Admit it... you were expecting a magic answer to this one. You were going to get advice on what plug-ins and effects can turn an ordinary vocal into that of a true rock god. Or goddess.
The key fact about rock vocals is that they are an established musical form. If someone invents a better way of doing vocals for rock... well they will be some other style of vocal, and not true rock.
So you have to look at the defining parameters of the style. Just as you wouldn't record hip hop without an MPC60 or the like, and you wouldn't record country music without a Fender Telecaster guitar, then you shouldn't record rock vocals without a Shure SM58 microphone.
And that's all you need. You don't need a fancy preamp - just plug it into your mixing console, set the levels and record.
Now if you really want to get better rock vocals, what you need is a great rock singer. You could of course fire your current singer and get a better one. Might as well fix the drummer while you're at it.
Or you could get your singer some voice training. Rock vocals demand great control. They might sound out of control but there is a hell of a lot of precision work going on in that there larynx. The art is to sound loud and aggressive while letting the mic do most of the work, and developing the muscles and tissues of the throat over a considerable period of time. Even the great rock singers took time to develop. (And many over-developed too quickly leading to surgery to correct serious problems).
One technique that is used all the time in rock is the 'fry'. This is where the soft tissues surrounding the throat and larynx are made to vibrate coarsely and roughly. I'm sure you know the sound. I'm sure you know also that you don't have to do this for long before you get a terrible sore throat. Look forward to an infection the next day and possibly a trip to the doctor for antibiotics.
Building up the technique to produce the fry on the regular basis required by rock demands competent instruction. You can do it alone like the ancient greats of rock, but it will be a hit and miss affair - and no-one knows about the rock singers who didn't make it because they shot their voices to pieces before they were ready.
You know, great singing will sound great with any decent microphone and any competent preamplifier. We hear so much about equipment that we forget that the source of so much music is in fact human.
David Mellor, Record-Producer.com
Have you ever dreamed of penning your own compositions? Writing... Read More
There are a lot of independent labels out there waiting... Read More
Do you know what a didgeridoo is? There are so... Read More
Many students think that being able to play what you... Read More
Originally, Inuit throat singing was a form of entertainment among... Read More
I was 17 at the time (the Beatles era), and... Read More
So, you think you'd like to learn to play guitar,... Read More
When you think of music in Atlanta you generally think... Read More
Having taught the guitar for many years, I see the... Read More
For most of us, making any major purchase, such as... Read More
Ann Powers said: "Don't censor the music and artistic... Read More
There are essentially two ways to learn piano - note... Read More
When a painter is getting ready to paint, a color... Read More
The Age-old Puzzle of Human ResponseIf you've listened to more... Read More
Piano playing doesn't have to be boring. There's no law... Read More
The Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky once said: " A good... Read More
It's really not your fault. You see, you've been taught... Read More
There are 3 pedals on most pianos. The one on... Read More
A lot has been said about the 'post-rock' revolution as... Read More
It has become increasingly popular for U.S. military veterans and... Read More
In this guitar lesson we look at a great way... Read More
The portable MP3 player continues to be the hot item... Read More
When memorizing music there are several things you can do... Read More
Everyone talks about the negative impact of the Internet on... Read More
John Lennon wasn't always my favorite Beatle; at first it... Read More
Should you copyright your song? If you're a songwriter, sooner... Read More
Curious about MIDI? Want to find out what tools are... Read More
Author Interview with Ryan Thomson, seacoast New Hampshire resident, and... Read More
Learning to fiddle the Orange Blossom Special is not easy,... Read More
The DJ industry is very competitive. There are many DJ's... Read More
I am not sure if anyone has been watching out... Read More
Once you know what your Unique Selling Proposition is as... Read More
There are basically two ways you can compose a piece... Read More
Movie and record producers alike are saying file-sharing networks that... Read More
IntroductionThe fact that you are holding this in your hands... Read More
So now you've decided to record your songs. Good for... Read More
Will listening to music make you smarter? Will learning to... Read More
While many people think that the mixing of the separate... Read More
We all know, if only instinctively, that music has a... Read More
These practice tips were written for fiddlers. I've used them... Read More
The idea originated with singer Jon Bon Jovi. Jon kept... Read More
Are you frustrated because finding your favorite songs on the... Read More
Are you confused by the various types of music file... Read More
In the late 1940's, the 45-RPM record replaced the 78-RPM... Read More
Digital Music Download. Ever since file-sharing programs entered the hard... Read More
So you want to be more creative when playing piano.... Read More
Fan support for musicians is a two way street. You... Read More
You CAN do everything.Repeat.You CAN do everything. What you cannot... Read More
A debate rages on in the drumming world! You might... Read More
Every searching artist wants to get there. It's that magical... Read More
Despite the title of this article, the purpose of it... Read More
Back in the 90's we had a local Southern Gospel... Read More
As industry insiders, we sometimes forget that when discussing the... Read More
Today's music fan interacts with a "community" that is far... Read More
Do you ramble on endlessly with your improvisations? If so,... Read More
The Ibanez SR400 bass guitar is very comfortable to play.... Read More
Congratulations, you just bought you first guitar! Now that you've... Read More
Jealousy ? do you feel it? Do you sense it... Read More
Rarely is a chord played with its tones contained in... Read More
Music courses are a great way to learn about virtually... Read More
One of the Appalachian Mountain region's greatest contributions to the... Read More
Flaunting any excessive or anti-social behavior is considered brazen. When... Read More
I'll never forget the first time I played the piano... Read More
Rhapsody music, from RealNetworks is one of several reputable legal... Read More
Vision Music USA is a proactive and progressive music service... Read More
The harp that once through Tara's halls the soul of... Read More
Music & MP3 |