Studio 101 – Singing & Playing at the Same Time

In keeping with this issue’s theme of singer-songwriters, we will look at some considerations that come into play when recording an artist singing and playing simultaneously.

Of course, nowadays, recording is often done one track at a time via overdubbing. But many singer-songwriters may prefer to record themselves singing and playing at the same time for a variety of reasons.

For some, performing a song along with their own instrumental accompaniment on guitar or piano can help them maintain the rhythmic feel and phrasing they want for the song. Often, it’s how they perform the song live and is integral to their performance.