Hi, this a short piece on my findings with performing power vocals for recording, firstly you will overload the mic, you will move to far away from the mic, you will get to close to the mic & you will run out of breath & get worse after a number of takes.
Regarding overloading the mic I found the first answer to this by pondering this, I am a guitarist & vocalist live & I sing without overloading the mic when playing Gigs, why because its fast Rock & Metal & the guitar work means I am already out of breath slightly before I get to the singing part & I don't have time to take huge breaths, also the guitar part is harder than the singing part in most of the music I do so I don't have time to be self conscious about how the singing is going anyway. So firstly get into the groove of the track your performing.
As far as getting to far away from the mic by leaning back to get emphasis on notes the only way round this one is to perform the song a number of times & swap phrases that are faulty.
Doing a number of takes is the only real answer to power vocals because you start cold & week, then you get a bit shouty & finaly with a bit of self analysis you get something in the middle, then there are probably a couple of takes where you've blown your cork !
So for mic distance I find that putting your elbow by your side then making a forward fist that nearly touches the mic stand is a good visual reference as to how your position is going during a performance & from my experience if you want energy in vocal recording these methods are worth a try hope this is helpfull in some way.
Here is a write up of my latest Album HELL CAN WAIT on which I am lead guitar & lead vocals which was recorded using the simple techniques I have mentioned....
The HELL CAN WAIT Album, ISRC coded available for streaming, download or CD all Album linkshttp://www.roystone.com
After the previous live sound Albums Vampyra, Rock In Chains & Sidewinder, the new Hell Can Wait Album is crisp, concise, clean & clear, all studio but still a direct reproduction of the current live sound, so at Gigs there is no change at all to the music apart from the addition of a tonne of excitement & power!
The Tracks
- METAL REBEL ROCK is high powered metal Rock and Roll, with a lead guitar section to match.
- STAR CHASER is a bit more radical with heavy intro's & links, that come back round in the lead section, dynamic, harmonised verses & an unhinged vocal.
- BADLANDS this is the psycho madman track of the Album, pounding Metal & a crazy mid-section & lyrics that tell of a place where all are condemned to a grisly doom.
- DOUBTS SEED public humiliation & degradation not a good place to be & its all here in the atmospheric rock & poignant lyrics of this track with a touch of mockery thrown in for good measure!
- CRUEL LIES has raging rhythm but is actually a track with a pop rock feel & an inspired lead guitar section.
- STONEY GROUND is the musical track of the album. Wott !! Mooozical yeah a chord sequence worthy of any jazz track incorporates major 7th, minor 6th & c# 13 flat 9 as well, troubled mellow blues with a bright but angry chorus.
- HELLSFIRE DAMNATION true dark evil Metal describing the injustice of trial & burning at the stake in a howling medieval vocal & a multi chords harmony lead guitar section to top it of that only gets back to major in the last couple of bars, there are 14 key changes in this lead guitar section!
- HEAVEN CAN WAIT air attack in a Rock song, hopefully without sounding like an advertisement for action toys! This is a proper heavy metal track in the spirit of some of the older bands that now belong to another century but its pretty good anyway so there is justification!
- HELLBOY possibly the strongest track of the Album, partly because of its obvious Marvel comic & movie routes but also the dirty rock styling of the track, in your face guitar work & a chorus that has the feel of Hellboy in 2 lines of lyric, a chord timing & minor guitar fill, with a crescendo ending that comes back down to earth too.
- LITTLE SAVAGE pounding, rhythmic & shockingly evil, the lyrics describe a living tribal effigy that is out to kill, kill & then kill some more.
Have a Rockin Good Week!ROY STONE http://www.roystone.com
Report Record
