datamusicata

The first thing to remember is that this is also a performance. So all that stuff about rest and preparation is equally important here. Probably more so, because a recording is something that folks are going to listen to over and over again, hopefully. And the more one listens the more one notices. So be prepared. And that means rested, practiced, and ready to do the performance as many times as it takes to get it where you and/or the producer want it to be. Each performance that is recorded is called a take, as you probably know.

This is a good time to mention that you can also over do it. You can do it so many times that it loses it's spontanaety and joy. It is good to record every performance. That way, if you go past your peak, you can go back and get that take.

Remember to have plenty of water on hand. You must keep those vocal pipes lubricated.

Some people like to record in the dark; or in some way that doesn't allow anyone to see them while they are recording. Some folks like to have all the lights on and the lyrics in front of them. Some folks like there to be no one in the studio when they are recording. Others want an audience to be there, so that they can perform for them. I notice that an audience makes me try a little harder, but I still prefer having noone there that is not directly connected with the recording process. They can distract me and they can also, with body language or actual suggestions, change the dynamic. If I am going to experiment, I don't want to have someone there telling me that something is terrible or great, unless it's the producer. The point that I'm actually trying to make here is that what ever works for you is okay. It is the end result that matters. What have recorded at the end of the day? Is it something that you are proud of? Is it going to be a joy to listen to a year from now?

Speaking of which, I don't personally like to use things that are trendy when I am recording. Things like the gated snare that Phil Collins used on several of his hits. I really liked it when I heard it the first time, but it does have its limitiations. An effect can mask any of the subtle differences that make up the performance, so that you lose that personal touch. It’s like using exactly the same snare sample on a midi drum track. Those kinds of sounds also lock a recording into a period in time. Now I realize that no matter what you do that is going to happen to some extent, but, how much more listenable is Miles Davis's forty five year old Kind of Blue today than some trendy hit from the last decade? And yes, I realize that that is one of the classic recordings of all time, but everytime you go in to record, what better aspiration to have than that? If the writing, the performance, and the recording of the performance is impeccable, then the recording will always be valid …and listenable.

Brian Wilson said that he wanted to make the greatest rock and roll record ever when he created Pet Sounds. He did that in 1966. People are still talking about, listening to, and attending concerts of Pet Sounds. The Beatles also tried to do that with every recording they made, starting with Rubber Soul. Why not have that intention. Making the greatest recording you know how.

It also helps to have some of your favorite recordings in the studio with you. Listen to them. Where is the vocal placed? Is it in front? Can the lyrics be understood? Did the artist want the lyrics to be understood? How much echo is used on the vocal? On the overall song? How does your mix compare with your favorite recording? How do the songs stand up. How does the sequence of songs stand up?

Speaking of sequencing, one of the devices I employ to make a cd sequence flow is to take the tempo of the first song and continue counting it after the song is over. Then I make certain that the next song begins on the downbeat of the previous tempo. That way it feels more right; more connected to the previous song. Even if I want a long break between songs, I still acknowledge the previous song tempo. Unless I actually want there to be a disconnection between songs. I think that that was what Brian Wilson wanted between songs on Pet Sounds. I believe he wanted each song to be totally on it's own.

For me, when I put together an album, I'm looking at the lyric content of each song, the tempo of each song, the time between each song, and the overall sound of the project as a whole. Does it sound like all the songs came from the same project? That is what I want to have happen. Even the first "concept" album, Sgt Pepper by the Beatles, which had so much variety, still had a sound. All those songs sounded like they came off the same recording.

Let's talk about mic technique for a second. The more expensive a mic is, the more sensitive it is. For example, that Shure SM58 that you sing into in a bar, allows you to put your mouth against the windscreen and howl and still there's no distortion (unless you pop your "p"s). Put your mouth against the windscreen of an akg 414 and it will sound like caca even if you are whispering. The ideal distance for a high end microphone is somewhere between six and eight inches. In the studio they will probably also put up an additional windscreen between you and the microphone. This makes it so that you don't pop those p's and also makes it so you can't get too close to the mic.

When you sing loudly, you move a lot of air and this causes the ribbon in the mic to vibrate more than if you sing softly. (The vibration of the ribbon is what is translated into an electronic impulse that can be recorded. Your voice vibrates the ribbon, the ribbon translates the sound into impulse and you are on your way, buti digress). So if you are going to sing softly , lean into the mic a little. If you are singing really loudly, then lean back. Put more distance between you and the mic. The easiest way to tell the ideal distance is to put on a pair of earphones. Some singers don't like to wear them, but, when you are singing to a track, it's the best way to record your isolated voice. And if your voice is isolated, then you can fix bad performance, and put any effect you want on the voice without having it impact the rest of the track. If you want a delay on your voice, you don't also want it on everything else on the track. And if you are going to be effecting your voice in some way, it is good to have that actual effect in the headphones, so that you can hear it and use it to your advantage. Just make certain that it isn't being recorded with your voice on the same track, because then you can't change it, raise it or lower it. It is fixed.