Timing, timing, timing!
We get lots of rappers who have good timing but not quite good enough to get a solid/punchy vocal take in the studio... or at least not without waisting a lot of time fixing timing issues.
On many occasions, a rap vocal will require the same lead vocal to be 'tracked', in other words layered one on top of another. So, I might record your lead rap, then on top of that I would get you to record another lead rap, and again on top of that yet another, each time thickening the sound.
You can see that if your rap isn't metronomically in time, the whole thing can sound clumsy.
Of course, there is a lot that the editing can fix. You individual words can be cut and moved, stretch, pitched or whatever is needed ... but that is a 'fix' not a perfect solution.
The main thing to do is practice with a click or metronome so that you know exactly where each syllable falls in the bar.
If you know where each breath and each word should go, and your flow is in time and tight, this will speed things up in the studio and save you time and money when recording. You will also have a much more professional sounding finish, with heaps more style and punch.
Also, 'stabbing' words or 'accenting' individual phrasing needs planning too. If you want to go over and track individual words to add dynamics and weight to them, you can work out the words you want to highlight before recording so that you are comfortable with the timing.
Remember that every tiny mistake is magnified in the studio, you may think your are tight but practicing with a click at slower tempos will work wonders for your delivery. |
