{"id":7800,"date":"2013-09-09T16:40:23","date_gmt":"2013-09-09T23:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rolandus.com\/blog\/?p=7800"},"modified":"2013-11-12T12:03:41","modified_gmt":"2013-11-12T20:03:41","slug":"recording-tips-part-2-recording-vocals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rolandus.com\/blog\/2013\/09\/09\/recording-tips-part-2-recording-vocals\/","title":{"rendered":"Recording Tips Part 2 – Recording Vocals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Practical Advice to Make Your Tracks Sing<\/h2>\n
\"Recording<\/a>

Recording Vocals image: Roland Recording Class with Souliance<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Author: Paul White, Editor-In-Chief for\u00a0Sound on Sound<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Roland UK Features Team<\/a><\/p>\n

The main problems associated with making a great recording can be broken down into two areas \u2014 the sounds you record and the way you mix them.\u00a0Paul White of Sound on Sound<\/em> explains how this applies to recording vocals.<\/p>\n

Quick Tip…<\/em><\/h2>\n

Vary the vocal sound in the choruses.\u00a0This could be as simple as changing\u00a0the reverb or delay settings or as\u00a0complex as adding multiple vocal\u00a0layers and harmonies. Double\u00a0tracking a part by singing it twice on\u00a0two different tracks and then mixing\u00a0the results is a popular trick, and if\u00a0the singer doesn\u2019t hit quite the same\u00a0timing second time around, you can\u00a0always use your DAW<\/a>\u2019s editing tools to\u00a0slide any errant backing parts back in\u00a0line with the main vocal.<\/p>\n

Recording Vocals at Home…<\/em><\/h2>\n

Vocals<\/a> recorded at home often\u00a0suffer because of the space they are\u00a0recorded in. Your mics<\/a> and recording\u00a0gear may be fine, but if the room gives\u00a0everything a boxy sound, then that\u2019s\u00a0what you\u2019ll record. Most vocals are\u00a0recorded using a cardioid pattern\u00a0(unidirectional) microphone, but these\u00a0mics are also still quite sensitive at\u00a0the sides. If you can hang up a duvet\u00a0behind you and curve it around the\u00a0sides of the mic too, you\u2019ll kill most of\u00a0those annoying room reflection and\u00a0get a much cleaner recording. Those\u00a0curved commercial screens that fit\u00a0behind the mics also help, but I\u2019d say\u00a0the absorber behind the singer makes\u00a0the most difference as that traps\u00a0reflections from the walls that might\u00a0otherwise get into the sensitive front\u00a0side of the mic. If you use both a duvet\u00a0behind the singer and a commercial\u00a0screen behind the mic,\u00a0you should get results\u00a0to rival those of a\u00a0professional vocal booth.\u00a0And don\u2019t forget to put a\u00a0pop shield three to four inches\u00a0in front of the mic as vocal popping\u00a0is almost unavoidable without one. A\u00a0foam pop sock will kill the tone but\u00a0not the pops!<\/p>\n

Recording Tips – 2 of 4<\/em><\/h2>\n

Get the full\u00a0PowerOn<\/em>\u00a0article available for free at\u00a0Apple\u00a0<\/a>Newsstand<\/a>,\u00a0Google Play<\/a>, and the\u00a0Amazon Appstore<\/a>, and stay tuned to the Roland U.S. blog for more recording tips as detailed below.<\/p>\n