Most songs are sung, and the vocal is the centre of almost every record it is on. Working with vocalists - whether they are writing the topline, singing your melody, or both - is one of the core skills of a producer-composer. The Vox Pro module covers recording, editing and mixing vocals in depth; this chapter is the composer's introduction.
Key and range first
A singer's range decides the key of the song. The same melody in two keys three semitones apart can sound effortless in one and strained in the other.
- Ask the singer to sing the highest and lowest notes they can sing comfortably, and where their voice sounds best.
- Test the chorus - the highest, most sustained part - in a few keys before committing.
- Do not fall in love with your demo key. Transpose the production to fit the singer, not the other way round.
Writing for the voice
- Most voices have a "break" between registers - chest voice and head voice. Melodies that sit right on it are tiring to sing. Write either side of it, or cross it deliberately for emotional effect.
- Leave room to breathe. A phrase that runs for eight bars without a gap cannot be sung live.
- Think about where the power is. Many voices are strongest in the upper-middle of their range.
Toplines and guide vocals
- A topline is the melody and lyric written over an existing track. Many songs are written this way: a producer makes the music, a topliner writes the vocal.
- A guide vocal is a rough vocal recorded to show a singer how the song goes - by the writer, the producer, or a session singer.
Agree splits before or immediately after a writing session. If the topliner wrote the melody and lyrics, they are a co-writer - and should be credited and paid as one.
Briefing a vocalist
Before the session, send the singer:
- The track in the key you will record in, with and without a guide vocal.
- The lyrics, typed and laid out by section.
- References for the vocal style and delivery you want.
- The tempo and structure.
Give them time to learn the song. A singer who has lived with the song for a week sounds very different from one who heard it in the car on the way.
In the session
- Make them comfortable. A good headphone mix - usually more vocal and less low end than you think - is the single most important technical step.
- Warm up. Do not record the hardest part first.
- Record several full takes before working on details. You can comp the best parts later.
- Give clear, encouraging direction. "More breath on the verse", "push the last line harder", "sing it like you are telling a friend a secret".
- Keep it moving. Long silences while you edit kill energy.
Do this now
- Find the range of a singer you know - or your own voice - and choose the best key for your C major project's chorus.
- Write a guide vocal for your song, even if you are not a singer.
- Write a one-page vocal brief: key, tempo, structure, lyrics, two references.