Participation Type
Workshop
Session Title
Session 5.16 Music
Session Abstract or Summary
For bluegrass and traditional Appalachian music, vocals are the centerpiece of a song’s structure and mix. It is critical that their execution, capture, and subsequent processing reflect technical preparation and expressive conviction. The process of preparing a vocalist for recording is the same whether working in a DIY home studio or a professional recording facility. In this session we will demonstrate vocal coaching methods for the studio and invite participation in critical listening activities. A live studio performance will be evaluated for intonation, diction, dialect, enunciation, tone, dynamics, expression, and emotional impact. Participants will understand how to improve vocal performances through lyric analysis, phrasing techniques, and addressing vocal health issues. Production and engineering topics will include preparing the environment and room acoustics for singers, selecting microphones and preamps, headphone mixes for singers, and developing efficient workflows for recording and editing vocals. This workshop is intended to help singers prepare themselves for studio recording, and for engineers and producers to maximize the full potential of vocalists.
Presentation #1 Title
Capturing the Song: Vocal Coaching and Recording Techniques for Bluegrass and Traditional Singers
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
For bluegrass and traditional Appalachian music, vocals are the centerpiece of a song’s structure and mix. It is critical that their execution, capture, and subsequent processing reflect technical preparation and expressive conviction. The process of preparing a vocalist for recording is the same whether working in a DIY home studio or a professional recording facility. In this session we will demonstrate vocal coaching methods for the studio and invite participation in critical listening activities. A live studio performance will be evaluated for intonation, diction, dialect, enunciation, tone, dynamics, expression, and emotional impact. Participants will understand how to improve vocal performances through lyric analysis, phrasing techniques, and addressing vocal health issues. Production and engineering topics will include preparing the environment and room acoustics for singers, selecting microphones and preamps, headphone mixes for singers, and developing efficient workflows for recording and editing vocals. This workshop is intended to help singers prepare themselves for studio recording, and for engineers and producers to maximize the full potential of vocalists.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Daniel Boner is Associate Professor and Director of Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies at East Tennessee State University, where he teaches private vocal and instrumental instruction, a senior-level recording capstone course, and leads the program’s renowned ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band. He holds a B.M. in Vocal Music Education from East Tennessee State University and currently is pursuing a M.M. in Music Education from Boston University.
Capturing the Song: Vocal Coaching and Recording Techniques for Bluegrass and Traditional Singers
For bluegrass and traditional Appalachian music, vocals are the centerpiece of a song’s structure and mix. It is critical that their execution, capture, and subsequent processing reflect technical preparation and expressive conviction. The process of preparing a vocalist for recording is the same whether working in a DIY home studio or a professional recording facility. In this session we will demonstrate vocal coaching methods for the studio and invite participation in critical listening activities. A live studio performance will be evaluated for intonation, diction, dialect, enunciation, tone, dynamics, expression, and emotional impact. Participants will understand how to improve vocal performances through lyric analysis, phrasing techniques, and addressing vocal health issues. Production and engineering topics will include preparing the environment and room acoustics for singers, selecting microphones and preamps, headphone mixes for singers, and developing efficient workflows for recording and editing vocals. This workshop is intended to help singers prepare themselves for studio recording, and for engineers and producers to maximize the full potential of vocalists.
