Capturing the Song: Vocal Coaching and Recording Techniques for Bluegrass and Traditional Singers

For bluegrass and traditional Appalachian music, vocals are the centerpiece of a song’s structure and mix. It is critical that their execution, capture, and subsequent processing reflect technical preparation and expressive conviction. The process of preparing a vocalist for recording is the same whether working in a DIY home studio or a professional recording facility. In this session we will demonstrate vocal coaching methods for the studio and invite participation in critical listening activities. A live studio performance will be evaluated for intonation, diction, dialect, enunciation, tone, dynamics, expression, and emotional impact. Participants will understand how to improve vocal performances through lyric analysis, phrasing techniques, and addressing vocal health issues. Production and engineering topics will include preparing the environment and room acoustics for singers, selecting microphones and preamps, headphone mixes for singers, and developing efficient workflows for recording and editing vocals. This workshop is intended to help singers prepare themselves for studio recording, and for engineers and producers to maximize the full potential of vocalists.