How to Prepare for a Great Vocal Session
Photo by Mads Bødker.
When you hear a great vocal, you know it right away. The emotion, the swagger, the flawless performance—it’s there from the first second you hear it.
There are a lot of factors that contribute to that perfect take that are not so obvious.
Often, we overlook these small details, but together they can really add up to a great studio experience for your artist, which always leads to better records.
The Setup
The focus of this article isn’t technical, so just like a in a good vocal session, we’ll get the tech stuff out of the way early.
If your vocalist is someone you’ve worked with before, hopefully you have recall notes for the vocal chain, in case you need to match what you previously had. This is important for three reasons:
First, if this is the preferred sound for the voice and the project you’re recording, you don’t have start from scratch.
Second, if you have to do any punch-ins or additional takes on previous songs, you shouldn’t have to much corrective EQ (if any) to get those takes to match.
Third, and most importantly in the context of today’s discussion, is that this will be what the artist is expecting to hear, and will help inspire comfort and confidence in their performance—the part that really matters.
If it is your first time recording the artist, I recommend a relatively neutral chain so that you don’t box yourself into a corner. Genre matters too: That ribbon mic is probably not going to work for your rap vocal, and an SM7B may not be the best move for opera! No matter what you set up, use your ears, and don’t be afraid to ask the vocalist to wait a few minutes while you switch to a mic more suited for their voice.
If it’s your first time ever working with a vocalist, and they are into the idea, you could up 2-3 likely best choices for a mic, and hear which sounds best on them in context. But unless they too are sound geeks, its often best not to go overboard. Including them in the mic selection can help them feel even more comfortable and in control.
The setup also includes setting up a great headphone cue, which those of us who work in the control room too often forget about. This is the artist’s lifeline from the booth, and the only way they hear the music, themselves, and you! It is important the headphones be noise free, at a comfortable volume, and of course, working in both ears.
When working with singers, I often like to have a bit of reverb send going on the vocal, as it can really help put them in the zone. This is of course dependent on the singer’s wants and tastes, but putting them into the space of the song can really help with their mindset.
Speaking of plugin effects, some singers prefer (or need to) record with Auto-Tune—sometimes even as a intentional creative effect. If necessary, I prefer to only monitor through it and fine tune later, although some engineers much bolder than I will set up their routing to actually print it directly. As a compromise, you can print a dry and processed version alongside one another. Either way, make sure it’s something your artist wants before opening it up. Some singers may be very insulted by the idea, and whether they need it or not, that’s not how you want to begin your session.
As you do more and more vocal sessions and further develop your own workflow, I strongly suggest that you create a vocal tracking template in your DAW to speed up your setup process. If you’re doing the same tasks every time you open Cubase, why not simplify it all to a few clicks?
Finally, if possible, have the track you are recording to loaded in your DAW and ready to go. For most hip-hop and pop sessions, you may be simply recording to a 2-track bounce of the instrumental and delivering multitrack vocal files at the end.
I try to get those tracks ahead of time, import them, get my tempo/grid set up and even drop markers showing the song form if possible. This step is very important, so you’re not spending time guessing and searching the session when the artist wants to jump to the bridge or second chorus. Knowing the key of the song is super helpful if you are using a tuning plugin, as they work a lot better when not in generic chromatic mode.
If you’re recording over a multitrack session, I like to freeze as many tracks as possible to reduce strain on the processor. If you have a big session with lots of plugins tracking, at a low buffer setting may cause issues. Also, if you’re tracking over multitracks, it is helpful to spend some time before the client arrives getting a good balanced rough mix if it’s not in good shape already Performing over an inspiring instrumental will make for a more inspired performance!
Vibe Out
Now that all the technical stuff is out of the way, it’s time to pay attention to the first thing the client will notice when they walk in the studio: the vibe. No matter how good your mic and compressor collection is, the feel of the space is just as (or more!) important to the artist.
Is your studio cozy, warm and comforting? Maybe you prefer futuristic and spacey. Whatever your style, just make sure it’s comfortable and clean. This especially goes for home studios. There’s nothing wrong with a bedroom studio setup, but just because it’s your bedroom too doesn’t mean you should have your pajamas and dirty laundry everywhere! A clean space is very important. No one likes to be dirty, it’s harder to feel free and unencumbered in a cluttered environment, and it also shows your attention to detail, which will give your clients more confidence in your work.
A great place to start setting your vibe is with the lighting. Nothing kills a mood quicker than harsh, unflattering lights. No date was ever made more romantic by terrible overhead fluorescents on full blast, and no vocal performance was ever made more inspired that way either. Low-noise dimmer switches are available, and a well placed lamp here or there can work wonders, and really doesn’t have to cost much. A quick Ikea or Target run can provide cool options without breaking the bank.
If you’d like to take the next step, many studios are now using wi-fi based lighting systems like the Philips Hue, which lets you control the brightness and color of each connected light bulb. This lets you not only customize your space, but also save presets for each of your clients. Each of my own clients have their own lighting scheme, so when they come to The GreenHouse it’s like they’re coming to their own personalized space.
Smell also plays a big factor. First and foremost, your studio should smell good or at least neutral. Neutral is probably a better goal, as what is “good” to one person may not be so good to another. Smelling “bad” is not quite as subjective though. Start with simple things like emptying the trash, cleaning the litter box, or opening the windows to let in some fresh air. Just be conscientious of how things you might not actively notice can impact your space and leave an impression on someone who is just entering. Maybe don’t eat your garlic heavy-leftovers in the control room ten minutes before the session, for instance.
Incense, flowers or other things can be a nice addition, and if your client has a specific preference, note it down and have it ready in the future. (Be aware if your client has allergies, or hates Nag Champa. In case of doubt lean toward neutral!)
Other amenities like tea, water and coffee are also important. As far as I’m concerned, it’s not a proper studio without a coffee machine! I recommend keeping a Google doc or something with your various client requirements so you’ll always know if your artists takes their green tea with no sugar or their coffee light and sweet. Staying on top of these details is the kind of extra touch that will keep clients coming back time and time again.
A comfortable and relaxed artist will always give a better performance, and an artist who feels special in the studio will likely book more time. A little care and preparation will make the client feel more welcome and will remove technical concerns from the process, leaving you free to focus on what you’re all there for in the first place—the song.
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