4 Basic Audio Tweaks To Improve Home Studio Vocal Recordings

By Frank Lubsey


Sure you can buy beats with superb quality for your hip hop mix but if the vocal recording is bad, your final mix will be a disaster. This is one of the reasons why we need to emphasize the need for great vocal recordings especially in hip hop. Why should you go into a lot of trouble to buy beats that are cool when the quality of the vocals ruins the entire mix? Producing records with flawless quality using cheap equipment in your studio may not be easy but it is possible. To help you out in creating the perfect mix, here are some tips.

Tweak #1. Use Noise Gates. This is actually a no brainer. One fact that you need to accept is that there will always be noise and you can't prevent it no matter what you do. So, you have to learn to deal with it. Luckily, modern recording software has tools that will help you deal with noise. The first tool that you should use is the noise gate. This is available in most programs including Audacity, an open source recording software. With noise gating, the noise during silent intervals, when no voice can be heard, will be eliminated. But when the voice speaks, the noise is still there. This tool is especially useful when you are only dealing with fan noise or a little hiss. But be careful in using this tool because the record might sound unnatural when the gates open or close. If the noise in the ambiance is quite loud, the intervals might seem to be too quiet and too unnatural.

Use noise reduction tools. These tools are also featured in majority of the music recording software. Its advisable to use this tool sparingly and only when it's a must. This feature reduces any background noise. It's just like the recording is being recorded under water. For the best results, indicate what noise sounds like. However, this tool works best if the noise is barely audible. Loud noise elimination using this tool can result in poor recording.

Learn to use compression. This feature is designed to regulate loudness within the track without constantly adjusting volume. As with the nose reduction tool, avoid using the compressor too much. This tool gives you freedom to select maximum loudness of the vocal recording. You can afterwards use volume controls to increase volume above the selected maximum loudness. This gives you better control of the voice recording volume while at the same time regulating track pitch. This tool displays the track in the form of waves. Your aim is to ensure that the waves occupy as much space as is possible within the display without touching the edges. If this is allowed to happen, distortion of the recording will occur.

Learn about normalization. The normalization tool is effective in increasing the audio recording to its highest volume without risking distortion. This tool is especially great when volume faders and gain features can't be used to increase the tracks volume without causing distortion. In such instances, track recovery can only be achieved through the use of the normalization tool. This tool is also effective when you want to set the peak volume of your track.

Before using these tools, it's best to consider whether they are really necessary. It all depends on the recording you are working on. Use these tools with caution and this way, you will ensure that your beats and instrumentals blend in well with the vocals.




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