Improving Your Vocals for a Hip Hop Recording

Improving Your Vocals for a Hip Hop Recording

Like any artist, vocalists have to train and perfect their craft.

Rapping puts a particular kind of strain on your vocal cords, and knowing the best strategies to improve your vocals can be the key to an iconic rap recording session.

So, with tips from our rap recording studio in Los Angeles, here are the top techniques for improving your vocals for a hip hop recording.

Stay hydrated

People are surprised when they learn the effects of poor hydration on the body, and this includes the vocal cords. Drink plenty of water before your performance. This will stop your throat becoming dry and croaky, which can lead to poor vocal performances.

Don’t be tempted by fizzy drinks or alcohol, though, as these are both acidic and can be an irritant to the throat.

You will also find that water helps you to feel refreshed and at the top of your game, which is exactly where you want to be when going into a hip hop recording.

Breathing techniques

When you’re getting into your flow, especially if you need to rap quickly, you don’t want to have to pause every few seconds to take a breath.

Learning to master your breathing is a vital skill for any vocalist, but it’s especially important for rap and hip hop artists. There are a few ways to control your breathing for a rap
recording.

First, it helps to learn to take very long deep breaths. These need to come right through the lower part of your chest and up into your diaphragm. Take a few of these deep breaths before you start recording, and keep them as a part of your vocal routine.

Secondly, control your pauses. It’s natural to need to pause for breath in any hip hop recording, but you need to time these well. Practice your track beforehand and select intervals to allow yourself to pause that won’t seem out of place in the song.

Rest your vocals beforehand

This one might seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget. Your vocal cords are muscle tissue, and like any muscles they need to be worked….but they also need to be rested.

Before you attend our rap recording studio in Los Angeles, be sure not to overexert your vocal cords. Try not to speak too loudly, and avoid drinking and smoking the day before.

Also, try to give yourself a break from any vocal practice the day before. You don’t want to wear your vocals out before the recording session.

Recording Studio

Keep it natural

Nerves can have a huge impact on the way your voice sounds during a hip hop recording session. Remember, the people who will listen to your recording will be listening because they love your sound. They want to hear you.

Relax with the recording process and you’ll find your rap vocals improve dramatically. Don’t try to put on a persona or style that doesn’t fit with the kind of music you’re trying to create. The more natural your rap recording feels, the better. So, you’ve read our top techniques for improving your vocals for a hip hop recording. Now it’s time to record.

Union Recording Studio is the leading rap recording studio in Los Angeles, offering studio rental along with full recording, mixing and mastering at an affordable price. Book a studio session today!
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