Vocal Production and Voice Mixing Tutorial: Pro Tips

Welcome to this vocal production and mixing tutorial, where you’ll learn valuable tips and tricks to help you achieve the perfect vocal recordings. As a musician and music producer, I’ll share my years of experience in recording and mixing vocals to help you achieve the best possible vocal production for your tracks. Follow these 15 tips and techniques as a starting point to reach a professional level in vocal production and mixing for the songs you produce.

Tip 1: Get a Great Vocal Take

A convincing vocal take is essential. Believing in yourself (if you’re singing) or building confidence in the singer will help achieve the best vocal take possible. Make the singer feel comfortable and at home to get the best result from your vocal production. Good lighting and fewer people in the studio always help achieve this.

Tip 2: Learn the Song’s Lyrics

Before recording, ensure the singer knows the song’s lyrics well. A good performance always improves if the singer knows the lyrics by heart and isn’t focused on reading every line. Still, as a backup, you can suggest they bring a printed copy of the lyrics before starting the vocal recording.

Tip 3: Know Your Recording Equipment

It’s important to know the microphone and other equipment used for vocal recording. A good studio condenser microphone is ideal for high-quality recordings, but good results can also be achieved with certain dynamic microphones if you clearly understand the sound you’re aiming for.

Tip 4: Use the Best Microphone Preamp

A good microphone preamp can make a big difference in vocal recording quality. Invest in a quality preamp to achieve professional results. The best audio interfaces often have good built-in mic preamps with XLR connections and phantom power for condenser mics. However, a dedicated professional preamp will always enhance the result and accuracy of the recording.

Tip 5: Control the Room Acoustics

An acoustically treated studio improves the quality of vocal recordings. Avoid smooth surfaces near the microphone and add absorbing elements to reduce unwanted reverberation. Treating the acoustics of the recording room or your home studio doesn’t have to be expensive. There are affordable solutions for soundproofing a room, such as foam panels, rugs, bookshelves, and thick curtains.

Tip 6: Record Multiple Vocal Takes

Once you start the tracking or vocal recording process, I recommend recording 3 to 9 complete takes. Then, select the best parts from each take to create the final composite. This process is known as vocal comping. Learn how to use the playlist functions typically available in DAW software for music production to manage these takes on a single track.

Tip 7: Pitch Correction and Editing with Melodyne

Use tools like Melodyne to precisely pitch-correct and edit the vocals. Adjust pitch, tempo, modulation, and formants for a flawless voice. During this phase of vocal production, decide how much tuning to apply (which may reduce expression and naturalness) or leave it more real, even if it sounds slightly off-key in some places. This choice depends on the song’s musical style and your vision as a music producer.

Tip 8: Use Autotune Creatively

The autotune effect can be used creatively to achieve unique vocal sounds. Experiment with different settings to achieve the desired result. From extreme applications essential for urban styles to subtle automatic pitch corrections (here are some free plugins) that make the vocals sit precisely and naturally in the track.

Tip 9: Add Backing Vocals and Harmonies

Enhancing the main vocal with harmonies and backing vocals adds depth and richness to the production. Use vocal harmonies in thirds, fifths, and octaves in choruses or specific phrases you want to emphasize. Try doubling each harmony to pan them in stereo. When recording backing vocals, ensure you clearly hear the main vocal in your studio headphones and that they fit well with the lead vocal.

Tip 10: Add Ad Libs and Spontaneous Phrases

Ad libs are spontaneous vocal phrases that add expression to the song. Experiment with effects and distortions to achieve a unique sound. These phrases typically respond to the main vocal by repeating a word or phrase and are often treated with heavy filtering, reverb, and delay. Unlike harmonies that usually follow the main melody (e.g., thirds or fifths), ad libs often repeat the same melody as responses.

Tip 11: Use Reverb and Delay Effects

Reverb and delay effects add depth and ambiance to vocals. Adjust the amount and duration of these effects based on the song’s style. Experiment with various reverb plugins and their different room types (room, hall, plate, etc.) to find what works best for your vocal production. A 1/8th note delay with minimal feedback can help anchor the vocal in the mix.

Tip 12: Apply Compression, Equalization, and Creative Distortion

Distortion can be used for unique and creative vocal effects. Experiment with different types of distortion and adjust the parameters to achieve the desired sound. Sometimes subtle gain or saturation improves the vocal’s tone. Of course, you should also perform proper dynamics processing (compression) and equalization to make the vocal sound professional.

Tip 13: Automate Vocal Volume

Volume automation is essential for adjusting vocal dynamics across different parts of the song. Highlight key phrases and smooth transitions using this technique. Learn your DAW’s keyboard shortcuts to access automation curves easily.

Tip 14: Mix Double and Triple Vocals

Recording the same vocal performance multiple times is an effective way to enhance vocal production, especially if the vocal needs more strength or feels weak. Record two additional takes and pan them in stereo (fully or partially to each side). Experiment with different pan positions and volume levels to achieve a surround sound. Adjust the alternative vocal takes and control sibilance to avoid interfering with the main vocal.

Tip 15: Perform the Final Vocal Mix

In the final stage, ensure the vocal blends seamlessly with the rest of the instruments. Balance the levels and make the necessary adjustments to achieve a perfect vocal mix. Experiment with different types of compression, equalization, and reverbs.

Tip for setting vocal volume in a production: Lower the volume of your studio monitors to almost the minimum audible level. This way, you’ll hear more clearly if the vocal stands out over the music or beat.I hope these tips are helpful and improve your vocal productions. Remember, vocal production is a creative process that requires time and dedication to achieve exceptional results. Enjoy the musical journey and keep learning from our production blog or our YouTube channel for composers and artists.