Vocal Tracking
I had a young country singer in the studio and I could tell he was a bit nervous. I heard his previous recordings and he was great. After a few takes he admitted to me that he was nervous. He plays out a lot so I thought, I wonder what his routine is when he is out gigging? So I asked him a few questions... Do you have a couple of alcoholic drinks before or while you are playing? He said, yes, the crowd buys me drinks throughout the evening. Then I asked him, your a good looking guy, I bet you ham it up for the ladies? He smiled and admitted he likes the attention. I knew he had a steady girlfriend as well. So I stopped the session and I said that we should book another night very soon and I wanted him to bring his girlfriend and a bottle of something he liked. The next session was amazing! I didn't let him overdo it, couple of drinks. His girlfriend was dressed really nice and he was in the ZONE! I'm telling you all this for a reason..
You have to be COMFORTABLE and CONFIDENT in the studio environment in order to get a great vocal! Everyone is different. Bring your favorite tea, honey, whatever. Don't settle for what the studio has, it could be totally different. I've had clients tape a picture of their music idol to a mic stand to face them while they sang to it. Some burn candles and a lot of singers love the room practically pitch dark. I have in the past also suggested that the space should fit the energy of the song. If it's a party song, bring a few friends to sit in the control room, if it's emotional song and something that is close to you.. candles, maybe hang some images up that support the message of the song.
There are a few other things that can enhance a vocal performance as well. One BIG one is, please, oh please, have your LYRICS memorized for the song. Not knowing your lyrics is like an actor asking to bring the script on the set because they don't have the lines memorized.. you cannot focus on the performance if the material isn't engrained into your head. In order to play around with melody options and alternate timing fluctuations you have to be confident with the core idea. Another simple thing is to take your shoes off. Sounds crazy, right? It grounds you, and it works for a lot of people. Try bringing your OWN headphones or in-ears if there is a pair you are used to. I could go on and on but that is also a big part of what I offer to singers.
My job is to pull a better vocal out of you. A performance than you may not even think you are capable of. I'm there to help you loosen up and enjoy the moment. To feel confident in your approach to the piece or help you when you are uncertain about your approach. That's why WHO you track vocals with is as important as WHERE you track them. A good mic and pre-amp is only half the battle!