Vocals Matter More Now Than Ever
In today’s music scene, vocals reign supreme. Need proof? A 2021 study by the Centre National de la Musique found that among the top 1,000 streamed tracks, only ONE was instrumental. That’s a mere 0.1% of what’s dominating playlists!
But here’s the exciting part – mastering vocal production doesn’t just showcase your song’s defining element. It opens doors to one of the music industry’s most in-demand skill sets.
Look forward to upcoming releases from recent Vocal Production graduate LU POWER!
Meet your Vocal Production Mentors
This article features expert insights and advice from the renowned trainers behind the Vocal Production module of our Artist Launch Program. Learn from industry veterans Tim Watt (Crooked Colours, Hermitude, Golden Features), Ninajirachi (Izzy Camina, Montaigne, ISOxo), Simon Cohen (Justin Bieber, Jessica Mauboy, Chet Faker), and vocal specialist Kota Banks. With additional mentoring from Alex Braithwaite (Oliver Tree, Vera Blue, Daniel Johns), this experienced team brings decades of professional knowledge directly to our students.
The Vocal Production Skillset: Essential Knowledge for Modern Producers
While major studios might have specialists for each part of the vocal process, today’s producer often wears multiple hats. Mastering these key skills will elevate your productions and potentially open new income streams:
Recording: Capturing the Perfect Performance
The emotional impact of a vocal often comes down to the initial capture. Our trainers emphasise that technical perfection matters less than emotional authenticity at this stage:
The foundation of great vocal production starts with the recording:
- Choosing the right microphone for each voice type
- Creating an environment where vocalists feel comfortable and inspired
- Understanding signal chains that complement different vocal styles
- Directing performances to capture authentic emotion
Crooked Colours “Do It Like You – Vocal Production by Tim Watt
Editing: The Invisible Art
Vocal editing has evolved into both a technical necessity and a creative art form. Modern producers need to balance precision with preserving the human qualities that make vocals connect emotionally:
- Making pitch and timing corrections that preserve authenticity
- Handling breaths and background noises professionally
- Creating perfect composite performances from multiple takes
- Building convincing doubles and harmonies even from limited source material
Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” – Vocal Production by Simon Cohen
Production: Building the Vocal Landscape
Creative vocal production has become a defining element in contemporary music. Beyond just making vocals sound good, today’s producers use vocal elements as the foundational building blocks of their compositions. What begins as a simple vocal recording can transform into an entire sonic world through creative manipulation:
“You can breathe new life into an unused vocal idea—chop it, turn it into MIDI, layer instruments around it, and suddenly one small catchy moment can inspire an entire song.” – Ninajirachi”After you’ve got the vocals sounding great there’s so much scope for creativity. For example, if the same singer has done a lot of layers, you can make that stacked vocal group sound bigger by slightly shifting the formants on each layer. Things like this is where your combined powers of technical prowess and creative judgement really bring the song alive.” – Tim Watt
This is where you transform a basic recording into something distinctive:
- Crafting vocal arrangements that enhance your track
- Chopping and manipulating recordings into something new
- Building layered harmonies and supporting vocals
- Creating signature vocal sounds that define your style
ISOxo and Ninajirachi “SHYPOP” – Vocal Production by Ninajirachi
Mixing: Making Vocals Sit Perfectly
The final stage of vocal production requires both technical precision and artistic judgment. The goal isn’t simply to make vocals loud, but to create the perfect balance where they command attention while enhancing the overall production:
The final stage where many productions either shine or fall short:
- Shaping vocal tone for clarity and character
- Balancing dynamics for consistent presence
- Creating the perfect spatial environment with effects
- Ensuring vocals complement rather than fight with your production
What makes our training unique is recognising that modern producers need to master all these skills themselves rather than relying on separate specialists for each stage.
What So Not feat Oliver Tree & Killer Mike “Mr Regular” – Vocal Mixing by Alex Braithwaite
Professional Tools & Environments
As our trainers have emphasised throughout this guide, the foundation of great vocal production begins with capturing an authentic performance in the right environment. While skills and knowledge are paramount, having access to the right tools and spaces can dramatically elevate your results.
Creating the Right Atmosphere
Professional vocal producers know that establishing the right atmosphere is crucial for capturing authentic performances:
This approach to building rapport creates the psychological safety that allows vocalists to deliver their best performances – something that’s difficult to achieve in less professional environments.
Technical Environment: Beyond Performance
While capturing an emotional performance is essential, even the most moving vocal delivery can be compromised by poor recording conditions. The physical and technical environment plays a crucial role that no amount of post-production can fully overcome:
Professional vocal producers understand that room acoustics, equipment quality, and technical setup create the foundation that either limits or expands what’s possible in later production stages. Issues like room reflections, electronic interference, and background noise can’t be fully removed once they’re captured in the recording.
The Right Recording Space
A properly treated recording space allows vocalists to perform at their best while eliminating the acoustic issues that no amount of processing can fix later. When you start with a clean recording, every production decision becomes about enhancing rather than rescuing your vocal.
Studio Access: Need a professional environment for your vocal recordings? Our studio is available for hire at $100 for a half day or $188 for a full day, with discounted rates for our students. Our professionally treated rooms provide the acoustic clarity that home setups simply can’t match.
Full Vocal Production Services: We also offer complete vocal tracking services (including studio hire) starting at $320 for a half day or $690 for a full day. Work directly with our experienced producers to capture performances that need minimal correction and maximum emotion.
Production Tools That Accelerate Your Workflow
Once you’ve captured a great performance, the right production tools can help you transform that raw recording into a polished, professional vocal track.
Ninajirachi’s Vocal Magic Rack: Liveschool trainer Ninajirachi’s Vocal Magic Rack for Ableton Live gives you instant access to the same professional vocal processing techniques Nina uses on her own acclaimed releases. This custom-built tool helps you skip hours of setup time and achieve professional vocal sounds more efficiently.
The combination of the right physical environment for recording and specialized tools for processing gives you the complete toolkit needed to produce professional-quality vocals from start to finish.
Double Your Value as a Producer
Vocal production skills create two powerful opportunities for your career:
1. Elevate Your Own Music
Master vocal production to give your tracks the professional edge needed to stand out in today’s crowded market. Many talented producers remain undiscovered simply because their vocal elements don’t match the quality of their instrumental production.
2. Offer High-Value Services
The market is full of artists, songwriters and producers seeking vocal expertise. By mastering these skills, you can offer specialised services, creating additional income streams that complement your own music.
The most successful producers we work with have developed these dual capabilities – creating compelling vocal-led tracks for themselves while also offering their expertise to others in the industry.
Ready to Master Vocal Production?
In today’s industry, the difference between good and great often comes down to vocal production. Whether you’re looking to elevate your own tracks or expand your service offerings, these skills give you versatility few producers have mastered.
Our Artist Launch Series includes a specialised Vocal Production elective designed to give you these essential skills, taught by the industry professionals featured in this article.
Next Artist Launch intake starts soon — with limited spots for our in-demand Vocal Production elective.