July 2006
JULY 2006: CAPTURING THE PERFECT VOCAL
Raise your voice in song...and have it come out sounding great! In our July issue, we stack the deck with lots of useful information on how to record vocal tracks and get them to be their best—everything from tracking and mixing to editing and making the vocalist feel at home. Lead and backing voices get great coverage... we even talk about barbershop recording and how its techniques can be applied to studio vocal tracking. Away from the vocal booth, Keith Carlock and Eliot Scheiner discuss tracking drums for Donald Fagen’s Morph The Cat. You’ll also find details on our Great Gear Giveaway, in which we’re offering up over $11,000 in prizes, including an $8000 Grand Prize. All this plus a great slate of reviews, useful applications pieces, Readers’ Tapes with Marty Peters (now available online!), and more. Don’t miss it!
Reviews
Crowley and Tripp Studio Vocalist.
An innovative new ribbon mic with a powerful vocal tone.
Review by Scott Dorsey
Mackie Onyx 400F.
This FireWire recording interface features the famed Onyx preamps and much more.
Review by Paul Vnuk
Digidesign Mbox 2.
Pro Tools’ entry-level interface adds new features and improved sound quality.
Review by Justin Peacock
Antares AVOX.
The company that brought you Auto-Tune launches five new vocal-treatment plug-ins.
Review by Bill Stunt
Once Over—Reviews In Brief.
Novation X-Station USB interface/controllers; Audio-Technica AT2041SP mic package.
Reviews by Mike Metlay and Darwin Grosse
Interviews
Keith Carlock.
The drummer for Steely Dan fills us in on working with Donald Fagen on his newest solo album, Morph The Cat.
Interview by Ray Legnini
Features
Vocal Alchemy—Part 1.
There’s a certain magic in mixing vocal tracks. In the first of two parts, we introduce the methods to the madness.
By Bruce Kaphan
Practical Tips On Vocal Recording—Part 1.
The hard truth about working effectively with singers in the studio.
By Dave Martin
Recording Background Vocals—Part 1.
Options abound when creating backing vocal tracks; it pays to know what they are and how to choose intelligently to serve the song.
By Dave Martin
Recording Barbershop Quartets.
This musical genre is more pervasive than you may realize, and learning the tricks of the trade can pay off in other vocal recording situations.
By Mark Hornsby
The Compleat Recording Musician. Part 30: The Art Of Producing Music.
What exactly does a producer do? Lots of things... all detailed here.
By John Shirley
DAW Details.
In Part 3 of our series on the components of the audio PC, we discuss where and how to store your data.
By Devon Brent
Recording’s Guitar Column.
Elementary arranging tricks lead to stronger guitar tracks.
By Bob Emmet
Recording’s Showcase Of Sounds.
Arturia BRASS modeling software for trumpet, trombone, and sax.
By Gary Eskow
Recording’s Drum Column.
A detailed look at recording drums to analog tape.
By Jon Bare