5 Tips for Better Vocals Every Time
Having a hard time achieving that perfect vocal sound? Here are 5 easy tips that anyone can do to consistently achieve a perfect vocal recording! Most of these tips are free since we believe that anyone can track amazing vocals.
Tip 1 – Warm up
The first and most important rule of recording vocals is to make sure that you are ready to give a stellar performance. Warm up your vocal cords, sing scales, and practice your part beforehand so you’re ready to record.
Second, always keep refreshments such as water or tea on hand, however, make sure that you steer clear of any dairy as that can lead to problems when singing.
Consider stretching and warming up your body so that you can maintain proper posture and support your breathing.
Tip 2 – Choose the right microphone
Often-times, when we have microphones or other pieces of gear that are our clear favorites, we have a hard time giving them up. While your gear might be great for one purpose, it might not be the best microphone for your voice or even your song.
That’s why it’s always important to compare different microphones before choosing one for your voice or for the song you are recording. You might be surprised by which microphone works the best.
Tip 3 – Position your microphone properly
Always make sure that your microphone is properly positioned to your mouth while recording. Remember to keep your mouth in that sweet spot of the mic and try your best not to move around too drastically while recording.
This will help to ensure that you always have clean sounding takes with consistent sound quality for your final mix.
Tip 4 – Add acoustic treatment/ pop filtering
A common plague amongst vocal recordings: improper acoustic treatment and/or lack of a pop filter can often cause your vocals to lack a professional sound quality.
Proper acoustic treatment such as reflection shields, sound panels, and bass traps can focus the sound of your room in turn, creating a tighter, cleaner vocal recording.
Secondly, a pop filter, even a basic one, is all that is needed to remove any plosives or pops from a vocal take that would otherwise render it useless.
Tip 5 – Save every second
A long vocal session can end up being physically draining, not to mention that it can easily take a whole day to get your vocals sounding perfect.
Consequently, you should always save every second of your recordings even if you don’t think they will be used in the final take. Not only does this give you more material to work with when editing, but you never know when you might want to use an earlier take as a part of the main vocal.
Always remember to keep as much as you can when recording and save often!
At the end of the day, the most important aspects of a great vocal recording are that it is performed as best as it can be and in a noise-free environment.
Taking care of those two factors should allow your vocals to be their best, even when on a tight budget. Vocal recording is an exciting part of your track, remember to relax and have fun!
Need help in the recording studio or recording at home?Schedule a tour and speak with one of our experts today!
