Editing the recording

Now Screenshot 2014-10-04 23.11.06that you have your vocal recording you have to prepare it for mixing. During the recording session you probably recorded multiple recordings per track. The first step is to listen to it all and find the best recordings that you would like to use in your final mix. This requires a good ear and some cut and pasting skills on the computer.

 

Shhh!! Let’s strip the silences

Once you have the best recordings in place you will strip the silences. This means you will remove any dead space the recording contains in between the singing. You do this to make sure the recording is as clean as can be and no unwanted sounds accidentally get boosted in the mix. Usually these dead spaces contain some background noise from movements.  So you’re intent is to get the breaks in between the singing as quiet as can be. However, you have to be careful not to overdo this and delete the sounds of the singer taking a breath. It’s unnatural to remove those.

Regardless on which software you use, if you have a strip silence function, you will be asked to provide a threshold. Whatever setting you provide here will determine which sounds will be accepted in the new audio regions that will be created and which will get stripped. The higher your value, the more gets stripped.
Usually you are also allowed to set a Pre Attack Time and a Post Release Time. This will set the fade in/out to/from the vocal you have recorded. Basically this sets your sound region. Try to get it as close as you can get it. Usually you’ll be able to see what you’re doing to make sure you don’t ‘cut’ too much. In Logic Pro X make sure the “Search Zero Crossing” is checked.

Where is Strip Silence in Logic Pro X?

Personally I’ve spent ages trying to locate this function in Logic Pro X, so let me just share with you how to add this to you toolbar. Select toolbar > rightclick Customize Toolbar. In the pop up check Strip Silence. The option will now appear in the drop down all the way to the right. If you want it to get a more visible spot (which  is adviced) you go back to the Customize Toolbar function in order to remove one of the other icons you might not use too much. Here’s a quick video I’ve made to help you activate the Strip Silence function.

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