This is the practical for the module: a full vocal production, from setting up the session to a mixed vocal sitting in a finished track. Work through every stage, and keep notes of your decisions.
The brief
Choose a song - your own, a co-write, or an agreed cover - with at least a verse, a chorus and a final chorus. Work with a vocalist if you can; record yourself if you must.
Stage 1: Preparation
- Session template ready: tracks, markers, headphone mix with reverb.
- Key confirmed for the singer's range.
- Lyrics printed and laid out by section.
- Microphone chosen and positioned; room treated as well as possible; pop filter in place.
- Gain set from the loudest part of the song.
Stage 2: Recording
- Warm-up done before recording.
- At least three full takes of every section.
- Punch-ins for problem lines.
- Doubles of the chorus lead.
- At least one harmony, doubled.
- A backing vocal pad or call-and-response part.
- Ad-libs for the final chorus.
Stage 3: Editing
- A comp of the lead built from the best phrases, with crossfades on every edit.
- Breaths kept but controlled; noise between phrases cleaned.
- Doubles and harmonies aligned to the lead.
Stage 4: Tuning
- Lead tuned transparently with a graphical tool, vibrato and transitions preserved.
- Backing vocals tuned and aligned.
- A written note of at least one note deliberately left untuned, and why.
Stage 5: Processing
- Lead chain: high-pass, subtractive EQ, compression (serial if needed), additive EQ, de-esser.
- All backing vocals routed to a bus, compressed, EQ'd and de-essed as a group.
- One creative effect used on purpose in one section.
Stage 6: Mixing
- Lead vocal ridden through the whole song.
- Reverb and delay sends set up, with pre-delay, EQ and ducking.
- Stack panned and balanced behind the lead.
- Mix checked quietly, in mono and on a phone speaker.
What will be assessed
- Performance - did you get a confident, emotional take?
- Technical quality - clean recording, no clipping, controlled noise and plosives.
- Editing and tuning - natural, inaudible, musical.
- Arrangement - backing vocals that support and build.
- Mix - intelligible, present, polished, translating across systems.
Do this now
- Choose your song and book your vocalist.
- Build your session template today.
- Write the backing vocal arrangement plan before the session, so you know what to record.