Vocal Recording Techniques and Tricks of the Trade

By Evan Shaffhauser

Before you record your next vocal track, take a moment to consider a few basic best practices which will improve any vocal recording. Keep in mind that once you get the performance down, you can always add effects or dirty up your track later, but starting with a clean track is always the best.

Good mic technique is basically made up of two components. Number one, remember that the microphone's diaphragm reacts with great sensitivity to all of the subtle variations in your vocal performance. Number two, learn how to adjust your body position and proximity to the mic depending on the dynamics of your vocal delivery.

For vocal performance that remain soft and intimate from start to finish, the singer should stay positioned just a few inches from the mic. For louder, full volume singing, stand back two or three feet and let loose. If your delivery requires a mixture of both, then you need to move in close and back off the mic as needed. Start getting used to doing this even if its just for a couple words or a short phrase.

Ideally, your mouth should be as close as possible to the mic without overloading the level. If you overload the level, two things can happen. You will either end up with digital clipping on your track, or in the case of super-sensitive mics, the mic itself with temporarily shut down. Both of the scenarios effectively ruin your recording. The easy remedy here is just to aim your mouth slightly off to the side or above the mic during loud bursts.

Mouth pop and lip noise can easily be rectified. Stage mics like the Shure SM57 and SM58 have a pop-filter kind of built in. Stage mics generally have a foam layer just behind the ball shaped mesh protective grid. Many musicians and engineers submit that these dampen om high end frequencies, and prefer the nylon stocking style O-ring pop-filters. Positioning one of these between the performer and the mic will effectively eliminate any uncontrolled blast of breath from overloading the mic.

Mouth noise can really make for a lot of clean up work afterward if you dont deal with it during the recording session. There is a surprisingly easy solution: drinking lots of water throughout the recording session will keep mouth noise WAY down. A few extra trips to the bathroom and no mouth noise Voila!

Follow these simple rules and you will get a nice clean vocal track. Once you have that, you can freely add reverb, effects, and whatever else you can think of without worrying about enhancing the bad stuff while you're trying to get at the good stuff. These simple best practices will save hours of fix-it time in the end. - 18758

About the Author:

If you're about to get your next vocal mic online, check out the insanely low factory direct vocal microphones from VocalMicrophonesDirect.com. Why pay extra so your local music store can get new carpeting? get great deal on a wired mic, or even one of many wireless microphone systems at the lowest prices that the manufacturers will allow.

Exciting Live Music Concerts

By Ian Sawyer

The power of Live music when attempting to explain, it's easy to be quite literal. For instance, I remember attending a Tool concert at a small arena in Massachusetts around the time they released the popular Lateralus. My girlfriend, at the time, and myself took our positions on the general admission floor somewhat early and were present for a bit of the bass tech's sound check. Each strum of Justin Chancellor's significantly tuned-down bass guitar actually seemed to lift us off the floor and make our hair stand on end. I found it quite exhilarating.

My girlfriend was reduced to a nauseous mess even before the concert began. She claimed it was the Fast-Food we ate before the show that drove her, vomiting, to the women's room as Tool took the stage. Days later, when talking to a friend who knows a thing or two about the science of sound, I confirmed what I had suspected: it turns out that incredibly powerful low-end frequencies can effect the physical constitution of a concertgoer. Tool had claimed the stomach of my girlfriend.

The buzz of Live music can be powerful in a philosophical sense, as well. I've attended plenty of concerts where the next morning I felt a hollow sadness, and a longing to relive the previous night's glory. The hours before, during, and after a great concert can transport a music fan to a whole other world, regardless of any booze, drugs, or other chemical enhancements.

An intimacy is established with not just other concertgoers, but with the band itself. Why else would generations of Grateful Dead fans dedicate much of their lives to following a group of hippies around the country? Live performances are moving, both physically and emotionally.

As time goes, in live music history, a lot of things have changed since those early days of, say, Woodstock. Venues of every size, shape, and character have included speakeasy-like basements, local clubs, sports arenas, outdoor pavilions, and even massive stadiums. Through it all, the concentrated community that is established during each live show has maintained a unique electric bond. Sure, peaceful sway dancing has been replaced with the visceral, and sometimes violent, crush of sweating bodies.

Cell phones have replaced lighters as a fan's beacon of light. And general admission 'mosh' pits have replaced seated floor plans. Still, fans remain bound together under one raftered roof, held together by the occasional audience-sweeping spotlight, and the glorious chorus that everyone knows by heart.

In Live Music Concerts, the audience makes each song their own as they sing along and pump their fists to the music. This, in the end, is the true power of live music-that it brings together masses of people who wouldn't otherwise give each other a second look or moment of acknowledgement. Whether in the brooding darkness of the club, or in the brilliant afternoon sunshine of a football stadium, when our favorite band is onstage, we all rock together as one. - 18758

About the Author:

Ian Sawyer is a Freelance Writer for YouMusic.com, The Social Networking Site for Musicians, Featuring a vibrant Music Community has Music Chat Rooms, Real-Time Music Forums, Blogs, Instant Messaging, Music Groups and Concert Tickets Outlets to be able to Buy Concert Tickets Online

Great and Unlimited Ipod Touch Downloads

By Davion Wong

If you have just recently bought an Ipod Touch, one of the first things you may be raring to do is to search for unlimited Ipod Touch downloads. This fashionable newbie from Apple allows you to watch movies, videos and TV shows, and listen to all your favorite music in ways you have never imagined.

The Ipod Touch, which is available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB flash drive models, can store 7,000 songs, 25,000 photos, and up to 40 hours of video. With such amazing capacity for music and video, you would want to find the best Ipod download resources and start downloading songs and movies to your Ipod Touch. Therefore, where to find limitless downloads for Ipod touch?

The Apple store is one excellent venue for limitless choices. In fact, this online store is in existence primarily for Ipod users. Here you will be able to find extensive categories on music and movies, as well as the latest TV shows. However, not everyone is able to afford the $0.99 fee per download. If you plan on getting numerous downloads, the expenses could add up to hundreds, if not thousands!

You can of course explore other options for Ipod Touch unlimited downloads. There are many sites that offer this service as well, but then you have to choose only from among the legitimate sites out there because these are the only sites where you can find music and movie files that are of good quality.

Yes, free sites can be pretty tempting, alright, but keep in mind that most of them do not offer an efficient customer and technical support. Most free sites, too, contain a host of viruses and spyware applications that can get into your computer and gadget, causing damage that can be irreversible.

Such being the case, you don?t have much choice but to go for paid sites if you are looking for Ipod Touch infinite downloads. A paid site usually requires just a one time payment fee that serves as your registration fee. After becoming a full-fledged member of the site, you can have as many downloads of music, videos, TV shows and movies as you want.

Virus-free downloads are another great feature of paid sites. You don?t have to worry about viruses and spyware applications getting into your system. Moreover, you can be assured of the provision of an excellent customer support.

There is certainly nothing better than an Ipod Touch to entertain yourself. Discover more ways you can enjoy unlimited Ipod Touch downloads by linking to my site. - 18758

About the Author:

Discover where to download movies for your iPod and watch instantly. For more tips, read this on iPod movie downloads.

Troy Movie Download Review

By Troilus Mandelbrot

The movie reviews are listed below. Downloads are a fast way to get products these days. You can download products like, music, games, and you can even find movie downloads online. Do not hesitate in trying additional searches, punch in "Purchase Movie Downloads", and see what that brings up.

Murph the Surf: Here is an all too typical plot, in regards to a cop framed for kills by a psychopathic ex-con he initially sent to jail; only innovation is that the psycho is a lady goddess. Cast includes Charles Bronson, Kathleen Wilhoite, Carrie Snodgress, Robert F. Lyons, Richard Romanus, Janet MacLacWan, and Lawrence Tierney. (100 minutes, 1986)

Batman: The comic book T.V. series hits the big screen. An evil and diabolical criminal, known as The Joker, is trying to take over Gotham City. The police are unable to stop him. The city is in peril, until a new super hero emerges. An unknown force, so to be called Batman comes on the scene and defeats The Joker and save the city.

A Good Man in Africa: Crass, slapdash filming of William Boyd's novel in reference to a weak-willed and all-too-often intolerable British ambassador in a new African country; the scenario achieves little more than to portray blacks as stupid, incredible stereotypes. Connery is sorely trashed in the role of an understanding physician. Boyd inscribed and additionally co-produced with Beresford. Cast includes Colin Friels, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, Sean Connery, John Lithgow, Louis Gossett, and Jackie Mofokeng. (93 minutes, 1994)

No Man's Land: Beginner cop goes undercover to snare a prosperous youthful car buff that performs a hot automobile ring, finds he loves his target, the target's sis, and robbing Porsches. Excellent premise largely botched. Cast includes Charlie Sheen, D.R Sweeney, Lara Harris, Randy Quaid, Bill Duke, and Emmet Walsh. (106 minutes, 1987)

Mission Impossible III: Ethan Hunt is called back into action to take down a ruthless arms dealer, Owen Davian. They pull off an incredible, and capture Owen at the Vatican. While transporting him into custody, the convoy is attacked, and Owen is freed. Now they must recapture him soon, Ethan's wife to be has been captured, and time is running out.

Dynamite Chicken: Abnormal, un-contemporary pastiche of melodies, skits, TV advertisement burlesques and old film snippets, filmed while nudity and profanity on celluloid were still stunning. Cast includes Richard Pryor, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Ace Trucking Organization, Andy Warhol, and Malcolm X. (76 minutes, 1971)

All About My Mother: While a lady loses her child, she returns to Barcelona, renews a latent kinship with a transvestite buddy, and gets to be engaged with a level actress her child adored. Ahnod6var's most moving film to date-more earnest than most, although not without his trademark humor and differentiated by outstanding behaviors all around. Cast includes Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Penelope Cruz, Antonia San Juan, Candela Pena, and Eloy Azorin. (101 minutes, 1999)

Jackson County Jail: Captive Yvette, ditched on by everyone she meets, goes on the lam with associate inmate in yet a new pursue picture. Livelier than most, this one has developed a cult notoriety. Miller later redid it for Television. Cast includes Yvette Miruieux, Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Carradine, Frederic Chef, Severn Darden, Howard Hesseman, and Mary Woronov. R.' (89 minutes, 1976)

Higher Learning: Columbus University is a true melting pot of cultures and social backgrounds. These young kids face racism, rape, peer pressures, and sexual development in this tense trauma. One confused, mild mannered, student finds himself part of a violent skinhead gang when he finds nowhere else to turn for help.

Okay, if your looking for downloads, try phrases like "Rent Video Online". If that one doesn't work try another one. See if "Movie Download Program" gets a better result. - 18758

About the Author:

He Slays His Dad And Commands The Loyalty Of Maximus. Watch A Movie Online Don't Inundate: Both On Gear And Bands. Carbon Copied At Hansa Haus, Bonn, West Germany And Hot Days Offices, London, England.

Quickly & Easily Download Movies At Home

By Oscar Mills

There was a time in the not so distant history that the only way to see the best movies was to pack up the car and hit the theater or the drive in theater. Drive-in theaters seem to have become just about extinct even though there may still be a few scattered throughout the United States. These days we have much improved options when it comes to getting the best movies.

The amusement of the drive-in movies was from the friends in other cars and the visits to the concession stands. The movie quality itself was very deficient, the sound was full of static and the movie screen was not much better.

Now we have it really good. We can download full-length, high-quality movies directly and about for free. You can in fact find some sites that will allow you to download entirely for free but to be protected you should probably look for a honest site that charges a small fee. It is regularly comparable or less than a mail in subscription or a neighborhood store but the movies are constantly obtainable and you can get them day or night 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

You can watch the downloaded movie right from your computer but understandably a lot of folks may not want to do that. Games may be something else but for a movie it is nice to kickback in a comfy chair, grab some popcorn and a preferred beverage and rest as you watch the motion picture. But you need not worry about that because most of the trustworthy sites offer CD/DVD burner software along with the movie so you can burn a DVD and take it easy as you watch it on your TV.

There are site that offer completely free downloads but, you must be aware that you are taking a chance with those sites. You could end up transferring computer viruses, malware and adware onto your computer in addition to the movie. That will end up costing you much more than any membership fee. It is shrewd to find the decent sites that charge a small fee, that way you know that they should still be there if something goes wrong later.

The rates are usually very inexpensive and you can get monthly or annual subscriptions. You can also just pay per download if that is your inclination. When you are searching for a good package make sure that they offer the CD/DVD burner software selection with the package. They must also reassign the digital management rights to you so that it is lawful for you to copy the movie onto your personal disc for playback.

The best sites for downloading movies will also offer you music, software and games in addition to full-length movie downloads. These additional items should be part of the original fee and included at no extra charge.

Downloading full-length high quality movies is the wave of the future and the future is now. Take benefit of this wonderful option now. - 18758

About the Author:

If you would love to find out more about getting free movie downloads, check out my blog Top 3 Movie Downloads Sites where I have reviewed the top movie download free sites the internet has to offer.