Paul Simon's Vocal Recording Technique

[jonesey]

I was reading a favorite bluegrass music blog and there was an entry about Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver playing on some new Paul Simon tracks and there was a mention about Simon's recording process. I was wondering if anyone knew of this technique for recording vocals and/or if they could give a better explanation of the actual process involved here. It sounds interesting, but from the second hand description, I am not exactly sure what they mean. Below is quoted from http://www.thebluegrassblog.com/more-on-doyle-and-paul-simon/

“Quicksilver played on 3 tracks, and sang on 2. He said that the recording process was so different – very challenging.

Rather than start a song from the beginning, Simon would start at the end and have them sing with the scratch vocal on a loop. This was their rehearsal and Paul suddenly said, ‘lets try one.’

When Paul said ‘we got it,’ Doyle was surprised, but then after thinking about it, realized that it was a very efficient way to get the vocals done quickly.”

 

[mjbphotos]

It means literally they would start the scratch vocal track towards the end of the song, and when the song end was reached, it would loop right back to the beginning of the song and they woudl continue to record the scratch track.

 

[miroslav]

Yeah...that's what it sounds like he was saying....
...I just can't see why that's a more "efficient" way to work or more quicker way?

What's the trick...?

 

[noisewreck]

What's the trick...?

Psychology.

 

[WhiteStrat]

Psychology.

Exactly. The very beginning of a vocal track is always the weakest part to nail. By starting somewhere near the end, and looping back, the vocalists are relaxed and in the groove by the time they get to the beginning.

I know it works. That's the way Paul and I always track vocals.

 

[miroslav]

Psychology.

Starting at the end…the psychology may(?) work only if they are making a single pass....start at the end and come around one time.
But once the loop comes around one time...they ain't *starting* at the end anymore...'cuz it's a loop...so the psychology isn't going to be much of an issue.

When I track direct to DAW...I just set the DAW to loop the backing/scratch tracks...and record 3-5 passes without stopping.
It's kinda the same thing....though I start at the beginning, 'cuz very often the vocal builds as you work your way through the song. Not sure how awkward it would be start towards the end…
...but again, if you keep looping…it really matters not where you *start*.

 

[GONZO-X]

it's a case of......'are you writing it on the spot, in the studio?'

or

'do you already have your shit together, are well rehearsed, and have done your homework and figured out exactly what you want already, and know you just have to perform it'.


guys with money, can afford to spend studio time actually writing and creating parts on the fly.

then it makes sense, that you can finish the song strong, by starting there.

 

[witzendoz]

The way I work is to get the singer to sing all the way through the song from the start, then as soon as we reach the end record a second take all the way through. We then stop and listen to see if they nailed one, or we have a complete take using parts from both, if not we record a third and forth take back to back. Then if we have a problem spot in the song carry out a few drop ins. I don't care if the first couple of takes are just a warm up, they still get recorded as it may get nailed on the first take.

By the second third or forth take we will get a good solid beginning.

Cheers
Alan.

 

[miroslav]

The way I work is to get the singer to sing all the way through the song from the start, then as soon as we reach the end record a second take all the way through. We then stop and listen to see if they nailed one, or we have a complete take using parts from both, if not we record a third and forth take back to back. Then if we have a problem spot in the song carry out a few drop ins. I don't care if the first couple of takes are just a warm up, they still get recorded as it may get nailed on the first take.

By the second third or forth take we will get a good solid beginning.

Cheers
Alan.

Yeah...that's similar to what I was saying...do like 3-5 takes one right after the other, with the scratch/backing tracks looping...that way there's no pause in the action, and you can get a nice groove going without thinking about the start or middle or anything specific...you just keep rolling.
Then you listen to the 3-5 takes, pick the best overall and use the others to comp into the best one any sections that were better, and you end up with one really good take.

 

[dastrick]

I record vocals in one take and hope the singer doesn't suck it up too bad.







But then again, I record my band LIVE.

 

[Bguzaldo]

I have a modified trick like this, (I'm sure most of you have done it too). If there's an extra bar I just have the singer start early and sing the first line twice.