PRODUCER: "this take was great! Again, please!"
SINGER: "Why should I sing it again since this take was great?"
...
VOCALS RECORDING SESSION
How many good takes should a singer record?
When recording a singer, my goal is to get at least 3 good takes for the main vocal line for every part of the song.
Why?
I like to use triple-tracking for choruses to make vocals really wide, full and really being "everywhere" in the stereo field.
I like to have 1 main vocal track in the center and 2 other hard-panned L&R and mixed with the main one to taste.
Sometimes I automate the hard-panned tracks across the whole song.
This also helps to develop good song gradation.
Well, normally I record up to 10 takes per part in total.
But not all takes are all good.
But I have several options to choose from when editing.
Sometimes you end up with the take on one word in a verse from the "bad" takes.
Really!
Because once you go through the editing you realize that the "good" take doesn't sound that good after editing haha :D
When the recording session takes heavy production coaching, phrasing improvements and "emotions" managements I go up to 40 takes of one part of the song.
Well, if it goes like this, I normally kill the session and the singer gets some homework tasks...
And then we meet again next time.
That's why I like to force the singer to buy his own microphone, I recommend him a sound card and DAW and i even teach him how to work in a home studio.
Then the singer records some test-takes at home and I do some remote revisions of the
test-takes before we meet again in the studio for final recordings.
And when it comes to background vocals and gangs, I usually go for even more takes and layers, but it's a different story :)
How many good takes do you normally record?
May the muse be with You!