you're doing something right.
This is Gold. Of all the yourtube videos about best recording. This is the only one I have seen with Artist comfort wants and needs and ready to record is covered in detail and a PRIORITY! Glaringly obvious yet so overlooked by sound techs. Thanks
Great info as always. As a singer songwriter who is learning to record for my own music only, the comment about sometimes the best take is while writing rings absolutely true. I may stop breaking out my phone and actually turn on my gear to see if I can take better advantage of some scratch tracks. Thanks.
Thanks for the tips. Singers/vocalists and voice over artists are just that, artists. You wouldn't give inadequate time/equipment/preparation to a painter and expect a masterpiece, so the same applies to vocalists.
Fantastic Warren. So true, the most important thing about anything is the performance. Everything else is just prep for making that happen. It's great that your putting these videos out, very informative and encouraging. It's been longer than I care to remember since I was the tea boy but I learn something or reinforce what was drummed into me every time I watch a vid. You're so lucky to be doing what you're doing and it's magic that you're sharing your knowledge. Warmest greetings from the Scottish Borders. Keep your legs up :-) Dave Replicant.
For those who might value their time: 1. Headphone Mix 1:20 2. Make the Artists Comfortable 4:40 3. Mic Choice 7:15 4. Mic Distance 11:05 5. Is The Singer Ready? 14:22
Excellent tips!!!! The truth is that I always put on headphones and set the levels myself. That's the only way to be sure.. Some singers cannot tell what the want… so it's up to me :D
Really good tips. Even if you are recording just yourself doing vocals. Too often I don't have a cup of tea (oh so English! Tea fixes everything!), or something's not right because I was lazy! Now I'm watching on HD on a big screen for the first time, I see all your funny stuff on the desk.. cockpit of a Spitfire and some kind of aeronautical instrument? Love it.
Really great video so on point. I agree on all of the tips. I remember when I was tracking my friend (our band vocalist) and I have set up an SM58 on a stand. He was like "Is it ok if I hold it in my hand instead?" I was like sure!!! I then recorded his vocals for our song in 2 takes (for double tracking) and that went on in the final record. And that proves making the singer be as comfortable and in the zone can have top notch results. I'm pretty sure I just didn't record a track, I recorded a performance!
My friend Michael Evans recorded the vocals for one of his songs in a deep well. It sounded good - the voice had a very haunting echo quality. On the Olympic Penninsula in Washington State there is an old underground cistern where composer Pauline Oliveras and The Deep Listening Band like to record.
That's golden advice !! Even more than any mixing tips you can have. I experienced that when working in a studio when Nicky Minaj came. We didn't took the time to ask for her favorite headphones (whereas we get a huge list of everyday goods and accommodation from her) and we have to run to buy the headphones she liked. Which is totally normal but make use loose a bit of time. And for microphone it was the same, we chose a vintage Telefunken M 251 E for her but she end up using another microphone because she was more comfortable with, not exclusively for the sound. Singing in front of a AKG 414 is not that engaging for a singer for example haha (even if that Telefunken looked nice, but the mic she chose was a lot bigger and smaller). Her engineer knew the mic well and also asked for an outboard comp to work with in an environment he manage really well. All that to say : artist before that "audio mojo", we sound engineer and producer love. Because the mojo comes from the performance in the end. Thank for your video Warren :).
Bought a used mxl for 20 bucks, and i use it for a room mic (i think it's broken, but it still works). One day i needed to do a scratch vocal with a singer and just grabbed it because it was close. it was perfect for her voice. Now, this particular singer only uses that mic. Someday i will have her try the better mics (my opinion), but for now, if she's happy, the recordings are happy.
Aw shucks! I'm definitely just a guy sharing my experience, not an expert! Thank you for wonderful comment!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
I always find vocal sessions very precarious. There's a fine line between saying "that was good, but let's get another one", and letting a bit of a messy take slide and moving on. I find ambient lighting helps to get people relaxed, and there's even been times where I've turned the lights off completely to divert the vocalist's attention from their nerves, to focussing on the darkness of a room when the lights are off and thinking how ridiculous recording vocals like that is. In a weird way, it can take the pressure off the session doing something like that.
This was a video I got a lot out of and confirmed some things to me. The comfortable thing leading to a vocal you're creatively happy with was good to hear amongst the technical tips and although it goes without saying it actually does seem to go without saying in the studio. Thanks for the well rounded thoughts Warren. I remember a time I was doing some small time 'hardly paid enough for a bus ticket' backing vocals for a little known local song writer I felt an affinity for (Rob McFields) in a studio in Fairy Meadow and he spent the last hour going for a take and he got so flustered and disillusioned by the occasion in the booth it was confusing to me what was going on with him as it was out of time and flat. I was sitting on the couch noting all this and the poor producer even went out for a coffee whilst Rob just continued to fail the takes with no producer in the room. Afterwards I said what happened and he said he couldn't hear himself in the headphones but he didn't say anything because he just didn't think to ask the producer to change the mix. Also I find if there's a weird vibe in the studio and I feel I'm not being listened to for my mix because of whatever and I just want to get on with the moment I'm in I'll just take one side of the headphone off my ear and adjust it that way physically to get it over with.
One vocalist I work with holds a hand held close to the condenser... Works like a charm. But there are some really great tips here. Thanks. One thing I have learnt is that most singers have what I call ’Red Light Syndrome’. As soon as they know they are recording things get serious, so I tell them I’m just getting levels and record everything. In that way they approach the moment a lot more relaxed and most of the time they are the best takes.
Great video as always. Every part is important for a singer, because singers are isolated. They might feel the eyes staring at them. Guitarists, bassists, drummers etc do feel it but not to the same level as a singer does. I only have two headphones so I set up the sends to singers headphones and give them what they want. If they want it brighter or more lows I just add an EQ on the aux track and tweak until there happy. As for distance I go for around 6 inches 3 inches minimum. I use a Rode NT1-A and the pop filter is attached to the shock mount. With the pop filter parallel to the mic it's about 3 inches which gives me a reference point for the distance. Further back you get more chest sound and volume, proximity and plosives issues. Not too far back then it's more of a ambient mic not a direct mic. Maybe more ambient, natural reverb is needed. It's all about what works to get that killer vocal.
Great video! Thanks for the tips! It seems that this is one of the most esoteric aspects of recording, so it's great to see some concrete things to implement.
Ironically enough, my internet connection freaked out for a couple of minutes at "cause if they get in front of that $15,000 and then freeze" so you literally freezed for me. Some dramatic impact to emphasize the point I guess!
Hi Warren, on one of your future videos could you add a few lines about Vocal microphone placement , distance , hanging the mic above vs it standing, singing off axis etc. We’ve just bought a SE RNT Neve Mic, Space shield, Apogee Quartet & treated the room. in some people are talking about sibilance & the microphone angle but it wasn’t in dept at all. Best Wishes 😊
Let the singer bring their own in ears (in stead of headphones, in case of spill) they are used of, what I know about for example the Vic Firth drummers headphones, is that the bass-spill is a bit annoying, so you hear the music,click on your ears and environment noise is bass full... In case of vocal performance and emotions : Let the singer imagine an emotional situation bigger then the story/lyrics if he/she is stuck with studiofear, or in case of the story/lyrics: only tell a story you believe in, how can a listener believe you, if you don,t really connect with the story/lyrics, same with other instrumentalist: know the vibes and emotions of them and accommodate the emotions, we are all human though...Great tips Warren!!!
Thanks Warren, that will be 0.00 US Dollar now...hahahaha...No comments on kapitalism now please...:0 Ps. Don,t sent me a bill for all your hard work here...
My recording partner puts forth amazing emotion laying down and developing vocal tracks as we are playing together in the moment, usually based upon something personal he is going through at the time; however, his lyrics are not always developed and tend to be non-sensical at times since he likes to deliver on content as it comes out organically in the moment. I’ve only recently been successful at getting him to work with a notebook in front of him so he can jot down his lyrics as we are working so that he commits to them, otherwise he constantly changes a phrase in a way that just becomes more cliche and less true to his emotional mindset and we wind up with take after take of a song heading into completely different directions and wasting time and drive space. What I am also having a difficult time with is getting him to come back and re-doing the vocals again while he’s not playing guitar at the same time so we can get a clean recording that doesn’t have the sound of his guitar strumming and my drums that I can only partially soundproof in my basement studio space from bleeding into vocal mics. I’m working on it but in the meantime I wind up having to make eq and compression decisions for his vocals that also have to deal with that instrument bleed. Oh well, Working on it and doing the best with the space and workflow style that is at least working well at getting material captured.
I like this channel so much man,you really know what youre talk about,i like this also as a Musician ,very sympathetic Dude😎🙏🏼...keep on my support you got😊👌
I am my own producer and I'm having a problem communicating to myself about what I need to record vocally hahah. I have never had this much trouble with a mix engineer ;)
I was too motivated,and explosive in my latest cover song , that I pushed through the popfilter the strong wind of singing... I will try the pencil trick
Hi Warren, thank you SO MUCH for your videos, website and tips. They help a LOT. Question: Recording vocals with a compressor ON... what do you think? Do you prefer to record the vocal "dry" and apply it later, or is it much better to pass the signal through it while recording, and "print" the signal already compressed? Thanks so much! --- Sergio
Hi Sergio, great question! For me, I record vocals with compression, however I would suggest if you don't use compression then slowly learn to use! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
Great video! I was working with an artist recently who initially asked for lots of reverb in his headphone mix. As it turned out, he actually did a better performance without the reverb - much to his surprise. I feel that sometimes lots of reverb and effects on a singer's headphone mix is like a safety blanket, what do you think? Cheers from Newcastle!
Hi Olly, interesting question! Yes, always best to air on the side of what's best for the performance. So if they are asking for an excessive amount ease into it. However 99% of the time what they want will work, because giving them what they want will install trust in you! That is a huge part of what we do! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
I thought I was fully rehearsed when I totally changed to way I sang "Lonely Stars" last minute. Indeed it was especially difficult because I was still struggling with wanting to go back to the higher register. The point is I get the properly rehearsed thing. While I'm proud that I managed to pull it off pretty good for literally being the first time singing the song in a low register I could have done better had we had time for me to practice it a bit. (Being in overtime we didn't have time.) I've learned so much from you Warren and I haven't even taken full advantage of my PLAP membership. Thanks!
Wow, that was great, most of it is stuff I do, but . . .I have assumed I was doing it wrong. Now that someone who knows what he is doing says "nope, you are on a legitimate path," I feel so much better. Intuition is great, but I never quite know if I should trust it.
What can I say? SPOT ON! A very high quality recording of a poor performance is...worthless. I have always tried really hard to make the performers comfortable in every way - especially with headphones. The cue mix can make all the difference. In fact I have often said the hardest thing about being an engineer are 1. cue mix and 2. threading the tape recorder :) One question re: the pencil trick on the wind screen -- a #2 pencil OK??
Hi Friends, I get asked this question ALL the time! How did I get great vocals, well of course it goes way beyond the gear! Having a great performance is THE most important thing! Please check out the video and leave me any comments and questions and of course feel free to let us know your own personal experience! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Thanks for the information. Personally, I would rarely, if ever, reduce the arrangement for the vocalist (meaning, omit certain parts or instruments) because I consider it important that the singer hears the FULL band or orchestra so that he or she can tailor the performance to that orchestration and also because the vocalist(s) will be performing the song with the full band in live concerts.
I would, however, attenuate the midrange frequencies to some degree so that the vocalist can hear himself properly in the headphones.
Hi Reverend Eslam, great comment! I've personally reduced the arrangement to create more a intimate vocal performance many times, it's been very successful for me, particularly with Isaac from The Fray. Ultimately there are many tips and tricks to get great results and it's important to have many different tools in your arsenal! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Can you link the Phil Ramone materials? Is it "Making Records: The Scenes Behind the Music"? Or something else?
hello sir, I Wanna talk you. What the process?
What kind vocal effect processor can use on home recording thanks
Great points. As an artist who's recorded with multiple producers, I can say that what stood out to me most about recording vocals with Warren was how comfortable he made me feel. Personally, tracking vocals was always the most stressful part of making a record. However, he keeps the room feeling light rather than making it feel like a giant spotlight is on me and every vocal moment. It's an atmosphere that's helped me grow immensely as a singer. Thanks, Warren!
Hi The Workday Release aw thanks very much!! You rock my friend! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
I wrote a song and recorded it. No matter how much I tried I couldn't beat that first vocal. Even though it clipped a bit. He's bang on the money with that last comment. It's fresh it has emotion that matters.
I recorded a vocalist last year who would come in for sessions, but we actually needed an hour of each session for him to lose his anxiety. We worked this out after the first session and started each subsequent session with a relaxing cup of tea on the sofa, just chatting away. I could sense him relaxing over time and he signaled me when he felt ready to record.
The advice about sometimes the first recording of a song is the best is totally correct. No matter how hard i try I can't replicate the first take of a song. It's gold
Warren, you are so spot on when you talk about getting a vocal recorded at the time when it's relevant in the singer's mind. I have experience of recording a vocalist who wrote a beautiful and angry song about losing a loved one a few years ago, but he didn't actually get round to recording it until this year. Guess what - the passion, the fire, the tears and the emotion in his voice had gone because he'd got over it and his life had moved on. As a result I got a passable vocal performance in the end, but nothing in the class that I would have had if I had just got him to sing the vocals into a computer at the time when his life was in pieces. Keep up the excellent work Warren, we love what you do.
Wow! Thanks ever so much for the great comment! I really appreciate it
That’s his fault, as an artist u wanna make music when ur most emotional because emotion is what makes the music
I love how you’re not snobby about these things; you’re accessible to anyone from cheap homemade studios (like mine) to professional studio setups. Love your videos, thank you! I’m hoping to record the vocals for my next album today, in a study, through an SM58, through an M-Audio interface into Reaper...wish me luck!
Thanks!
#5: Yes, as a songwriter, there is often something very emotional and magical happening when writing, and it sorts of fades out a little after a while :)
Agreed 100%!! Very well put! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
My morning is fun and exciting. The word of God and prayer time and Warren pushing me to be better today and Warren you are a pitcher of silver full of golden apples thanks.
Great comment Rick!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
I'm an audio engineering graduate and I can share one of my early experiences regarding this subject matter: People who you record are unfortunately not always well rehearsed when it's time to record. So what you end up doing is recording his/her vocal performance a couple of times and essentially having to "fix it in the mix" by chopping up and using different parts of the recordings you did. Therefore it is important to isolate the singer from the rest of the band and make sure that every recording follows the same tempo. It just makes things easier to fit the vocals back into the track. I'm still learning though, and having a feeling that I will never stop learning in this field. :)
Headphone mix is super important. I always start the mix with just a little bit of reverb too if they ask for more, the reverb send is already setup and I can quickly give them a smidge more, and if they don't want it, I can pull it down in their mix.
Hi Matt McQueen agreed 100%! It is extremely important indeed! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
Matt McQueen - I always ask for a bit of verb in my ears! :-)
Good example for the "performance is key" (and the click track thing): on Christina Aquielra's "Beautiful" you hear a click in her headphones (especially at the end of the song).
That is because it is the recording of the very first time she sang that song in Linda Perry's studio. That performance was so good they decided to keep it, despite the click. (Edit: that story is told on Christina's Story Tellers, missing the fact that there is a click in the recording)
Another great tip if your happen to get a lot of smacking sounds from the singer, let them have an apple! :-)
The vocal melody on "Ungodly Hour" is incredible! The vocal production on it really sounds great. Excellent job, Warren.
Agreed! An amazing melody! Joe did a wonderful job! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
My best & (my opinion) recording, mix, performance to date was the very first go, and I did a straight freestyle and had to write the words Down in order to redue it. The same thing happened on different occasions with half the technology on instruments as well. The 1st take is usually my best, it just sucks when there's too big of an error to fix. But I'm learning the hard way, maybe I just need a singer
Fantastic video. I used to record always my own voice in the last decades, but it happens, that I know work with a guest vocalist and some things are maybe so obvious, that I wouldn't have thought about :). Thanks Warren!
Pure class as always. Superb stuff. This is exactly what we need to see on You Tube -- a global village of like-minded people helping each other out. As Morrissey (love him or hate him!) wrote on the Smiths song 'I Know It's Over': "It's so easy to laugh and so easy to hate, it takes guts to be gentle and kind." Thanks Warren for rising above the rabble with your pure positivity! Keep it up, and you've got a fan in me forever. Cheers mate.
I've watched many of his videos and like them all. This is one of his best, great video.
Aw shucks! Thanks ever so much
I've found that I get easily distracted by robust mixes, and I can usually get a better vocal performance with a stripped down version of the mix -- i.e. guitars / drums (or whatever the main instrument is). Also, I prefer to mute the vocal channel and pop the left headphone ear off slightly so I can hear myself. Thanks for the awesome video and channel.
production techniques! yes! absolutely!
Thanks ever so much Matt!!
As always, I find your tutorials to be entertaining, informative and inspiring.
Thanks for making me feel better about the fact that I prefer recording vocals with my secondhand Shure SM57 than I do with my Bluebird that I paid four times as much for.
It's funny how you can feel like you're doing something "wrong" even though your ears are telling you that you're doing something right.
This is Gold. Of all the yourtube videos about best recording. This is the only one I have seen with Artist comfort wants and needs and ready to record is covered in detail and a PRIORITY!
Glaringly obvious yet so overlooked by sound techs.
Thanks
Great info as always. As a singer songwriter who is learning to record for my own music only, the comment about sometimes the best take is while writing rings absolutely true. I may stop breaking out my phone and actually turn on my gear to see if I can take better advantage of some scratch tracks. Thanks.
You're so engaging.
Aw shucks my friend! You're so charming! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
So are you!
Performance is key. Period. Wise words (as usual). Thank you Warren.
Yes Oliver! Creativity and performance is king!
Massive thanks as always, Warren - vocals is something I still struggle with - especially trying to capture my own / recording myself.
You're very welcome James!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
Thanks for the tips. Singers/vocalists and voice over artists are just that, artists. You wouldn't give inadequate time/equipment/preparation to a painter and expect a masterpiece, so the same applies to vocalists.
Fantastic Warren.
So true, the most important thing about anything is the performance. Everything else is just prep for making that happen. It's great that your putting these videos out, very informative and encouraging. It's been longer than I care to remember since I was the tea boy but I learn something or reinforce what was drummed into me every time I watch a vid.
You're so lucky to be doing what you're doing and it's magic that you're sharing your knowledge.
Warmest greetings from the Scottish Borders.
Keep your legs up :-)
Dave Replicant.
Excellent advice! Please do more videos with a focus on working with artists and production techniques!
Great video Warren. And as always such useful information. Superb.
Thanks ever so much
Really great advice. It’s all about the performance!
For those who might value their time:
1. Headphone Mix 1:20
2. Make the Artists Comfortable 4:40
3. Mic Choice 7:15
4. Mic Distance 11:05
5. Is The Singer Ready? 14:22
Excellent tips!!!! The truth is that I always put on headphones and set the levels myself. That's the only way to be sure.. Some singers cannot tell what the want… so it's up to me :D
Definitely, always set it the way you think sounds amazing and then tweak from there! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Really good tips. Even if you are recording just yourself doing vocals. Too often I don't have a cup of tea (oh so English! Tea fixes everything!), or something's not right because I was lazy!
Now I'm watching on HD on a big screen for the first time, I see all your funny stuff on the desk.. cockpit of a Spitfire and some kind of aeronautical instrument? Love it.
Really great video so on point. I agree on all of the tips. I remember when I was tracking my friend (our band vocalist) and I have set up an SM58 on a stand. He was like "Is it ok if I hold it in my hand instead?" I was like sure!!! I then recorded his vocals for our song in 2 takes (for double tracking) and that went on in the final record. And that proves making the singer be as comfortable and in the zone can have top notch results. I'm pretty sure I just didn't record a track, I recorded a performance!
My friend Michael Evans recorded the vocals for one of his songs in a deep well. It sounded good - the voice had a very haunting echo quality. On the Olympic Penninsula in Washington State there is an old underground cistern where composer Pauline Oliveras and The Deep Listening Band like to record.
Thanks for your great information! I've become a little obsessed with watching all of them when I'm not in the studio lol
Love this video. Thanks!
You’re very welcome
Thanks for the tips Warren, Your channel is great, I've learned so much, keep going
Really appreciate your advice Warren, informative and seconds my own beliefs
By far... by faaarrrr the most compeling topic of this subject.
The amount of help this man has given me is crazy😁 very easy to understand and great tips
Wow! Glad you think so! Thanks ever so much
That's golden advice !! Even more than any mixing tips you can have. I experienced that when working in a studio when Nicky Minaj came. We didn't took the time to ask for her favorite headphones (whereas we get a huge list of everyday goods and accommodation from her) and we have to run to buy the headphones she liked. Which is totally normal but make use loose a bit of time.
And for microphone it was the same, we chose a vintage Telefunken M 251 E for her but she end up using another microphone because she was more comfortable with, not exclusively for the sound. Singing in front of a AKG 414 is not that engaging for a singer for example haha (even if that Telefunken looked nice, but the mic she chose was a lot bigger and smaller). Her engineer knew the mic well and also asked for an outboard comp to work with in an environment he manage really well.
All that to say : artist before that "audio mojo", we sound engineer and producer love. Because the mojo comes from the performance in the end.
Thank for your video Warren :).
Thanks ver so much for that great insight and comment! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
Bought a used mxl for 20 bucks, and i use it for a room mic (i think it's broken, but it still works). One day i needed to do a scratch vocal with a singer and just grabbed it because it was close. it was perfect for her voice. Now, this particular singer only uses that mic. Someday i will have her try the better mics (my opinion), but for now, if she's happy, the recordings are happy.
Hi Aaron Bird definitely! If it works then great!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
love this story.
@@LizaLavolta Love your song Honeybee!
@@aaronbird9437 awww- ty! Working on my ep. Hoping to have some new stuff up in 2021 (: Ty for listening.
Thanks Warren ! Back Vocals (Process, Recording & Mixing) Topic would be great in the future !
Cheers
The pop screen is great to keep that distance from the mic and you can also use it in front of a dynamic mic
Yes, agreed!! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Another great video! Simple yet powerful tips from an expert. Thanks for making these amazing tutorials...
Aw shucks! I'm definitely just a guy sharing my experience, not an expert! Thank you for wonderful comment!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
I always find vocal sessions very precarious. There's a fine line between saying "that was good, but let's get another one", and letting a bit of a messy take slide and moving on. I find ambient lighting helps to get people relaxed, and there's even been times where I've turned the lights off completely to divert the vocalist's attention from their nerves, to focussing on the darkness of a room when the lights are off and thinking how ridiculous recording vocals like that is. In a weird way, it can take the pressure off the session doing something like that.
Having mood lighting and possibly even incense or some other relaxing aromatherapy can be really awesome.
I really enjoyed singing from Ez Voice because I love singing with headset microphone and playing with the piano and write the lyrics from my tablet.
A real pleasant style. Good info but just plain nice to listen to. Thanks!
Produce Like A Bro
Haha indeed...Bro! Ha
Wait how?
This was a video I got a lot out of and confirmed some things to me. The comfortable thing leading to a vocal you're creatively happy with was good to hear amongst the technical tips and although it goes without saying it actually does seem to go without saying in the studio. Thanks for the well rounded thoughts Warren.
I remember a time I was doing some small time 'hardly paid enough for a bus ticket' backing vocals for a little known local song writer I felt an affinity for (Rob McFields) in a studio in Fairy Meadow and he spent the last hour going for a take and he got so flustered and disillusioned by the occasion in the booth it was confusing to me what was going on with him as it was out of time and flat. I was sitting on the couch noting all this and the poor producer even went out for a coffee whilst Rob just continued to fail the takes with no producer in the room. Afterwards I said what happened and he said he couldn't hear himself in the headphones but he didn't say anything because he just didn't think to ask the producer to change the mix.
Also I find if there's a weird vibe in the studio and I feel I'm not being listened to for my mix because of whatever and I just want to get on with the moment I'm in I'll just take one side of the headphone off my ear and adjust it that way physically to get it over with.
Thanks for the tips, Warren! Now to work on my vocal performances! haha
Hi Matthew Diamante haha yes get to it my friend!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
One vocalist I work with holds a hand held close to the condenser... Works like a charm. But there are some really great tips here. Thanks.
One thing I have learnt is that most singers have what I call ’Red Light Syndrome’. As soon as they know they are recording things get serious, so I tell them I’m just getting levels and record everything. In that way they approach the moment a lot more relaxed and most of the time they are the best takes.
loved all the tips. Thanks for sharing the wisdom.
Thanks Warren, all good tips!!
Great Tips!! I just learned how important the headphone mix is too!
Thanks very much Eric!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Great tips Warren! Gonna start working on these!
Hi Hayden Cluff thanks very much!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
Looking very tan sir! Good video
Haha thanks!
Thank you so much for all the information you share
Great video as always. Every part is important for a singer, because singers are isolated. They might feel the eyes staring at them. Guitarists, bassists, drummers etc do feel it but not to the same level as a singer does. I only have two headphones so I set up the sends to singers headphones and give them what they want. If they want it brighter or more lows I just add an EQ on the aux track and tweak until there happy. As for distance I go for around 6 inches 3 inches minimum. I use a Rode NT1-A and the pop filter is attached to the shock mount. With the pop filter parallel to the mic it's about 3 inches which gives me a reference point for the distance. Further back you get more chest sound and volume, proximity and plosives issues. Not too far back then it's more of a ambient mic not a direct mic. Maybe more ambient, natural reverb is needed. It's all about what works to get that killer vocal.
Thank you for the very informative video! I found it very useful! After listening to you, it makes me want to record in your studio :)
Great video! Thanks for the tips! It seems that this is one of the most esoteric aspects of recording, so it's great to see some concrete things to implement.
Hi Mike McKew wonderful! So glad to be able to help!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
Ironically enough, my internet connection freaked out for a couple of minutes at "cause if they get in front of that $15,000 and then freeze" so you literally freezed for me. Some dramatic impact to emphasize the point I guess!
Hi Arkadiusz Rozmus wow! Indeed what a crazy coincidence! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
Awesome! Its great to have these worthwhile videos to watch instead of TV.
cheers
Thanks ever so much! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
Best explanation yet glad your British leading the way
Thanks ever so much
Hi Warren,
on one of your future videos could you add a few lines about Vocal microphone placement , distance , hanging the mic above vs it standing, singing off axis etc. We’ve just bought a SE RNT Neve Mic, Space shield, Apogee Quartet & treated the room.
in some people are talking about sibilance & the microphone angle but it wasn’t in dept at all.
Best Wishes 😊
Again, you're the best !
Thanks ever so much!
Tip 5 is a good help, i will testing this
Thanks Don! I'm so glad to be able to help! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
thank you too ;)
Let the singer bring their own in ears (in stead of headphones, in case of spill) they are used of, what I know about for example the Vic Firth drummers headphones, is that the bass-spill is a bit annoying, so you hear the music,click on your ears and environment noise is bass full... In case of vocal performance and emotions : Let the singer imagine an emotional situation bigger then the story/lyrics if he/she is stuck with studiofear, or in case of the story/lyrics: only tell a story you believe in, how can a listener believe you, if you don,t really connect with the story/lyrics, same with other instrumentalist: know the vibes and emotions of them and accommodate the emotions, we are all human though...Great tips Warren!!!
Thanks very much Jeroen for your great insight!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Thanks Warren, that will be 0.00 US Dollar now...hahahaha...No comments on kapitalism now please...:0 Ps. Don,t sent me a bill for all your hard work here...
My recording partner puts forth amazing emotion laying down and developing vocal tracks as we are playing together in the moment, usually based upon something personal he is going through at the time; however, his lyrics are not always developed and tend to be non-sensical at times since he likes to deliver on content as it comes out organically in the moment. I’ve only recently been successful at getting him to work with a notebook in front of him so he can jot down his lyrics as we are working so that he commits to them, otherwise he constantly changes a phrase in a way that just becomes more cliche and less true to his emotional mindset and we wind up with take after take of a song heading into completely different directions and wasting time and drive space. What I am also having a difficult time with is getting him to come back and re-doing the vocals again while he’s not playing guitar at the same time so we can get a clean recording that doesn’t have the sound of his guitar strumming and my drums that I can only partially soundproof in my basement studio space from bleeding into vocal mics. I’m working on it but in the meantime I wind up having to make eq and compression decisions for his vocals that also have to deal with that instrument bleed. Oh well,
Working on it and doing the best with the space and workflow style that is at least working well at getting material captured.
thank you for sharing your Experience. Good Video and I could pick up much knowledge for future Vocal recording^^ Greetings from Switzerland
Thanks Phil! I'm so glad to be able to help! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
Didn't realize you produced the Fray. Colorado guy and I'm a fan of them. Nice work on those albums.
Amazing advices Warren, thank you ;-)
My pleasure!
This info is worth its weight in gold. Thanks man!
I like this channel so much man,you really know what youre talk about,i like this also as a Musician ,very sympathetic Dude😎🙏🏼...keep on my support you got😊👌
you're videos are amazing! thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Agree. Performance is the key. That's no. 1 tip
Hi Takefumi Music Channel yes, indeed! These are all ways to get that performance! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
Thank you for being so thoughtful.
Now for me to work on my singing via a cup of tea(fav. drink), clean pop screen, nice phone mix, dynamic mic and of course rehearsals! :):)
Haha exactly my friend! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Thanks for another great vid Warren.
really like your videos! 100% agreed! thanks warren
Thanks very much for your kind words I really appreciate it! Have a marvellous time recording, many thanks Warren
yah i love that rage and deftones dynamic mic sound, pops welcome , hear the spit
old video but such great advice thank you Warren
obrigado, so, so useful you are (also) a fabulous communicator !
Wow! Thank you ever so much Miguel!! You Rock my friend!
I am my own producer and I'm having a problem communicating to myself about what I need to record vocally hahah. I have never had this much trouble with a mix engineer ;)
Thanks warren for the video! Greets Mikel
Thanks ever so much Mikel! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Thanks Warren you are the best - you give a lot back to the people, its a honor to be your friend ! Mikel
I love your channel! So many useful tips!
Hi Dead Fox as shucks thanks ever so much!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
This is a great video Warren, thanks
Always solid stuff, thank you.
I was too motivated,and explosive in my latest cover song , that I pushed through the popfilter the strong wind of singing... I will try the pencil trick
Thank you very much for your experience! :) :) :)
You're very welcome! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
my Shure SM7 is my go to mic. Rarely do i change it out
Wonderful Robert!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
I'm digging what you're saying
Hi Warren, thank you SO MUCH for your videos, website and tips. They help a LOT. Question: Recording vocals with a compressor ON... what do you think? Do you prefer to record the vocal "dry" and apply it later, or is it much better to pass the signal through it while recording, and "print" the signal already compressed? Thanks so much! --- Sergio
Hi Sergio, great question! For me, I record vocals with compression, however I would suggest if you don't use compression then slowly learn to use! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing! Many thanks Warren
Great video! I was working with an artist recently who initially asked for lots of reverb in his headphone mix. As it turned out, he actually did a better performance without the reverb - much to his surprise. I feel that sometimes lots of reverb and effects on a singer's headphone mix is like a safety blanket, what do you think? Cheers from Newcastle!
Hi Olly, interesting question! Yes, always best to air on the side of what's best for the performance. So if they are asking for an excessive amount ease into it. However 99% of the time what they want will work, because giving them what they want will install trust in you! That is a huge part of what we do! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing many thanks Warren
I thought I was fully rehearsed when I totally changed to way I sang "Lonely Stars" last minute. Indeed it was especially difficult because I was still struggling with wanting to go back to the higher register. The point is I get the properly rehearsed thing. While I'm proud that I managed to pull it off pretty good for literally being the first time singing the song in a low register I could have done better had we had time for me to practice it a bit. (Being in overtime we didn't have time.) I've learned so much from you Warren and I haven't even taken full advantage of my PLAP membership. Thanks!
Great sharing. Can't appreciate enough.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow, that was great, most of it is stuff I do, but . . .I have assumed I was doing it wrong. Now that someone who knows what he is doing says "nope, you are on a legitimate path," I feel so much better. Intuition is great, but I never quite know if I should trust it.
Very helpful Warren
Glad you think so!
What can I say? SPOT ON!
A very high quality recording of a poor performance is...worthless. I have always tried really hard to make the performers comfortable in every way - especially with headphones. The cue mix can make all the difference. In fact I have often said the hardest thing about being an engineer are
1. cue mix and
2. threading the tape recorder :)
One question re: the pencil trick on the wind screen -- a #2 pencil OK??