How do I record my voice while playing music?
The goal of recording your voice with music playback is to layer a vocal track over a pre-recorded instrumental track. This allows you to hear how your voice sounds with the instrumentation and make adjustments to get the best possible recording. There are several common reasons someone would want to record vocals over music:
- To create demos or rough recordings of songs
- To compose and arrange songs by iteratively recording vocals
- To produce fully arranged recordings for release
- To learn how to record vocals and practice technique
To record your voice with music playback, you’ll need some basic home recording equipment:
- An audio interface to get sound into and out of your computer
- A microphone and mic stand to capture your voice
- Recording software known as a DAW (digital audio workstation)
- Headphones to hear your voice with the music mix
With this gear, you’ll be ready to start recording vocals at home.
Audio Interface
An audio interface is an external hardware device that connects microphones, instruments, and other audio equipment to your computer. It converts the analog signals from microphones and instruments into digital audio that can be recorded and edited on a computer.
An audio interface is essential for recording high-quality vocals and instruments. The audio inputs on most computers are low quality and will add noise into your recordings. A dedicated audio interface provides professional grade preamps, converters, and outputs for clean audio capture.
For home recording on a budget, the Focusrite Scarlett Solo is an excellent choice starting under $100. It has one XLR input for connecting a vocal microphone, and high quality preamps and converters. For more inputs and outputs, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or 4i4 provide great value.
Professional artists and studios often opt for higher end interfaces like the Focusrite Clarett or Universal Audio Apollo. These offer boutique-grade preamps, lower latency, and more robust construction for intensive recording sessions.
Microphone
The most important piece of gear for recording vocals is the microphone. Microphones capture the nuances of your voice by converting sound waves into an electrical signal. There are two main types of microphones used for vocals – dynamic and condenser.
Dynamic microphones like the Shure SM7B are rugged, great for close-mic vocal recording, and provide warmth and intimacy. Condenser microphones like the Neumann U87 Ai are extremely sensitive, capture more detail, and are ideal for vocalists with precise diction and dynamics.
When choosing a vocal mic, consider your voice type, genre, and recording environment. The Shure SM7B’s smooth frequency response suits deeper voices recording rock or pop. The AKG C414 XLII’s switchable polar patterns provide versatility for different spaces. Invest in the best microphone you can afford for the cleanest vocal sound.
Digital Audio Workstation
A digital audio workstation (DAW) is software that allows you to record, edit, and mix audio files on your computer. A DAW acts as a digital replacement for a tape recorder and audio mixing console. Key features of a DAW include:
- Multi-track recording – record on multiple audio tracks simultaneously
- Non-linear, non-destructive editing – edit audio freely without damaging the original file
- Mixing capabilities – adjust volume levels, pan, add effects plugins, etc.
- MIDI sequencing – for working with virtual instruments and MIDI data
- Automation – automate volume, panning, effects, etc. over time
For beginners, some good options to check out are GarageBand (Mac only but free) and Reaper (Windows/Mac, affordable license). GarageBand provides a simple and intuitive interface, while Reaper is fully featured but highly customizable.
More advanced users may want to look into options like Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, Ableton Live, and FL Studio. Pro Tools is an industry standard for recording and mixing, while Ableton Live is great for electronic music production. Logic Pro X and FL Studio offer fully featured workflows for both live and studio production.
Headphones
High-quality headphones are essential for monitoring your voice and instrument tracks while recording. The right headphones allow you to hear your live vocals and instrument clearly without any delay, so you can make adjustments and improvements during the recording process. They also prevent sound from leaking out into the microphone, preventing unwanted bleed. Closed-back headphones are recommended for voice recording, as they isolate sound and prevent audio spill.
Some top closed-back headphone options for vocal recording include:
- Sennheiser HD 280 Pro – Offer great noise isolation and accurate frequency response. Comfortable for long sessions.
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50x – Excellent sound quality and noise isolation. Foldable design.
- Shure SRH840 – Accurate sound with good noise isolation. Comfortable fit.
- Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro – Great noise isolation and spacious sound. Different ohm options.
Make sure to test different headphone options to find the optimal fit and sound isolation for your ears and recording environment. Quality closed-back headphones allow you to better evaluate and enhance your vocal takes during the recording process.
Acoustic Treatment
Acoustic treatment is important for recording clean vocals because it helps absorb sound reflections and reverberation that can muddy up your recordings. When sound bounces off hard walls and surfaces, it creates echoes and an unrealistic room ambience in your recordings. Acoustic treatment helps absorb those reflections before they reach your microphone.
For portable vocal booths, try an acoustic shield like the sE Electronics Voodoo Shield that surrounds your mic and absorbs sound from behind. You can also build a simple portable vocal booth using PVC pipe and moving blankets. In your room, add acoustic panels made from rigid fiberglass or polyfiber to 1st reflection points on walls and the ceiling above your mic. Foam tiles also help absorb reflections when placed strategically around your room. See this article for more DIY acoustic treatment options.
Treating your room’s acoustics removes unwanted reflections and creates a clean, dry vocal recording environment so your voice sounds professional.
Microphone Technique
Proper microphone technique is essential for capturing quality vocal recordings. Here are some tips for optimal mic placement and handling:
Stand or sit about 4-6 inches away from the microphone when recording vocals. This is considered the “sweet spot” that balances both volume and tone. You want to avoid standing too far away from the mic which can make your voice sound distant and thin. But you also want to avoid getting too close which can lead to plosives and distorted sound from the proximity effect.
Always use a pop filter between your mouth and the microphone. The pop filter will help prevent plosives (hard “b”, “t”, “p” sounds) which can create a jarring blast of air hitting the microphone.
Aim to keep the microphone at the same distance from your mouth throughout the vocal take. Sudden movements towards or away from the mic can impact the recording level and tone.
Hold the microphone properly to avoid handling noise. Use a microphone stand and pop filter so you don’t have to grip the mic right up near the capsule. If handholding, hold the mic near the base and avoid touching the grated capsule area.
Take care not to breath directly into the microphone. Turn your head slightly off-axis from the mic when taking a breath to avoid blasts of air.
Maintain proper mic technique consistently throughout all your takes for the most cohesive sound.
Preparing Your Music Track
Before recording vocals, it’s important to properly setup your music track in your DAW. Make sure the track is edited, mixed, and has the correct tempo, key, and arrangement. Listen through headphones to ensure all the elements blend well and can be clearly heard [1]. Pay attention to the balance between the lead vocal area and instrumentation. Create space in the mix so the voice can shine through later.
Set up a headphone cue mix with all the instruments and a click track [2]. The click should match the tempo of your song. Make it loud enough to clearly hear but not distracting. Send the click to only the vocalist’s headphones, not the main mix. The headphone cue mix allows monitoring without any mic bleed into the vocal recording.
Listening on headphones while recording helps nail the timing and prevents vocal flubs. Having a great headphone mix boosts performance since the vocalist can hear themselves and the music track perfectly. Preparing the music track properly ensures the vocal recording session goes smoothly.
Recording Takes
When recording your vocal takes with the music track, it’s common to do multiple passes to get the best performance. Here are some tips for an efficient process:
Start by doing a couple of practice/warmup takes to get comfortable with the song. Don’t worry about nailing it yet.
Once warmed up, do about 3 serious takes to capture your main vocals. Make each take a solid pass, but don’t strain for perfection. The goal is to get natural, quality performances to choose from later.
Listen back and comp the best parts of each take into your final main vocal track. You can also composite multiple takes to get more layers and thickness.
Go back and punch-in to fix any mistakes or replace any weak lines. When punching in, match the energy and tone of the original take. Listen critically to make sure your punch-ins blend seamlessly.
Add backing vocals, doubles, harmonies etc. to polish off the track. Comp takes of these parts as needed to compile the strongest vocals.
Throughout the process, take breaks to avoid fatigue and vocal strain. Stay hydrated as well. This will maintain the quality and consistency of your takes.
Editing and Mixing
After recording all your vocal takes, it’s time to compile the best ones into a final vocal track through editing techniques like comping. Comping involves splicing together different parts of multiple takes to create one seamless and polished vocal track. Listen through each vocal take and identify the best phrases and lines. You can then compile these best moments into your final vocal track.
When mixing your final vocal track with the music bed, start by setting the vocal volume in relation to the music. Make sure the vocal can be clearly heard over the other instruments. Use EQ to carve out space for the vocal in the frequency spectrum, boosting resonant frequencies around 5kHz for clarity and presence, and cutting competing frequencies in the music track. Use compression to control vocal dynamics, adding grit and making the vocal sit better in the mix. Add time-based effects like reverb for a professional sheen. Approach the mixing with subtlety, aiming for a polished yet natural sound. Keep refining until the vocal blends seamlessly with the music.
Pay attention to small details when polishing the mix. Carefully edit vocal breaths, lip smacks or pops. Use clip gain automation to smooth out any jarring volume changes. Add de-essing to control harsh sibilance. Pan the lead vocal dead center, with backing vocals panned in the stereo field. Listen on multiple systems and check your mix both quietly and loudly to catch any issues. Strive for commercial quality comparable to your favorite professional recordings. With practice and attention to detail, you can achieve pro-quality mixed vocals that sound like they belong with your music.
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