Pitchy in a Perfect World (the Art of Vocal Comping)
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton · Solo episode
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Topics discussed
Host note
Recording vocals is the hardest part of making a pop record, and vocal comping, assembling the best parts of a bunch of different takes into one performance, is the tool nobody outside a studio thinks about. I walk through what comping actually is: taking the best syllables, phrases, and takes and building one vocal that never happened as a single performance.
Modern comping has gotten extreme compared to how it used to work, and I don't think that's automatically good or bad. What matters more is what happens in the booth before comping starts: singing multiple takes with different emotional choices, even ones that feel wrong for the song, because that range is what gives me something to comp from later.
The part I keep coming back to is that comping isn't about chasing perfect. If you want it note-perfect, you might as well let software sing the whole thing. The goal is a performance that still sounds like a person took a risk, assembled from the take where that risk landed.
Selected moments
- Intro to vocal comping 1:33 I introduce the concept of vocal comping and its relevance to both musicians and producers.
- The process of vocal comping 2:18 I explain how vocal comping involves selecting the best portions from multiple takes.
- Modern versus traditional comping 3:47 I discuss how modern music has heightened the complexity and techniques in vocal comping.
- Singing techniques for comping 6:01 I provide advice on how singers should approach their performances when comping.
- Emotional choices in vocals 9:46 The impact of emotional delivery when vocal comping and why it matters.
- The balance of art and technique 13:31 I reflect on the balance between artistic expression and the technical aspects of vocal comping.
Selected excerpts
Vocal comping is the act of taking a lot of different vocals.
In modern music, it has gotten kind of extreme, which is not necessarily a good or bad thing.
Vocal comping allows you, I think, to take some more of that risk.
By trying different emotions as you're in the vocal booth, you are allowing yourself to maybe come up with things that are antithetical to the meaning of the song.
It's not about making it sound perfect because if you make it sound perfect you might as well be using a computer end to end.
When you're producing a song, it drives everyone else around the house crazy because you're listening to the same 10, 15-second loop for an hour and a half.
FAQ
What is vocal comping?
Vocal comping is the process of assembling the best parts from multiple vocal takes to create a single, polished performance.
Why is vocal comping important in music production?
Vocal comping helps achieve a perfect take, allowing producers to capture the best aspects of a singer's performances while maintaining creativity.
How do singers approach recording for vocal comping?
Singers should experiment with different emotions, resonances, and techniques across multiple takes to provide a variety of options for comping.
These pages are host notes, not a full transcript. An automatic transcript is on the Spotify episode.