How to Record Backing Vocals
To record background vocals, finish the lead first, then sing each double and harmony as its own new take while listening to the lead, and pan them off center under it. Antares' guide to double tracking and harmony layers puts the practical limit at one or two doubles and two to four harmony parts.
Recording steps
- Finish the lead. iZotope's double tracking guide says to comp, edit, and tune the lead before you record doubles, so they have something stable to match.
- Keep the mic chain the same. Same mic, distance, and gain as the lead, so every layer sounds like one voice in one room.
- Sing the double as a new take. Antares warns that copying and pasting the lead creates a robotic sound. The small differences between real takes create the width.
- Match phrasing exactly. Listen to the lead in your cans and copy its word endings and breaths. Afterward, delete the breaths on the doubles so only the lead's remain.
- Add harmonies one part per track. Antares suggests one harmony in the first chorus, building to two or three in the final chorus.
Where to pan and how loud
Antares pans doubles 20 to 40 percent in verses and 50 to 70 percent in choruses, keeps the lead 2 to 3 dB above everything else, and sits harmonies 3 to 5 dB under the lead.
Layer counts by genre are in how many vocal tracks to record. For the full workflow, head back to how to record music at home.
Related questions
Can I copy and paste the lead vocal instead of singing a double?
No. A pasted copy lines up perfectly with the lead and sounds robotic, so sing every double as its own take.
Should backing vocals be recorded before or after the lead?
After. Comp, edit, and tune the lead first, then sing the doubles and harmonies to match the finished lead.
How far should I pan backing vocals?
Pan doubles 20 to 40 percent left and right in verses and 50 to 70 percent in choruses. Put harmonies outside or inside the doubles so each part has its own spot.
More answers: Home recording FAQ