I watched many videos about vocal recording & production in pop music. But the vocals in genres like ambient, shoegaze and dream pop are so much different. They often seem like an extra instrument layer drowned in a sea of reverb and delay. And still they have so much emotion and attitude. In this video I share some tips on how to get that distant and indistinct impression as a vocalist. I also got the chance to talk with the Berlin band JAGUWAR about their specific vocal production methods as their first two EPs represent that typical full blown shoegaze wall of sound. Feel free to share your vocal production tips or some interesting effect pedals for singers in the comment section below. Thank you so much for watching. Also a huge THANKS to Skillshare for powering this video! The first 1000 people to use the following link will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium Membership: skl.sh/shoegazer06212
Most of my tracks are instrumental because im no singer. But i always wanted to add vocals to some tracks. These tips will help me out with my current project. Thank you!
Haven’t watched it yet, BUT i would like to add that billinda butcher recorded 20 takes of the same track and turned the one she liked most up slightly louder than the rest in order to get that spacey reverb sound
dude... i record with no computers. there is ZERO help for me unless its buried in pages and pages of presets and VST use... your tip of just backing off the mic just made my day. thanks for keeping your tips realistic and non-VST related. edit: this video is great. thank you also Jagulars
I absolutely love this video I didn’t discover my love for dream music until recently I always would love it when it would play in my playlist but I never knew the genre the artist who really opened me up to dream music and this might be weird to y’all but lil peep the way he would mix his vocals sounded like he was just speaking to you everywhere and would make me feel like I’m floating through a dream I can’t wait to start my dream music journey now thank you so much
There's a few different types of vocals in dreampop/Shoegaze. The Ride direct up front in the mix vocal that is clear and comprehensible. MBV back in the mix slushy incomprehensible vocals. Or the Sonic Youth/ Swervedriver/ Dino Jr style laconic vocals that sounds like the singer is beyond caring and is a little more free wheeling about being in tune or where they sit in the mix.
Standing a good bit away from the mic is enougher good technique to get that distant feel in shoegaze or would u recommend getting close to the mic and signing quietly vocals and curious do people do any panning on shoegaze vocals
I usually record 2-3 vocal tracks (but sometimes as many as 8), and for shoegaze I've found 3 vocal tracks (one in the centre, one panned left, one right, with the centre one slightly louder than the other two) sounds perfect! Was surprised that Jaguwar also mentioned the same technique in the video, so I must be doing something right :D also it seems standing away from the mic AND singing quietly, then compressing the vocals works best
@@mungofinalfi4480 Depends, I pan them as much as it sounds right.... usually 1 track centred, then each of the others panned somewhere between 50-70% left and right. Also, sometimes I might pan the main (centred) track left by around 5%, or make the left track slightly louder than the right one (for me, vocals sound best when centred, but slightly stronger on the left side)
Thanks, this video (as well as your other one about recording shoegaze vocals) are pretty informative! I do have a question still though, well rather asking advice. I got into shoegaze quite recently and have decided to record a shoegaze album (my main genre is psychedelic/art rock, so I use most of these vocal techniques already, which is a relief). For my music in general, whichever genre, the lyrics are always important (unless it's instrumental), as they tend to be quite poetic. I'm wondering what the best way would be to mix the vocals so the lyrics themselves can still be heard, but at the same time to keep that sort of distant and dreamy feel of shoegaze vocals, so they aren't above the instruments in the mix? I'm thinking like Slowdive's "Souvlaki" album for example, most of the lyrics can be heard very clearly but they still keep that dreamy feel.
I think this is possible. Just don't turn the reverb mix knob to high. Choose a reverb not longer than 4sec. You can even use just a 80-100ms delay effect like 45% wet. I would recommend using a send channel bus with your desired reverb or delay effect and sending the vocal mix to that one. This way you should still understand the lyrics.
@@berlinshoegazer Wow thanks, I'll keep that in mind :D I just used one of Ableton's default reverb effects ("Cathedral" effect at 30-40% wet) so not sure how many seconds it is as I kept it on default, but it is a long reverb probably over 4 sec.... I'm still learning the ropes of mixing, haven't used a send channel bus before so will look into that... haha I'm still learning the ropes of mixing, that part is harder for me than writing or recording the songs
Not very helpful. You need to discuss what reverb types and delay types to use and how the vocals are eq'ed. This video is far to general to be useful.
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I watched many videos about vocal recording & production in pop music. But the vocals in genres like ambient, shoegaze and dream pop are so much different. They often seem like an extra instrument layer drowned in a sea of reverb and delay. And still they have so much emotion and attitude. In this video I share some tips on how to get that distant and indistinct impression as a vocalist. I also got the chance to talk with the Berlin band JAGUWAR about their specific vocal production methods as their first two EPs represent that typical full blown shoegaze wall of sound.
Feel free to share your vocal production tips or some interesting effect pedals for singers in the comment section below. Thank you so much for watching. Also a huge THANKS to Skillshare for powering this video! The first 1000 people to use the following link will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium Membership: skl.sh/shoegazer06212
As someone who is currently having trouble recording vocals for his own music project, this video helps a lot. Thank you!
We feel all with you, Franklin! :)
Hi!! Just wondering where I could find some of your stuff to toss in some support?
Most of my tracks are instrumental because im no singer. But i always wanted to add vocals to some tracks. These tips will help me out with my current project. Thank you!
Try the delay vocals of early Deerhunter. The longer digital delay allows you to layer the vocals and fold it into the other instruments.
Haven’t watched it yet, BUT i would like to add that billinda butcher recorded 20 takes of the same track and turned the one she liked most up slightly louder than the rest in order to get that spacey reverb sound
Lil Peep did the same thing, panned different ones to each ear as well
dude... i record with no computers. there is ZERO help for me unless its buried in pages and pages of presets and VST use...
your tip of just backing off the mic just made my day. thanks for keeping your tips realistic and non-VST related.
edit: this video is great. thank you also Jagulars
So happy we could help.
@@berlinshoegazer damn.. I was literally recording vocals as soon as you replied 😵💫🤙🆗🆒
@@totalSLACK Synchronicity at its work ♾️
THE THROAT THING IS SO SO HELPFUL THANK YOU
that's how you do it. keep the melody strong. never fear cheap mics, they can yield interesting results.
That was awesome, Kenneth. Thank you
Really useful! Thanks, Kenneth!
I absolutely love this video I didn’t discover my love for dream music until recently I always would love it when it would play in my playlist but I never knew the genre the artist who really opened me up to dream music and this might be weird to y’all but lil peep the way he would mix his vocals sounded like he was just speaking to you everywhere and would make me feel like I’m floating through a dream I can’t wait to start my dream music journey now thank you so much
I like the music of Lil Peep as well. He maybe one of the closest artist to that kind of genre.
I was hoping you’d make a video about vocals! Thanks
Thanks!
This is amazing!
What a useful video, thanks so much
There's a few different types of vocals in dreampop/Shoegaze. The Ride direct up front in the mix vocal that is clear and comprehensible. MBV back in the mix slushy incomprehensible vocals. Or the Sonic Youth/ Swervedriver/ Dino Jr style laconic vocals that sounds like the singer is beyond caring and is a little more free wheeling about being in tune or where they sit in the mix.
7:36 reminds me of george clanton
Thank you. Love that dudes music.
It's so weird hearing the name Kenneth not directed at me, I never see anyone with that name.
Standing a good bit away from the mic is enougher good technique to get that distant feel in shoegaze or would u recommend getting close to the mic and signing quietly vocals and curious do people do any panning on shoegaze vocals
I usually record 2-3 vocal tracks (but sometimes as many as 8), and for shoegaze I've found 3 vocal tracks (one in the centre, one panned left, one right, with the centre one slightly louder than the other two) sounds perfect! Was surprised that Jaguwar also mentioned the same technique in the video, so I must be doing something right :D also it seems standing away from the mic AND singing quietly, then compressing the vocals works best
@@thomascraymer8712 How much do you pan the tracks (when you use 3)?
@@mungofinalfi4480 Depends, I pan them as much as it sounds right.... usually 1 track centred, then each of the others panned somewhere between 50-70% left and right. Also, sometimes I might pan the main (centred) track left by around 5%, or make the left track slightly louder than the right one (for me, vocals sound best when centred, but slightly stronger on the left side)
Reversed reverb is another one
Thanks, this video (as well as your other one about recording shoegaze vocals) are pretty informative! I do have a question still though, well rather asking advice.
I got into shoegaze quite recently and have decided to record a shoegaze album (my main genre is psychedelic/art rock, so I use most of these vocal techniques already, which is a relief). For my music in general, whichever genre, the lyrics are always important (unless it's instrumental), as they tend to be quite poetic. I'm wondering what the best way would be to mix the vocals so the lyrics themselves can still be heard, but at the same time to keep that sort of distant and dreamy feel of shoegaze vocals, so they aren't above the instruments in the mix? I'm thinking like Slowdive's "Souvlaki" album for example, most of the lyrics can be heard very clearly but they still keep that dreamy feel.
I think this is possible. Just don't turn the reverb mix knob to high. Choose a reverb not longer than 4sec. You can even use just a 80-100ms delay effect like 45% wet. I would recommend using a send channel bus with your desired reverb or delay effect and sending the vocal mix to that one. This way you should still understand the lyrics.
@@berlinshoegazer Wow thanks, I'll keep that in mind :D I just used one of Ableton's default reverb effects ("Cathedral" effect at 30-40% wet) so not sure how many seconds it is as I kept it on default, but it is a long reverb probably over 4 sec.... I'm still learning the ropes of mixing, haven't used a send channel bus before so will look into that... haha I'm still learning the ropes of mixing, that part is harder for me than writing or recording the songs
Should the wet gain be high?
As a former opera singer my advice is do not sing from your throat simply do use as much force for volume.
Not very helpful. You need to discuss what reverb types and delay types to use and how the vocals are eq'ed. This video is far to general to be useful.
Thank you. Will keep that in mind for the next one.