Here is a list of things that they should know:
1. Keep hydrated, and bring a large bottle of water to the studio. Keep it room temperature.
2. Don't overdo your warm-ups because you will be singing again and again and AGAIN as the engineer experiments and you are directed to do different things. Don't worry about warm-ups as you would for a performance or audition... If the monitor is working properly, you will not have to push your voice.
3. Wear comfortable clothes because, as contained of a process as this might seem, it's actually VERY draining. And keep the apparel light... you don't want to be sweating in that little space.
4. Know your music well. It's very different to record in a studio... a.k.a. easy to be thrown off. The more comfortable with the material you are, the less of a chance there is a screw up. Also, it will make the engineer's life easier to minimize takes.
5. Communicate with the engineer. Tell him if you're uncomfortable with the height of the mic. Tell him if the monitor is too loud. Tell him if you want to punch something in (isolate a vocal moment that you dislike and re-record); a recording is permanent, so you should sound your best.
I will add on to this list if I think of other things. Basically, if I had to sum all of this up in one piece of advice, it would be: Be comfortable. This is doubly important since you are dealing with a first-time studio experience.
"Goodness is rewarded. Hope is guaranteed. Laughter builds strong bones. Right will intercede. Things you've said I often find I need, indeed. I see the world through your eyes. What's black and white is colorized. The knowledge you most dearly prized I'm eager to employ. You said that life has infinite joys."
Updated On: 8/12/07 at 10:24 PM
