The creation of a proper vocal recording depends on many factors. This article aims to help those who are new to this topic.
Start with the microphone and preamp
A strong vocal recording begins before any plug-in is loaded. Microphone choice, preamp quality, room sound, recording level and the singer’s performance determine how much freedom remains during editing and mixing.
Choosing the right sound card is also important.
Cheaper sound cards may not deliver the expected quality of microphone preamp, so it's better to choose average or good quality sound cards. This articel can help you choose the right sound card: HERE
Control the recording environment
Another issue is the environment in which the singer is singing. If there is no soundproofed room, this can be problematic if the singer is singing far away from the microphone. In this case, ask the singer to stand closer to the microphone. The ideal distance is 15 cm or 6". If the room is untreated, it is worth getting an absorber that can be placed behind the microphone. This won't work miracles, but it helps reduce unwanted sound reflections.
Setting the signal level.
Record with headroom
It is recommended to record the signal at 24-bit -48kHz. This way, we have enough headroom to not accidentally overdrive the signal, so a slightly lower signal level won't cause any problems with noise, but we won't clip it either. The music in the singer's headphones should not be too loud, so the singer can hear themselves well, otherwise their voice may become uncertain. Many singers only wear one side of the headphones to hear their own voice better, which can make them more confident.
The recording.
Performance before processing
There are good singers and bad singers. Some have an uncertain voice but are great to listen to, while others sing cleanly but have an unlikable voice. So during recording, the sound engineer must pay attention to the singer's abilities and provide appropriate instructions on where they are making mistakes. If the singer makes mistakes in a few places during recording, don't stop the recording because it interrupts the singer and they can't relax and unfold. So having a few extra tracks in the DAW won't bother anyone. It is worth stopping the singer only if the singing is still in the planning phase and the best singing style has not yet been determined. However, we can still give them instructions even after they have sung the appropriate line.
Post-production.
Comping and processing
If we have more tracks available, we have more opportunities to perfect the final track. Choose the best parts. Once we have done this, depending on the style, we need to decide whether to use pitch correction tools or not, such as Auto-Tune or Melodyne.