Have you tried recording your voice or doing vocal arranging ? We have a professional vocal recording studio at Entertainment 88 with the most up to date professional vocal recording equipment. Wait, vocal arranging? Not surprising if you haven’t heard of it. Everyone has heard of vocal recording but maybe not vocal arranging. Recording your vocal in a recording studio takes time, patience a little bit of perfectionism and someone to help you like Darryl , Thats me!
A vocal arranger helps and advises you the artist/student how to sing and record your song. It might be a line that the arranger thinks sounds better if the singer uses a straight tone in their voice, or a vibrato at the tail end. Maybe the note should be sung an octave higher, or add a breathy tone to the words. Add a riff here or there. All to bring out the singers voice and emotion more powerfully.
A great vocal arrangement basically designs the vocal, reveals the singer, generates bigger emotion, and overall, increases the impact and power of the song tenfold.
No professional record should ever be without arranged vocals, not if you want to really blow people away. And keep in mind, that a great vocal arranger — like moi (blush) — won’t make you sound like anyone else, but a much better, and improved, you. Like a 100x better you.
I also get the question: “what is the difference between a vocal arranger and a vocal producer?”
Very little, but there are some distinctions. Typically, but not always, a vocal producer is someone who is a music producer who produces great vocals. It is a signature of theirs (not all producers are “vocal producers” ~ hence why a vocal arranger/producer matters even more on your project.)
Sometimes vocal coaches or arrangers call themselves a vocal producer. Whatever you call it, a vocal arranger, or a vocal producer, they are often the most important person on your record ~ for the vocalist. Because your vocal is the most important thing on your record. It’s what everyone hears above all else.
And a subpar vocal will kill even the best record.
Here’s a quick process to help you prepare for your next recording . You can also book in with me at Entertainment 88 to record your vocal than ever!!
- Sing a Song 50-100 Times before even start recording. Seriously! The better you know the song the bette.
Don’t just write the song or practice a song you have been learning a few times. You gotta work that puppy. Train it, improve it, give it a chance to reach its potential. Songs need to be worked into your voice just like any routine does. The more you work it, the easier (and better) it gets. It’s also the best , best way to come into a vocal recording session.
Tip: Record during this process. This gives you the opportunity to “hear yourself.” Once you listen back you can work out details like phrasing, the right key (use Transcribe to transpose keys ~ even a half step can make a huge difference in how you sound), work on perfecting your intervals and pitch, work out ad libs, as well as tweaking lyrics & melody to fine tune your song (it’s not done ‘til it’s just right.)
Luckily if I am your vocal coach I substitute for a professional arranger and I will help you get the best vocal recording in your session. This involves many vocal recording takes. Normally 10 times all the way through. Next , together we go through and pick out of our favourite parts and make what is called a “comp” in the music production world. I usually get you to sing the song ten times and I record all of them into Pro tools. We can then either pick the best take or takes or even go through takes line by line to pick out all of the best takes. Vocal recording is an art form and so different from performing live. Getting great at both is only going to help you more with your singing pursuits.
Lucky that I am also a bit of a vocal recording nerd!!! I am always researching the best ways to get better vocal recordings. I am always learning and getting better at teaching people to sing better , sing better live, and sing better in a recording studio. . I also have a slight addiction to buying the latest technology and software to get the best current vocal recordings. My professional vocal chain literally is worth thousands of dollars with Pro tools the Universal Audio Apollo audioInterface top of the range Imac , Nueman, Sure and Rode microphones, Neve Preamps and the latest and best UAD and Slate Digital vocal plugins for compression, reverb , delay, eq, saturation, tape emulations and mastering tools. I use the tools at Entertainment 88 that your favourite artists on the radio and Spotify use.
What is truly amazing is that you can do this with me right in your weekly singing lessons at Entertainment 88 . We can get the same results as your favourite artists depending how hard you want to learn and to practice. How cool is that!. Technology has got to a point where everyone can have the same access to the same quality of recording equipment. It then now comes down to how well trained your voice is and how good your song is, if you write your own!
You can also have a songwriting session with me like lots of my students. Here is a link to a student i have been working with who wrote and recorded this song in her lessons. The song called Drowning is now on spotify , itunes etc etc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN58mYd7Ajo you may of heard Jade sing this song live at the end of the Entertainment 88 concert last week. We spent a long time on recording and arranging her vocals and I think she sounds amazing. Also search for the song on spotify.
Billie Ellish does most of her songwriting and recording in her bedroom with her brother how cool is that.
Anyway the point is if this is something that really excites you, then you can do this with me . I love it as well. Along with teaching singing it is such a huge passion of mine. It is also a great way to hear your voice back. I send you the mix after each session. We can normally do a good vocal recording and comp in an hour session if you are really well rehearsed as i mentioned earlier. Hope you enjoyed the article and have learned a little bit more about the process and art of recording and arranging your voice in a recording studio.
