Recording vocals... simulating live gig in headphones

[lemonchili]

Not really sure how to describe this, so I wasn't really sure what to search for so I thought I'd post a new thread.

I have this singer who's difficult to please - me! The problem is I'm finding I sing a lot better in a live gig where I can hear myself back through the stage monitors, but when I'm recording my own vocals at home it's difficult to get a similar feeling through headphones, and I tend to sing a little flat and have difficulty gauging my volume.
I've finally got a set of closed back headphones (Sennheiser HD-280Pro) and that seems to be making it more difficult.

I've been playing around with putting reverb back through the headphones, and also tried a little delay instead of reverb, both of which seem to help, and using one earphone on, one off, but still not the same as live. Is this something I'm just going to have to get used to or are there some other techniques I could try?

If this has been covered before please point me in the direction of the right thread


Thanks,
chili

 

[Talldog]

All of those things may help. The big thing that is missing is the energy of an audience and the rest of the band. Overdubbing (as an artist) takes some learning and adjusting. That said...try turning up the music in the phones louder than your vocals. In a live situation the vocalist is (almost) always competing with the band to be heard.

 

[Dani Pace]

If you are used to performing live, it takes a little patience and practice to get used to playing in a studio. As suggested try turning up the music volume in the headphones, this will cause you to project your voice more (kind of like in a live situation.) For live gigs you are most likely used to standing to sing, stand up to sing in the studio as well, it will feel more natural. You might try a less sensitive mic for your vocals, this can help you to "sing out" more and have a more natural sound. If you are new to recording, remember it takes a while to get used to hearing your own voice. Sometimes we learn it is not the mic or the recorder, but our voice that needs to change or improve, only practice will do this job. Hang in there, patience, practice and perserveriance will make a huge difference in how your vocals sound.

 

[joeym]

singing live and singing in a studio are 2 different worlds...

practice practice practice...

and no, do not make the music in your phones louder, you could end up singing too sharp...

 

[lemonchili]

Thanks for your input folks. It is something I'm just going to have to practice and master.

Not that I've done much recording (just home stuff), but it's more noticeable with a new song I'm working on, plus I've finally started using closed back headphones and I'm still getting used to them (big difference to the cheap open back ones I had before). Playing the song on acoustic guitar and singing at the same time I can get it right, but singing to a recorded guitar track it's a touch flat and... lifeless. It's not the recording, it's me not singing it right, I'll just have to practice

Trying things out yesterday I found it's a balancing act to get the volume of the guitar and vocal in the cans just right... again more practice and experience will help I guess. I did find feeding a compressed vocal to the cans helps.

cheers,
chili