Ingredients for Musical Success: The Vocal Performance

In pop music, vocals are crucial. The voice is the main thing that listeners hear when they play music. A phenomenal guitarist is great, an amazing drummer is wonderful, but the success of a song literally hangs on the vocals.

It helps if the voice itself is distinctive, a la Macy Gray or Tom Waits, but it’s more important that the vocals be clear, in tune, and capable of conveying an emotion, whether it’s anger, joy, or love. The voice, along with the song, should inspire others to sing along and replay often.

When recording in the studio, be sure to allow plenty of time for vocals. Make sure that the singer is rested and ready, and has time for as many takes as you can afford. Record all takes, even practice ones, because you never know when you’ll capture magic on tape. Sometimes, a vocal take performed “on the fly” becomes the part of the song that touches everyone, so be prepared.

Brought to you by the Music Marketing Machine Course: July 16 – August 6, 2008 in NYC

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