vocal

[nord]

how common is it for someone to sing the vocal then put backing in afterwards?

nord

[jmorris]

very uncommon. Typically, vocalist want the music to sign to, be inspirited by.Not to mention lock into for timing.

[legionserial]

Maybe if tracking the vocal to scratch tracks and tracking the rest afterwards...

[Daisy]

About as common as placing a horse behind a carriage and having him / her push it.

[nord]

i`ve just gone straight from junior member to senior member, i`m not that old yet!

listen to 'sleigh ride- the carpenters' (i can`t find a link) the first part sounds like a bare vocal to me do you think it was recorded with something behind it which was then removed?

nord

[bigtoe]

Originally Posted by nord

how common is it for someone to sing the vocal then put backing in afterwards?

nord

i've also done stuff where we start with a click and a scratch track and build a track...if the vocal is good...so be it...if not...it's redone after the track is built.

bob pollard (gbv) works like this kinda as a rule.

Mike

[joeym]

Originally Posted by nord

how common is it for someone to sing the vocal then put backing in afterwards?

nord

that's exactly how I do it....works okay for me. I always have an idea what the backings are gonna sound like anyway. Just do what works best for you.

[legionserial]

Originally Posted by nord

listen to 'sleigh ride- the carpenters' (i can`t find a link) the first part sounds like a bare vocal to me do you think it was recorded with something behind it which was then removed?

nord

Probably not. Maybe someone playing the relevant chord progression to keep her in tune if she needed it. She probably didn't need it though. Some might. If she did there's still no reason why they would have needed to actually record the backing.

[mikeh]

From what I've seen - this tends to fall into a couple of general catagories:

1. Home studio singer/songwriter demo
Often the singer is the writer and perhaps most of the rest of the band - so tracking vocals up front (before most of the music is recorded) is not uncommon and does not really pose a problem (since the singer already knows where the song is going)

2. Band recording
The band tends to record the basic rhythm tracks (maybe with the singer laying down a scratch vocal) - and the lead vocals are one of the last things tracked.

3. Single vocal artist
Either the artist (or possibly the producer or someone else) lays down a scratch track - the session musicians then come in and track parts with "real " vocals being one of the last things tracked.

There is no right or wrong way - it should be more about what works best fot the vocalist. Some singers (many singers) have an easier time singing to a basic rhythem track (example: piano, bass & drums) rather than to an entire arranged track.

Whatever it takes to gets the best possible vocal track.

[Robert D]

About as common as starting with the roof on a construction project. But that's not to say it can't be done, or is never done. I could see a jazz singer doing it while laying down a finger snap click track. But we're talking real talent here, doing utterly vocal driven songs with backing tracks that are just that. For most applications, a guitar or piano scratch track is a good idea, and in most cases the vocal will end up being a scratch too by the end of the project.

[mikeh]

We should clarify what nord meant by vocals first. Are we talking laying a vocal track to something like a piano or guitar guide track (and then filling in the other instruments later)? Or are we talking literally laying a vocal track with no other harmony reference?

If the former, then maybe - if the later, I can't see how if could be done.

[cello_pudding]

i've done guitar and then vocals and then a bunch of parts/harmonies...

never have i done a vocal to a bare click track and then just put in the instrumental part.

that seems like crazy-talk

[joeym]

Originally Posted by joeym

that's exactly how I do it....works okay for me. I always have an idea what the backings are gonna sound like anyway. Just do what works best for you.

Correction: maybe I understood the question wrong. I thought he meant doing the backing VOCALS first and then the main vocal. I always do the main first, but naturally to an almost finished track with almost all the instruments tracked.

[nord]

Originally Posted by Daisy

About as common as placing a horse behind a carriage and having him / her push it.

why not let the horse go at his own pace and send the baggage by courier later?
easier on the horse


nord

[legionserial]

Originally Posted by nord

why not let the horse go at his own pace and send the baggage by courier later?
easier on the horse


nord

Are you suggesting phoning in your vocals?

[nord]

i think phone is 8k i was thinking more 48k

nord

[TerraMortim]

actually.. . . . . .

Tricky does that sometimes, from what I've read.

I like Tricky.

Cream cheese goes wickedly on a bagel.

Fish.


and...


chips.

[Epicureous]

I'm not sure why ppl would think it to be hard... What starts to get really crazy is when you lay down vox with no back or click... I suppose for some ppl that could be hard... But everyone has their certain level of talent that they're able to do, most have to use some sort of back or click... I wouldn't want shout names of recent artist who have started with JUST vocals... *cough MJK *cough *cough...

[nord]

Originally Posted by nord

why not let the horse go at his own pace and send the baggage by courier later?
easier on the horse


nord

if you are thinking of a song its best to let someody else think of other stuff just concentrate on your own feet......

http://www.eonline.com/gossip/hum/de...2-5ddb8598b4b8



nord

[gecko zzed]

A friend gave me some lyrics, so I started humming how I thought the tune would go.

I loaded Logic, set up a click track, then created the chant that I wanted just to the click track. I then added a lead vocal to this chant.

After I had done this I started adding other instruments. Fortunately, my original vocal tracks were pitched in F and stayed consistent throughout. Until I started messing around with the isntruments I didn't know what key I had set.

I took a vaguely similar approach with another track. This was recorded some time ago: I recorded (live) a duo singing to their guitar accompaniment, which they were happy with.

However, I felt the track had unexplored potential. I deleted the guitar tracks and the second vocalist, leaving just the main lead vocal track. I then 'forgot' the orginal arrnagement (as much as I could), and created a ttotally different arrangement under this vocal.

I agree, though, with other comments here. It's not a common practice to record the vocals first, and it is vastly easier to do the backings first (even if accompanied by a disposable guide vocal).