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Martin Eyerer Interview: How To Record With A Vocalist

By Dan White on December 21, 2015

This second installation in our collaborative video series with Riverside Studios in Berlin explores how to set up a proper recording environment for a vocalist to record. Respected producer and DJ Martin Eyerer shares his tips and shares why he thinks a psychotherapist might be the best person to record a vocalist. Keep reading to watch the complete tutorial.

Martin Eyerer Studio Tips On Recording a Vocalist

As Martin Eyerer stresses so much in this video how preparing a comfortable environment for a vocalist is one of main elements of success – and that applies to almost anything where you’re expecting someone else to come and perform while you record them. As a summary, some of his other main advice in the video include:

  • Doing mic “shoot-outs” with a singer – find as many alternate microphones as you can and compare how the singer sounds on each
  • Always be recording – often a performer will do their best take before the stress of recording has started
  • Get comfortable with your vocalist – sit down and talk to them and make them feel relaxed prior to recording
  • Create as low-latency of a monitoring solution as possible – and discuss with the singer if they would like reverb on their monitor (many vocalists do)

The microphone used in this tutorial was a Røde NTV valve condenser mic – which aren’t manufactured anymore. If you want an equivalent version, the Røde NTK is a very similar valve microphone, available on Amazon for $529. Martin also noted a set of headphones that he usually has on-hand for vocalists, the AKG K-240s, which are on Amazon for $57.

The studio recording desk that Martin is using at Riverside Studios is a Amek M3000 – these came out first in the late 1970s, with basic versions running a retail price of $46,000.

Sounds from Martin Eyerer

Want to hear what some of Martin Eyerer’s original production work sounds like? Listen to a recent album of his, “Struktur”, in the Soundcloud player below:

Special thanks again to Riverside Studios in Berlin for allowing us to film with their artists for this series. Check out more of the videos: 

martin eyererrecordingriverside studiosstudiostudio tipsvocalist
Comments (8)
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  • Nik Howard

    Thanks Martin, great one, so many brilliant tips

  • Emcee Triskit

    Nice Video! I appreciate you all taking the time to produce this content! I have an “unrelated” question. Do you use the Maschine studio as a control surface when mixing/sequencing within Qbase? Have you done this with Pro Tools? And how do you accomplish the integration of Maschine hardware/software capabilities with the Kontrol S49 and Komplete Instruments going from scratch to musak through to your DAW or Console for the final value added measures?

    • Martin Eyerer

      well I use Maschine on the one hand as a very verstaile Midi Controller and on the other side as Maschine istelf. I like to programm with fingerdrumming some loops. I also like the Maschine libraries and use it. When I created something in Maschien I usually export it as audio and then use it further.
      Integration with S49 is really cool. I definitely like it and can recommend!

  • Chris

    the arbitrariness of some voice installation is maybe an bug in the urbanity and we will see this on the the facade in the streets

  • Pterp

    Thanks for that great video – I just wanted to ask around: Whats your experience in view of mic distance? Imho it often sounds better and more natural if the singer is not that close to the mic (I’m talking about condenser mics) – keyword: proximity effect

    • Martin Eyerer

      hey Pterp,
      the distance is a thing you always can play with. I always rely pretty much on what I hear on my side and adjust accordingly. Means its depending very much on the level of the singer as well. SOme really know exactly how to play it right and some might need instruction. Sometimes the proximity is kind of wanted sometimes its definitely more distance you like. Trust your ears!
      A trick to make singers sing louder is to push the volume of their monitoring after some time. Some of them sing louder when the playback slightly gets louder. Its something as well where you can subtle play with.
      I totally agree the energy of the vocals need to be captured and its nothing you can fiy in the mix 🙂

      • Pterp

        Hey Martin – thanks a lot for your comment and again, thanks a lot for your tricks ;)!