Part 1 of 2
Split Decision
If you’re a musician that “plugs in,” then you know that the sound you hear coming out of your amp can either inspire you or make you want to hang up your guitar or bass in disgust. And yeah, this article is mainly written for electric guitarists and bassists because so much of these instruments’ sonic character is attained through amps, amp modeling and effects. You know what I’m talking about – there’s a thrill of getting that perfect tone – when it’s right, you just can’t stop playing. In this article, we will discus the pros and cons of recording live versus applying software plug-ins during post-production. And who knows, we might even discover a method that satisfies both sides of the aisle…
CAPTURING THE LIVE PERFORMANCE
We are so lucky now to be living in a time when amp modeling has really hit its stride and when digital effects are plentiful and cheap. In the 1980s, you’d be lucky to find an amp with anything more than spring reverb built in. Today many amp manufacturers like Vox, Fender and Line 6, just to name a few, include amp modeling circuitry and a host of digital effects like chorus, flange, echo, delay and reverb. Or you can use your favorite amp with a pedalboard to get virtually unlimited sounds. So the question that comes up all the time in the studio is: “Should I record with my effects or dry and add the effects later?”
The lead vocal – it’s arguably the most important track in most songs. It’s carrying the melody and message and overall tone of the song and it’s what most listeners lock onto over anything else. Try asking someone how they like a particular song and chances are their comments will be about some aspect of the lead vocals. So how do you record a great vocal part? Here are some tips we have found over the years that help the vocalist perform at their best. To read Part 1, check out our 
Tips for Producers and Engineers: Part 1 of 2