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19 August 2013

3 Questions To Ask When Searching For The Right Vocals

By Delroy Wilkins


Hip hop is one of the most popular music genres today. Great beats and lyrical prowess are two elements that make this genre popular across generations. For the beginner, it can be hard breaking into this industry given the many producers and artists available. This however does not mean that it's impossible. As a beats producer, you might have the perfect beat that has the right grove but don't have the lyrical talent to match these beats. You should therefore find the right MC to rap along to your beats and instrumentals. When seeking the right MC, here are 3 things to look at.

Where to find vocal talent. Start your search locally. Rappers usually discover their talent at an early age as they rhyme at school. By the time they are gown up; they have developed this talent and can easily spit rhymes. For the local vocalist, you will have to create and advert calling for vocals auditions. Ensure that the advert has an attractive offer to get the best local lyricist. If you can find the right vocalist locally, you can turn to the internet and search for international rappers. The great thing about technology is that the vocalist does not necessarily have to fly thousands of miles to your recording studio. With the help of software, you can work with a vocalist without having to meet personally. You can also find rappers who have their own recording equipment which makes recording even easier.

When searching for vocal talent, make sure that you find the voice that will complement your hip hop beats. Pay attention to the tone of the voice, the flow and quality as well as the entertainment and relevance of the lyrical content. Keep an open mind and remember that even an incredible rapper might not have the right rhythm for your beats.

What should the vocal talent offer?ccA great hip hop track will have awesome beats. However, without the right vocal talent, the beat won't be enough to convince an audience to listen to your track. When looking for vocal talent, you should strive to find a serious person. Don't work with time wasters and ensure that the vocal talent knows the terms of the contract. Have a written agreement and ensure that the vocalist knows what is expected of them as well as what you have to offer. If you think that the lyricist can make changes to improve the track, don't be afraid to point them out. Go for more than one take even of you believe that the vocalist made the first take perfectly. You should also be prepared to deal with egos clashing during recording.

What equipment will your vocalist require? Basically, all you need is a mic, any mic and a pop shield. Don't sweat the small stuff and this goes for equipment. When you are just starting out, go for any mic that you can afford, the performance outweighs the quality at this point and if you have got a star this would not really matter. Aside from the mic, the pop shield is a must have. You should be working with people who project their voices and for those people, a pop shield is necessary. There are cheap ones for sale but you can go for a makeshift pop shield by stretching a piece of tights over a coat hanger or a tv aerial. When you have got the pop shield and the mic, pay attention to the angle and the distance of both, get those headphones on that would surely help in finding the right position.




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