The Progress of the Album: Vocals (Ch. 4)

Unlike Backstage Pass, I am tracking all of my vocals at 10x12 Productions (in Columbus) instead of in Nashville. For those who don’t know, much of Backstage Pass, including the vocals, were recorded at DarkHorse Recording in Nashville. Why would I track vocals at home when I could record at a beautiful Nashville studio? First, it’s free to record at home. Second, there is no hourly rate to worry about. I can do as many takes as I’d like and I don’t have to look at the clock (unless it’s time for dinner). Third, I can arguably get the same quality of sound at home as I might get in some Nashville studios. Forth, I just feel more comfortable and at home… well, at home.

The Signal Chain
As far as signal path goes, I am using a Shure SM7 mic in conjunction with an API A2D pre-amp. The API output is running digitally into a MOTU UltraLite and from there, the signal travels through FireWire into Logic Pro (which is running on a 2.4 GHz iMac). I’m recording everything at a resolution of 24 bit, 48 KHz. I’m also using a number of sound panels in the studio, which help to mute the reflections in the room (sound reflections).

Background Vocals
I’m also doing something slightly different this time around in that I am recording all the background vocals as I assemble the MIDI demos. With Backstage Pass, I only recorded scratch lead vocals with the demos (no background vocals). I didn’t get around to recording background vocals until after I had recorded all the live instruments in Nashville (and I actually tracked many of the background vocals at home, although I really didn’t have the gear to do it right at that time). In fact, it’s possible I may even keep some or many of the background vocals and lead vocals I am currently recording, and you will hear them on the finished album. We’ll see once all the real instruments are recorded. The live instruments (starting with real drums and bass this summer) may add a new level of energy that may cause me to re-think some of my lead and even background vocals. We’ll see. If anything, I am working now to nail down all the vocal arrangements before we head to Nashville. Why go through all this trouble at this early stage? My reasoning is that these vocals will ultimately affect what the live musicians play or don’t play. I want to leave space for background vocals (they are a crucial part of many of the songs), so I’m arranging and recording them before we add any real instruments.

The Best Way To Sing a Song
Every song is unique. Some songs call for a lot of background vocals. Some don’t. I’m currently working on one tune where I’ve stacked my own voice about 40 times. Some other tunes on the project have no background vocals, or maybe one simple harmony. In addition to the background vocals, the sound of the lead vocal may vary quite a bit as well. Recording these demos has really helped me in discovering and shaping the vocal sound for each song. This may include adjustments to phrasing (where to breathe) and tone. One song may contain a lot of falsetto. Another may call for a whisper, while another may be in need of a more aggressive sound. During the process of creating these demos, I’ve even had to change the key of the song to better fit my vocal range. Actually, there are probably 3-4 songs that are now a ½ step or a whole step above the original piano and vocal demo. They are now much more comfortable to sing.

Vocal Continuity
Even with scratch (potentially temporary) vocals, I try to only record 1-3 takes of the lead vocal. I find that usually I lose the flow and believability of the vocal if I piece it together with too many small “best takes.” Generally, I’ll record the entire vocal of a song 1-3 times and pick the best take, and then I may record a couple additional takes of any trouble spots, but I try to keep this to a minimum. If I can’t sing something well within 1-3 takes, I’d better alter the melody and/or lyrics to better fit my voice.

Up Next… “What is this new album about and what will it sound like?”