Vocal recording notes
Tips to get great vocal recordings at home
DAWs and audio interfaces, even mics have become more affordable in recent years,
and many people may find themselves wanting to try recording vocals in the space of their own home.
However, we hear many questions and comments saying
「Am I doing this right?」or「I can’t record the way I want to」.
In this article, we will address these questions not only for beginners, but look into key factors that experienced users can use to double check their knowledge.
What you need to record vocals
There are a number of necessary things, and some recommended things needed
when looking to record vocals.
① Mic (absolutely necessary)
In general you can choose from a condenser or dynamic mic. There are different characteristics to each.
② Mic stand (necessary)
A regular mic stand will suffice. Being able to change angles with a boom type is a plus.
③ Cable (necessary)
In general you will need a balanced XLR cable.
④ Pop filter (necessary with condenser mic)
This helps prevent air “pops” and wet mouth sounds.
⑤ Shock mount (useful for condenser mics)
This keeps the mic suspended to prevent noise from vibrations.
Of course, an audio interface is also necessary to have. We will take a look at this briefly later.
Selecting a mic
As shown above, vocal recording mics are generally split into 2 categories.
For most cases, we recommend using a condenser mic,
but dynamic mics are useful for many applications as well.
Condenser mic
They’re highly sensitive, and pick up small nuances and even breath in recording, creating a realer sound.
On the other hand, its easier to pick up unwanted noise, and must be treated accordingly.
In addition, they are also fragile and weak to humidity, and require more caution when using.
When storing, its best to keep it in a sealed container with silica gel,
to keep it in optimal condition.
It also requires electricity to function, from either your audio interface or mic preamp.
To prevent too much room noise in a home environment, we recommend setting up the following:
Dynamic mic
Generally used to live sound, its is a sturdy and directional mic.
It has a smaller range and more of a midrange sound than a condenser mic,
but works well with power genres such as rock.
In addition it doesn’t pick up too much noise,
so it works great when you have no option but to record in a noisy environment.
They used to be generally cheaper than condenser mics,
but due to the increase in affordable condenser mics, they are similar in price in recent years.
Connecting with your audio interface
You need an audio interface (I/F) to record.
There are various types from various companies on the market, so find what fits you best.
You most likely won’t need many in/outputs for home recording.
Below are the steps to connect the mic to the audio interface.
The order is crucial, and be sure to be cautious when unplugging as well.
- ① Plug the cable connected to the mic into the interface input
- ② For condenser mics, turn the +48V power switch (turn off before removing)
- ③ Raise the GAIN (or SENS) knob accordingly (lower before removing)
Please see the articles below for more info on settings.
When there’s too much dynamic range in your songs, applying a bit of compression and recording is a good technique.
There has been an increase in audio interfaces with this software built into it as well.
In addition, for monitoring we recommend using direct monitoring.
For home computer specs, using a DAW and monitoring will most likely end up in unwanted latency.
Recent interfaces have direct monitoring capabilities, and even built in reverbs.
Caution when singing
Lastly, there are a few things to keep in mind when singing.
- Distance yourself 10〜20cm from the condenser mic
- Make sure to warm up
- Take rests in between, and take around 3〜4 takes
- Make sure to practice ahead of time (more than the day before)
- Record the main track in optimum time
- Emotional parts are better done in one take
This is an optimal distance for this mic (dynamic mic can be recorded closer).
Whisper like sounds may sound far, but this prevents too much air noises.
When your voice feels ready to go you can stop.
Record in parts like 1 chorus, 1 verse.
This allows for better takes and less time wasted during the recording session.
After taking many takes, your vocals will end up sounding different over time. It is also better to avoid recording over multiple days.
Another technique is to record parts that strain your vocals less first.
Parts that build or are emotional are better not cut in multiple takes,
but rather use a single take to keep it realistic.
The starting parts are also crucial; be sure to get into the zone before recording.
In our next article we will continue to take a look at this topic.
