Standing or sitting to recording sing/song writers

C

Chrisdb

New member
Hey, I'm a sing/songwriter, recently learning and discovering the amazing world of recording. And I was wondering for example if you play an instrument such as acoustic guitar and sing at the time whilst recording, do you do it sitting down or standing up?

Because as you know a lot of sing/songwriters who play guitar usually sit down during gigs, depending on the size of the venue. But standing up is meant to give your diaphram more room and such, to make your voice sound better, allowing more air and so on.

Do you guys feel this way? or do you just sit and record and find it more comfortable? like me. Because I feel like I have better control of my acoustic guitar sitting down, ya know?

I wonder what the likes of Johnny Cash and Dylan did etc, I know Dylan seemed to do most of his gigs standing up, I wonder about the recordings, same goes with any sing/song writer.

Thanks :)
 
I believe that standing up is biophysically better for singing.

When I do my own stuff, I do it sitting . . . because I'm working the computer at the same time.

When I record other vocalists, I let them choose how they want to do it.
 
You can breath more relaxed and open when you're standing, but since recording often takes hours and hours most people I know sit.

But there's some people who always stand, so it's really up to the individual and great music has come out of both methods.

Myself, I always sit when I record everything... I play keys and drums so standing is weird for me.
 
Whatever makes the artist (singer) most comfortable.

Everything I've read suggests standing is better when singing...........but as indicated, many people sit and sing while playing guitar, keys and drums.

Whatever works best for the artist.

My vocal booth is normally arranged for the vocalist to stand....but I do have a stool in there if they want to sit.
 
...

I had better results tracking a vocal take... with the person sitting. Standing, they had more incentive to dance, and when "winding up" start throwing their arms around, moving their head back, etc etc...

I would suppose a more experienced singer, with better "mic control"... and knowledge not to throw their head back "dramatically" (which caused am errant pitch diversion...lol) it would have been better...

I had better results with tracking the guitar and singing in different takes. Both sitting. SInging sitting, head slightly down.

"stage dramatics" with the hands and throwing the head back, seem to be held for the more experienced vocalist.

in recording/tracking... there's no audience to SEE that, so your looking for the best take.


YOUR experience level will dictate if you can stand up (or need to...) or should sit down, with head slightly down...
 
Do it the way you are most comfortable. I sit when I perform, record, and play at home. Somewhere along the way, standing has become the norm for rock, country, and blues bands. Walter
 
A lot of times, it depends on the singer's frame of reference. Bel Canto, the vocal form that is used in classical opera, and which heavily influences Broadway vocals, was created to maximize projection, to cut through the mix, if you will, of an orchestra in a large hall. Most opera singers haven't got a clue how to use a microphone. For the modern performing artist, mics are just part of the arsenal of tools they use. Some people *deal with* microphones, and other people *use* them as a tool. The way I mic up these two different groups is also quite different. You'll find damn few classically trained singers who want to sing sitting down. Most folk singers don't care, because they get "projection" from a PA. They tried to make me a classical singer, but it didn't work. The mic is my friend.-Richie
 
Yea guess it is about personal preference, but 'technically' standing up should give you more projection. As a sing song writer I tend to sit down to record.
 
That's the whole point, Chris. Of course standing up increases projection. But- with a couple thousand watts behind you, projection becomes pretty much irrelevant. What isn't irrelevant is tone. If you are used to singing for projection, you are used to standing up. Lots of classically trained musicians hate mics, because they have practiced for years to produce a stage whisper that can be heard in the back row, and with a mic, anyone can do it. It threatens the relevance of their discipline. A lot of times, they mic classical singers with overheads, like a drum kit, so they don't have to really deal with the mic at all.
With that Bel Canto projection, an opera singer can shatter a glass, if he/she knows the resonating frequency of the glass. With a big enough PA, I could probably blow every window out of a room! (and cause permanent damage to the hearing of every person in the room, including me) This is the two-edged sword of technology, like John Henry and the steam drill. But old disciplines tend to stick around. The submachine gun hasn't replaced Kung Fu, and I think it will be a while before we see the Metropolitan Opera using handheld mics.
I respect all disciplines. I am sometimes annoyed, though by the attitude of some classically trained singers, including my own teachers. They often do not get the idea that using a mic is a discipline itself. They often act like finger-painters who think that using a brush is cheating.-Richie

"I'm a steel drivin' man, Lord, Lord.
I'll die with a hammer in my hand."
 
Standing with the mic in front of you mostly...with a guitar sitting on a solid stool is fine if the artist doesnt like the strap...and it helps them keep the guitar in position with the mics...Ive had folk guys turn thier instruments on me while standing during non vocal parts.:rolleyes:...and I get alot of coffiehouse guys wanting to make CDs to sell in here.
 
Personally I can record guitars sitting down but prefer standing up. I always record vocals standing up.
 
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