9/04/2013

4 Simple Changes That Will Enable You Improve Home Studio Vocal Recording

By Frank Lubsey


Sure you can buy beats with superb quality for your hip hop mix but if the vocal recording is bad, your final mix will be a disaster. This is one of the reasons why we need to emphasize the need for great vocal recordings especially in hip hop. Why should you go into a lot of trouble to buy beats that are cool when the quality of the vocals ruins the entire mix? Producing records with flawless quality using cheap equipment in your studio may not be easy but it is possible. To help you out in creating the perfect mix, here are some tips.

Tweak #1. Use Noise Gates. This is actually a no brainer. One fact that you need to accept is that there will always be noise and you can't prevent it no matter what you do. So, you have to learn to deal with it. Luckily, modern recording software has tools that will help you deal with noise. The first tool that you should use is the noise gate. This is available in most programs including Audacity, an open source recording software. With noise gating, the noise during silent intervals, when no voice can be heard, will be eliminated. But when the voice speaks, the noise is still there. This tool is especially useful when you are only dealing with fan noise or a little hiss. But be careful in using this tool because the record might sound unnatural when the gates open or close. If the noise in the ambiance is quite loud, the intervals might seem to be too quiet and too unnatural.

Use noise reduction tools. These tools are also featured in majority of the music recording software. Its advisable to use this tool sparingly and only when it's a must. This feature reduces any background noise. It's just like the recording is being recorded under water. For the best results, indicate what noise sounds like. However, this tool works best if the noise is barely audible. Loud noise elimination using this tool can result in poor recording.

Use compression. This is a tool that makes the track louder or quieter without necessarily having to use the volume switch. Like the noise reduction tool, use the compression feature sparingly as excessive use can ruin the whole track. Simply use this tool to select the maximum loudness of the track. After this, adjust volume using the volume controls for sounds that are over the selected volume. This tool regulates track loudness and simultaneously gives over the vocal recording volume. The visual effect created by this tool can be seen as waves. Your goal should be to ensure that the voice recording takes up most part without touching the edges. If the waves touch the sides, the loudness is too high resulting in distortion.

Tweak #4. Know the powers of normalization. This can increase the audio to its peak volume without distorting the sound. This is especially useful when track level is so low that you would not be able to use gain and volume faders for increasing the record's volume and you don't have any choice but to salvage the track. You can also appreciate this tool when you have to set the peak level.

However, be warned that the need for these tools would depend on your mix.You should use them with care to ensure that your vocal tracks will blend well with your instrumental whether you decided to buy beats from professional producers or create them in your home studio.




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