Three minute reads for artists and producers
who want to make better records

By Thomas Dulin

Happy Wednesday Reader, here's this week's Take Three email.

TAKE ONE: QUICK LINKS

• ​Shure has released the "SM7dB" which now includes a built-in preamp. It sells for $499.
• ​This EQ plugin emulates the Neumann w495 and it's free right now.
• LiveNation has partnered with Willie Nelson to give direct cash bonuses to developing artists at their venues this year. They call it the "On The Road Again" program. via Variety​

TAKE TWO: RECENT RELEASES

søn of dad • Stephen Wilson... the devil • Stephen Wilson J... PREVIEW   ​

Stephen Wilson Jr. "son of dad" LP

I had nothing to do with the production of this album, but I'm floored by its songwriting and production. Highly recommend listening to this one.

TAKE THREE: My 10 Favorite Vocal Production Tips

I think we can all agree that the vocal is the most important part of any production.

And whether you’re producing yourself or another artist, the way you approach the session when tracking vocals plays a massive part in the sound of the project.

Here are some things I always do to try to get the best vocal performance possible.

• Make sure the rough mix is inspiring to sing along with.
• Test the headphones to get a starting level.
• Troubleshoot any technical issues before the artist arrives.
• Have water and tea around. Singing all day is taxing on the human voice.
• If you’re able, encourage your artist to get good sleep the night before the session.
• Don’t schedule the session too early in the day when their voice is still waking up.
• Make sure your recording area is clean and comfortable. I like to make sure it smells nice too.
• After the first take, have them listen to the whole take in front of the speakers to see how their voice is translating.
• The producer sets the pace. Pay attention to how fast or slow you’re going, and adjust as needed. For example, if you stop recording and yell "try again" and immediately hit record again, your artist will be out of breath and sad.
• Print out the lyrics ahead of time so you can follow along and make notes easily.

The overall goal in all of these tips is to make your singer feel comfortable, safe, and confident.

The singer should feel like the only thing they have to focus on is being present and singing the song.

If you take care of everything else, you eliminate the barriers to an emotionally rich vocal performance.

I have a lot more to say about producing/recording vocals, and I'm actually considering building a little course about it. If that's interesting to you at all, would you hit reply and let me know? I'll put you on a "waiting list" and make sure to let you know when it's done.

Until next week, happy music making, Reader.

Thomas Dulin Producer / Engineer / Mixer