Today's post is the second in a 3-part series from producer Gary Gray. Gary and I recently collaborated on
a course all about how to produce music that meets the industry standards for licensing music in film and television
. Based on the feedback Gary has received from the course, Gary has put together a list of the top ten questions he's received along with his answers. Part 1 covered a detailed look at adjusting headroom while mixing in order to present the best product possible to Music Supervisors. Part 2 goes in to detail regarding vocal production. Gary is also offering a free 15 minute phone consultation with everyone who
purchases our course by the end of the month.
Over to you Gary....
As mentioned in Part 1, the response to the course Aaron and I recently created has been incredible.
Daily, I'm getting excellent feedback from Indie Songwriters, Producers and Engineers around the world who are hungry to learn more about improving their mixes and masters so they can make more money through licensing their music.
Let's start by taking up one of the hottest topics by far: Vocal Production. (Note: Further details are covered in the course "How To Produce Music That Will Get Licensed And Make You Money
," and if you have your own specific questions not covered below, you can get those questions answered with the free 15 Minute Consultation I am offering for anyone who signs up for the Course before the end of August. I am finding that besides being able to answer people's questions, priceless research information is also being compiled on what Songwriters, Producers and Engineers need and want, thereby allowing us to expand our ability to help the music community through HowToLicenseYourMusic.com and LearnAudioEngineering.net)
(Questions 1, 1A and 1B Were Covered In Part 1)
Question 2. How Do I Record Vocal Tracks So They Will End Up Sounding Like They Were Recorded In A Major Studio?
If you are working with a home studio set-up (even if you don't have "expensive" gear), here is what you can do to record great sounding vocals:
The Digital Recording Process is different from recording to tape. Some schools and instructors still teach older tape techniques, and apply these same techniques to digital recording. This is why some vocal tracks "just don't seem to pop and sparkle and punch" the way you want them to. The first difference in recording vocals with digital technology is this: You can
safely record vocals at a lower level with digital equipment than on tape. Usually, turning the record input level DOWN a bit (lower than you are used to) will lead to an incredible sounding vocal mix in the end. For a long time, I was taught (just like with tape) to try and get the highest level possible while recording vocals, without distortion - to get the level of the vocals up to the point where they were just below going into the red.
The reason? With TAPE, if you record a microphone in a room with no one singing into it -- just the silent room -- the TAPE MACHINE ELECTRONICS, THE OUTBOARD GEAR and THE TAPE ITSELF will add quite a bit of noise to the recorded signal. In order to ensure that all that noise does not end up AUDIBLE on the vocal recording, you must turn up the level of the vocal recording itself - in fact, you must turn it up as high as possible (without distorting) so that the SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO has way more signal (Vocal) than noise. Otherwise - you get a noisy, bad sounding vocal recording. I dealt with this for years.
With digital recording, if you record a microphone in a room with no one singing into it, you get almost no added noise compared to analog tape recording. Therefore, the laws of headroom (described in the course and in Part 1 of this blog series) - where 4dB to 12dB of headroom is ideal for mixing and mastering, also apply to the most important track on your song: The Vocals. (Note: This subject of Vocal Recording can also be applied to the Lead Instrument in Instrumental Compositions) I invite you to try this out on your next recording:
Record your vocal track level at an average of -4dB to -12dB. It will "seem" too low probably, if you're not used to this. It will "seem" like you should turn it up to get a more full, punchy, dynamic vocal recording. It will "seem" like there isn't enough signal to end up with great sounding vocals.
Well, things are not always what they seem, as the saying goes. Start with this one simple, yet amazingly important trick, and read on. You'll see where, in the "assembly line" of putting together great vocal recordings, this important starting point fits in to a great vocal (or instrumental) sound.
3. Should I Record Vocals With Effects?
Record dry signal in. Do not use a compressor or limiter chain (or any other effects) when recording vocals. You've just committed to a .....
Read The Full Post Here:
http://www.howtolicenseyourmusic.com/blog/music-production-q-a-with-gary-gray-part-2-of-3
90 Day Music Licensing Challenge Starting Monday, September 3rd
On Monday, September 3rd the Fall 90 Day Music Licensing Challenge starts. This upcoming 90 Day Challenge is the biggest and most ambitous program I've ever launched. In in addition to one on one private coaching with me, this program will also include extensive private coaching with Gary Gray on how to improve your productions.
Production quality is critical when it comes to getting your music licensed and the Fall Music Licensing Challenge includes extensive training related to music production in addition to all of the training related to how to get your music in tv and films. I'll be sending out more information this week, but here is a brief list of everything included in the new program:
-Two Half
Hour Phone Consultations With Me
-Two Half
Hour Phone Consultations Regarding Music Production With Producer Gary
-Three Free
Detailed Song Critiques From Gary Gray
-Email
Coaching With Me Throughout The Duration Of The Program
-Daily Music Licensing Leads Of Specific Places To Submit Your Music For 90
Days
-Brand New, High Quality Video Tutorials Covering Different Aspects Of The
Music Licensing Business, Delivered Twice A Week Throughout The Program
-The Program "How To Produce Music That Will Get Licensed And Make You Money"
With Gary Gray
-The A To Z
Of Music Licensing
-The 2012
TV And Film Music Business Directory
-A
Songwriter's Guide To Music Licensing Ebook
-The Music Licensing Newsletter Compendium
-Submission Tracking Spreadsheet
-Member's Only Forum
-Bonus Audio Interviews With Ten Different Music Licensing Professionals (Songwriters, Publishers and Supervisors)
Purchasing all the coaching and content included in the 90 Day Challenge separately would cost over $500.00.
