Singers: Describe your preferred recording experience.

raindog.promo

Assume all the music is recorded and YOU are just coming in to do vocals. Describe the perfect way you would prefer it to happen, As a vocalist.

What type of procedure would you be looking for in a recording session?
Any preferred method? anything you can think of at all. It just helps to get the ball rolling.

What type of time frame would you expect (as in how long would you expect it to take to do all takes, overdubs, (no effects, that comes later) and factor in time with mistakes, retakes, fluffed takes etc for just one song?

squibs

I dont sing, so I'll pitch in with what I think a vocalist wants to experience.

Even the old pros are often very stressed before a take. The walk to the vocal room/booth is a long one, so I accompany them. I check that lighting is OK, that the music stand is adjusted to the right level, that they have a drink and then I leave them - saying I need to do something techy, but really to give them a minute to compose themselves. Depending on the singer, I'll "wet the cans" with some vanity 'verb from a cheap outboard unit.

Timeframe? How long is a piece of string? Sometimes one take. Sometimes send them home to come up with some different ideas after they lapse into a weedy falsetto on the high C for the 12th time.

Had one guy who had a hopeless sense of pitch, but it was completely consistent. For some tracks, he couldn't sing on key, but would faultlessly sing in harmony and stick to it through the entire song

dav nagle

When using the talk back mic I would suggest to keep from over doing the chit chat. Use the record and playback function to show the singer that she is in good hands and with the press of a button she can start again and have another take. There is no need to try and push a singer too hard, especially if she or he for that matter have a better vocal range and knowledge than you. It is important to make the singer feel comfortable over the talk back mic, not to be a mentor. The singer knows they are good, you know they are good, if you both know that it should be a good session! The singer might need to be put in there place when it comes to wind and distance so be prepared to suggest taking a few steps back form the mic and try explaining that everything is better off not fixed in the mix but before hand. I worked with a singer recently and they wanted all the wind and air to be Q'd out upon mixdown, they wouldn't listen, so I had to do it because they were adamant that it could be done in the box. Best of luck.

PaulBrewer

Point the mic vaguely at them and tell them you'll shoot them in the face if they don't sing right ........

Sham Squire

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Point the mic vaguely at them and tell them you'll shoot them in the face if they don't sing right ........

Worked for Phil Spector.

Mr Alan

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Point the mic vaguely at them and tell them you'll shoot them in the face if they don't sing right ........

you were a lot nicer when i met you and joe on Saturday!

maybe i'll have to rethink this whole thing!

raindog.promo

Thanks for the replies.

Quite interesting points made all round.

PaulBrewer

Mr Alan wrote: »

you were a lot nicer when i met you and joe on Saturday!

maybe i'll have to rethink this whole thing!

Shizit! Caught out!!