Part 3: Let’s get Vocal!

Rockschool course tutors Hannah V and Sam Vasanth take us through their graded Production Syllabus

Recording vocals is one of the main responsibilities of a producer. It is a very rewarding skill that can be honed with practice and experience. Both of us spend most of our days in the studio recording artists and we love it! At Grade 3, Rockschool delves into this subject, discussing audio recording, editing and processing.

There are technical aspects to consider when recording vocalists – can they hear themselves clearly over the track? Do they need more/less reverb? Is the audio clipping at your end? There is also an emotional aspect to consider – artists tend to perform at their best when they are comfortable with you and the room. The trick lies in realising that each person is built differently. We, as producers, have to adapt to the diverse characters that enter our rooms. Some artists will want to hang out for a bit before recording, some will want to listen to some music, some will be quiet and come out of their shell in the vocal booth. Take your time with each person and try to figure out what makes them ‘tick’ on a human level! This will result in a better vocal performance and do the song you are working on more justice.

The vocal recording session and the post-production process are key areas of every producer’s journey. The more you do this, the better you get at it. You will soon create your own workflow and become faster and more efficient. So, go forth and cut some vocals! Here are some basic tips – regardless if you are working in your bedroom or at Abbey Road!

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Setting the levels: Start out with having the vocalist sing the chorus a few times. Set it up as a loop and ask them to just jam over it. This will give you an idea of the dynamic range of their vocals – you can now set the input levels at your end making sure that the vocals do not clip. You will be surprised at the dynamic difference between each vocalist!

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The headphone mix: Now start getting the headphone volume comfortable for the artist. Each vocalist has different preferences; some like the backing track blasted, some want their vocals to be crystal clear – we’ve even had artists in that did not want to hear their vocals in their headphones at all! Listen to your artists and be as flexible as possible.

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Recording techniques: Now you’re ready to record! Generally, start recording the verses, follow with the pre-choruses and finally get down the choruses. Set up loops of these specific sections and let the singer record the same part again and again. You can also ‘punch-in’ certain phrases or words – this is a technique where just a portion of the track is replaced.

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Comping: Compile the best sections of each recording to construct the perfect take. This is a long process, as you have to edit each section of the arrangement including doubles, harmonies, ad-libs, etc. This is a common procedure nowadays and a skill that is expected from producers, so get practising! Your instinct will soon sharpen up and you’ll make decisions on vocal takes faster.

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Editing & Processing: Look at tuning and timing, make sure the breaths aren’t sticking out, de-ess if needed, ‘quick fade’ phrases in and out, and get rid of unwanted clicks, pops and noises. EQ the vocal and add compression to fatten up the sound. Finally add reverb, delays and any other effects you feel the vocal needs to create the emotion that the particular song calls for.