5 Effective Tips for the Recording Vocalist.

Hello music makers!

It's hard to ignore the fact that more and more recording sessions these days consist of quick work and a quick turnaround. Let's face it, we live in a "right now" kind of world, where we expect instant gratification. With that, follows extra excitement and expectations. This can sometimes lead to oversights on the overall picture. So, we thought we'd take a few minutes to help organize the process and give you guys a few effective tips that have proven to be extremely efficient along the way.

1. Practice

We can't emphasize enough how important this is. Furthermore, knowing your lyrics and timing isn't enough. For instance, have you ever gotten partially through your verse and then realized, "wow, I don't have enough breath for this?” Don't worry it happens all too often. Let me guess, when you rehearse, you're looking through your phone or your notebook and are performing to an audience of one? Unfortunately, this doesn't always translate well when you have to use full breath support at the microphone. Instead, use some free time to run through your songs at full volume, taking notice of how much endurance you'll need for the performance. If you find yourself in an impossible situation, it might be time to re-write or plan for a punch-in. The last thing you need is to waste precious studio time fixing things that could have been prevented beforehand. Practice makes perfect.

2. Utilize Your Notebook

Lyrics? Obviously. Song title? Probably (not a big deal, right?). What about ad libs, doubles, harmonies, emphasis lines or whatever you like to call 'em? Did you think about when you're gonna breathe? All of this is super easy and quick to add in! Put together a system that works for you. There's more than one way to make a sandwich. Everyone is different. 

3. Maybe Less Is More

Are you at a fork in the road? Maybe you're overthinking things. It's not always your responsibility to cover every inch of every song with words. Let the overall song dictate lyric placement. It’s all about teamwork.

4. Dynamics

If you start a song at 100%, then there will be nowhere left to go. Treat your energy like a roller coaster. Build them up and take them down! Remember when a song hit you so hard that you just needed to hear it again and again? It tapped into you and kept you interested while at the same time leaving you wanting more. This is your goal. Keep your audience on the edge of their seat.

5. Vibe

Your energy needs to convey the emotion. Meaning, if you are performing an emotional song, then you need to match the emotion you want your listeners to feel. Performing an angry song? Then you need to have an aggressive and angry approach. If your audience cannot connect with the feeling of your song, then what are we even doing? And furthermore, “Vibe” also carries over into the setting of the studio. Don’t be afraid to communicate with your engineer about anything you need. This could be studio lighting, amenities, or just something as simple as tea. We are here for you. Remember that!

I hope this helps! Happy creating everyone!