how many takes do you usually do before you get a good recording for a verse???

M

mylesp510

Member
i record so many times its not funny. i take hours. im a perfectionist when it comes to my vocals. i can get good recordings, but then i feel i can go harder so i record again. i take like 2 hours and sometimes more. i hate it. my flow isnt so good so i take longer.

how many recordings do you guys usually take?
 
Usually 4-5, If I'm in the middle of a project and reciting & recording everyday I might get it first take. Sometimes 20+ and I'll leave it for another day.

I like there to be a kind of human touch to it though, I'm not a robot, so sometimes there are happy accidents and stuff that stay.
 
mylesp510 said:
i record so many times its not funny. i take hours. im a perfectionist when it comes to my vocals.
Click to expand...

My friend do tha same thing, that shit killlss me. I can't even be in the studio w/ him no more.. It don't take me none but 4 at tha most!
 
For me it really depends. Sometimes I can one take it. Other times it depends on whether it's a rhyme that I wrote prior to the studio, or in studio. I've come to find that if you want to have less takes, practice spitting the verse several times before you record it. Then you know how you want to deliver every line.
 
Depends on my mood. If i'm feeling like a superstar... 2-3 tops. 2nd take is usually the best one though. If I feel like i'm forcing the issue.... it takes forever, until i really get into the mood.

Don't forget you can always punch in. Your takes don't have to be done straight through. I overdub alllllll the time. I think some people forget about this. They mess up on one little part and then they scrap it and redo the entire thing... deleting all of the other good things they did.
 
Practice to death out of the studio and get really good ... then never do too many takes IN the studio or you'll kill the vibe, enjoyment and energy.

Perfectionism is not necessarily a good thing for musicians, my advice would be to make music and get it out there quickly. Allow people to hear it, comment on it and you can learn from it. Don't be precious!
 
CPhoenix said:
Don't forget you can always punch in. Your takes don't have to be done straight through. I overdub alllllll the time. I think some people forget about this. They mess up on one little part and then they scrap it and redo the entire thing... deleting all of the other good things they did.
Click to expand...

Some ppl keep punchin in, then scrap the whole thing, just wastin time lol. But you brought up a good point, deleting things. I try to keep damn near every take unless it's straight trash. You might not have to punch in, you can just chop shit up. Overdubbin is a must most of time anyway for a "full sound"
 
(***I don't rap)
It depends on my actual involvement. If it's something I will be mixing in the end I will try to have them give me as many takes as possible. Good and bad. Just in case I have to do some comping down the line. If I'm just helping someone out with track (no mula involved) I will just have them go until they have a good take, punching if necessary. Never just 1 or 2 takes though. The more I have to work with the better.
 
Here are a few techniques that can be used to speed up recording time.

Hopefully this will help you to speed up the process of recording. Just remember that most of the One Take Wonders of the world have spent countless hours preparing to do so. Following the techniques above should get you there, faster.
  1. Finish your verses before starting over: This may seem straight forward; however, I feel the necessity to mention this actual technique. Too many recording artist feel the pressure to record everything perfectly on the the first try. The problem with this mindset is that it leaves no room for experimentation. I like to get 3 or 4 different takes before moving onto the next section of a song. This way, I can bring the best feature of a musicians style out.
  2. Record in the best sounding room you can find: Sometimes musicians, hip hop artist especially, are caught off guard by the fact that their voices sound different when played through headphones or monitors. Make sure that your focusing on the deliver of the vocals rather than the quality of the sound. Don't get me wrong, sound quality is important; however, amplitude is what's most important during the recording phase.
  3. Avoid digital clipping: There's a big difference between digital and analog clipping. Most people today are recording on digital platforms. Make sure your tracks aren't to loud or in the red. If your having trouble hearing newly recorded takes, turn the volume down on the other channels.
 
I usually make a demo track and vibe with it for a week or two and memorize the lyrics, flow and everything else. When I record it back the second(official) time i usually fix any flaws/dislikes with delivery, emotion and all that good shit. After the demo track I usually get everything down in one take(not counting doubles or adlibs of course). **** punching in tho, im a rapper not a studio artist; my flow, delivery and consistency defines me as good or bad.
 
For verses? I'd say approx. 2-3 thats w/ my artist though. Other people its taken MUCChhhh longer. It maybe 5-6 times. But usually after I feel that "its as good as its gonna get" ill stop, take they good parts and comp them into 1 solid lead.
 
Really just takes time its a craft.. The more you work at it the better you become. Writing poems can actually help you expand your lyricism.
 
applebeam said:
Practice to death out of the studio and get really good
Click to expand...

You're absolutely right. When I was just rapping and paying others for studio time... I knew my verses inside and out, start to finish. I could probably recite the verses backwards if i wanted lol. I knew exactly how the song "should" be constructed b/c I had a outline either in my head or on paper.

Now that I have my own personal studio (semi-semi pro lol) it KILLS me when people come in clueless. I just don't understand how you could be so ill-prepared that you're reading off the paper. You can hear the freakin' pages turning and everything. UGH!! lol. I mean.. i understand if you got inspired in the studio and just wrote it, of course it aint memorized. But come on'... you wrote this piece/song 6 months ago and you still need to read it word for word off the paper? Get it together. Waste of time... and you aint gonna perform it right until the 14th take when you've finally forced yourself to memorize it by repetition.
 
Last edited:
anywhere from 1-8.

Usually after 5-6 I'm changing something (mic, mic technique, mic position..singer lol)
 
CPhoenix said:
You're absolutely right. When I was just rapping and paying others for studio time... I knew my verses inside and out, start to finish. I could probably recite the verses backwards if i wanted lol. I knew exactly how the song "should" be constructed b/c I had a outline either in my head or on paper.

Now that I have my own personal studio (semi-semi pro lol) it KILLS me when people come in clueless. I just don't understand how you could be so ill-prepared that you're reading off the paper. You can hear the freakin' pages turning and everything. UGH!! lol. I mean.. i understand if you got inspired in the studio and just wrote it, of course it aint memorized. But come on'... you wrote this piece/song 6 months ago and you still need to read it word for word off the paper? Get it together. Waste of time... and you aint gonna perform it right until the 14th take when you've finally forced yourself to memorize it by repetition.
Click to expand...

I understand exactly what you mean. This growing epidemic of amateur rappers destroys the studio atmosphere; especially, when dealing with Lil Wayne wannabe types. Too many rappers believe the music business is about being in the spot light and having fun all of the time. What they don't realize is that one person is in the spot light while their crews take care of business, and every works hard to make an artist successful.

That's why I've moved my production business to the internet. This way, I don't need to worry about dealing with musicians who are incapable of caring their own weight. What's best is that local musicians, those who try to run game on producers, are loosing contact with professionals because their broke d*ck a*ses can't do business online. I'm satisfied with handling music business in this manner. I enjoy being selective with who I work with. Beat shoppers have plenty of resources available to them for getting new and original beats. But, I'm an executive producer. This means that my job goes far beyond making beats. The people who hire me are usually record label CEO's, studio managers and business owners.

Even though I love making beats, I hate doing it on command for free. I simply refuse to take orders from incompetent people who don't understand what their asking for. Surely, some of you feel the same way. This is why people charge so much for recording sessions; well, that and the fact that studios have expenses that must be paid in order to remain in business.

Attention All Rappers:

Take this business seriously or lose your connections. Put real meaning into the words you write and you'll experience less difficulty remembering lyrics. Build a freaking website and do something real with your music after you're finished recording, like making new releases available to your fans. And, if you don't have any fans, get your a*s to the nearest stage and entertain people. Rappers don't get paid to go to the studio and, honestly, I refuse to pay rappers to do their jobs unless the do it well. This means that the artist I work with are able to bring much more to the table than songs lyrics, punchlines, or metaphors. At the end of the day, it's always about the money.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top