Recording Electro-Soul Music at Home
The days when you had to have a major record label contract and a multi-million-pound recording studio to get a good quality electro-soul recording are long gone.
These days, many independent British artists are leading the way in electro-soul styles with home recordings. Home recording can also create a more authentic sound, something which is essential in electro-soul music. If you want to record electro-soul music here are some tips to get started.
Vocals with soul
Many people in the UK say that vocals are what defines electro-soul music and sets it apart from other genres. A great soul vocal will certainly be what sets your recording alive. As this is so important before we get to the nitty-gritty of what kit you need, here are some tricks on recording soul vocals.
- Overdub your voice Either record yourself twice or double up your current take. This will make the sound larger and more penetrating. Conservative use of reverb to wet your vocals will help fill them out and get that electro-soul sound.
- Saturation plug-ins can be useful to make your sound warmer. Try running your vocals through an analog saturation plug-in to create the warm sound so necessary for soul vocals.
Get the right gear
There are infinitely more things you could add to your home studio, but this is the essential gear you will need to record an electro-soul sound. These will be available in technology and music shops throughout the UK; if you can't find anything in your area you can try ordering online.
- Computer - The starting point and base of operations for your studio. Your machine doesn’t need to be capable of launching rockets, but it does need a decent specification. The majority of people in the industry use Macs but a PC will do as long as they are up to standard.
- Music software - These days there are many different kinds of music software on the market, of a variety of complexity and pricing. Rather than thinking of one as ‘better’ than the others, choose the software that is compatible with your current hardware, skills, and preferred working style.
- Audio interface - This little black box is key to your recording operation. An audio interface connects to your computer so you can record your instrument or vocals directly. If you are only intending on recording one instrument at a time you can get away with a microphone.
- Microphone - A condenser microphone will help you get high-quality recordings of vocals and instruments that don’t plug directly into your audio interface.
It is entirely possible to create a great electro-soul sound in almost any UK home today. Getting together all the gear and learning the techniques necessary to record at home is a significant investment of time and money but still far cheaper than hiring a studio.
You will also retain complete creative control over your recordings. If you invest, be reassured that you can make fantastic recordings that rival the ‘professionals?!’ Hopefully this information can help you get started.
This article was written by:
Cassie Steele -
Well, that's all folks for me now anyway.
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