The Complete Guide to Hiring a Session Vocalist
Common Mistakes When Hiring a Session Vocalist
Chapter 4 of 7
Learn the most common mistakes artists make and how to avoid them for a smooth collaboration
8 minute read
Updated July 2026
Contents
Don't Rush the Creative Process
You're Not the Only Project
Provide Clear Direction From the Start
Don't Make Major Changes Midway Through
Respect Booking Deposits
Trust the Vocalist You Hired
Understand Revisions Have Limits
Keep Communication Professional
Final Thoughts
Common Mistakes When Hiring a Session Vocalist
Hiring a remote session vocalist is one of the easiest ways to bring your song to life, but like any creative collaboration, the experience is much smoother when both sides know what to expect.
Usually projects can go incredibly well, but there are a few common mistakes that can slow things down or create unnecessary frustration.
Here are a few things worth keeping in mind before you book your project.
1. Don't Rush the Creative Process
This is one of the most important lessons I've learned from doing session work over the years. The songs that turn out the best are usually never the ones that are rushed. They're the ones where everyone is willing to give it time and trust the creative process.
Great vocals take time.
Whether it's writing lyrics, experimenting with different melodies, recording multiple takes, or building layers, the best performances normally aren't finished in a single afternoon.
Creative work isn't something that should be rushed just to meet a strict deadline.
Giving your session vocalist the time to fully develop ideas almost always results in a stronger final performance.
A little patience during the process often makes a big difference in the finished song.
2. You're Not the Only Project
Session vocalists often work on multiple projects at the same time.
That doesn't mean your song isn't important, it simply means your project is part of a scheduled workload.
Most vocalists organize their sessions carefully so every client receives the attention they deserve.
If your vocalist has provided a turnaround time, try to trust that schedule instead of asking for constant progress updates or expecting immediate responses every day. At times, the projected timeframe provided can be shorter or longer depending on the complexity and the current workload.
Good communication is always appreciated, but so is allowing the creative process the time it needs.
3. Provide Clear Direction From the Start
One of the easiest ways to avoid revisions is to communicate your vision early.
If you already know the style you're after, say so. Don't make your vocalist guess.
Reference songs, notes about specific sections, vocal inspirations, and even describing the emotion you're trying to capture can all be incredibly helpful.
The clearer your expectations are at the beginning, the smoother the collaboration becomes.
4. Don't Make Major Changes Midway Through
Small revisions are completely normal.
Deciding halfway through the project that you want to rewrite the lyrics, change the arrangement, or turn a clean chorus into a screaming chorus is something entirely different.
Major creative changes often require additional writing, recording, and editing.
If your vision changes significantly after work has already begun, it's best to discuss those changes openly with your vocalist so everyone understands what additional work may be involved.
5. Respect Booking Deposits
Many session vocalists (including myself) require a deposit before work begins to book your project in their schedule.
That deposit reserves time in the recording schedule for you and allows the vocalist to begin planning, writing, recording, or turning down other work during that timeframe.
If you decide to cancel the project after booking, the deposit is generally not refunded because that time was specifically set aside for your song and took away a spot from another client.
Every vocalist has their own booking policies, so it's always a good idea to review them before confirming your project.
6. Trust the Vocalist You Hired
There's a reason you chose a particular vocalist.
You liked their voice, their style, and their previous work.
While it's perfectly okay to give direction and request revisions, try not to micromanage every single phrase before they've had a chance to be creative.
Sometimes the ideas you weren't expecting end up becoming your favorite parts of the song.
A great collaboration is built on communication and trust from both sides.
7. Understand Revisions Have Limits
Remote collaboration works best when communication is open, respectful, and honest.
If something isn't working, say so.
If you love a certain part, mention that too.
Constructive feedback helps everyone create a better final product.
Remember, both you and the vocalist are working toward the exact same goal: making the best song possible.
8. Keep Communication Professioanl
Most session vocalists are happy to make reasonable revisions to help the performance match your idea.
That said, revisions are meant to fine-tune an existing performance, not completely restart the project.
Changing the emotion of a line, adjusting the delivery, or re-recording a verse is very different from asking for an entirely new vocal arrangement after everything has already been completed.
Being clear about your expectations early helps keep revisions focused and productive.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a remote session vocalist should be an exciting part of the creative process.
Most collaborations run smoothly when expectations are clear, communication stays open, and both sides respect each other's time and creativity.
Whether you're working with a metalcore vocalist, a post-hardcore vocalist, or any other type of session singer, approaching the project as a true collaboration almost always leads to the best results.
The strongest songs aren't built overnight, they're built through patience, trust, and a shared commitment to creating something both artist and vocalist are proud of.
"Don't make your vocalist guess."
Clear direction leads to a stronger song and saves hours of revisions
About the Author
Anthony Blake
Professional Session Vocalist
Metalcore • Post-Hardcore • Modern Heavy Music
Anthony Blake is a professional session vocalist specializing in metalcore, post-hardcore, and other heavy music. With a decade of experience collaborating with artists all over the world, he provides screaming vocals, clean vocals, lyric writing, and vocal arrangement for independent and label projects. Through this Journal, he shares practical insights and real-world experience to help musicians create better songs and navigate the remote collaboration process with ease.
STAY CONNECTED
