This approach to recording is also a good approach to music-making in general.
In the past, I’ve generally recorded final vocal tracks right away. Band first, then final vocals. If it’s a cappella, then final vocals are all there is.
More recently, I’ve been doing more scratch tracking of vocals – guide tracks that we then use as a sonic model to produce really excellent final tracks. The advantages include:
- Having vocals for the instrumentalists to play against when they record.
- Being able to adjust tuning on scratch tracks so that everything is precise for the final tracks.
- Being able to shape phrasing while not worrying about getting everything else perfect, leading to recordings that really breathe.
I’m enjoying the process, and looking forward to hearing more of the results. But I’m also reflecting that the scratch vocal approach is a good rehearsal perspective, too.
When we’re working on music, we’re not trying to have the final version right away. We’re trying to roughly shape the piece to reflect what it’ll eventually sound like. We know that we’ll be able to continue to hone, balance, and perfect a piece after the scratch tracks, or after we’ve put together a rough version of the piece.
Many young singers tend to lock into a performance once it gets to the scratch state. Understanding that a scratch track is just a step on the road to a final version is essential to keep pieces moving toward excellence