Vocal Production in the AI Era: Modern Techniques with James Herrera
James Herrera - singer, songwriter and vocal coach specializing in modern vocal production techniques for AI-era recording sessions.
The vocal production landscape in 2025 is experiencing a dramatic transformation. With AI vocal generators creating convincing synthetic performances and distributed teams collaborating across continents, the line between authentic and artificial is increasingly blurred. In this new reality, a crucial question emerges: how do we maintain the human essence that connects listeners emotionally while leveraging modern production tools? The answer lies in mastering both technical precision and emotional intelligence. Today's vocal producers must navigate a complex territory where technical know-how meets artistic intuition—balancing pitch correction algorithms with the preservation of authentic vocal character, and harmonizing remotely recorded tracks while maintaining cohesive sound signatures.
To explore solutions to these modern challenges, we've collaborated with James Herrera↗, whose dual expertise as both songwriter and vocal production specialist offers a unique perspective. Having developed his craft across both traditional studio environments and innovative remote workflows, James brings a fresh approach that bridges technical excellence with emotional authenticity.
The Four Pillars of Modern Vocal Production
A methodical framework for creating authentic vocals in an AI-dominated landscape
In an era where AI can generate convincing vocal takes, what separates truly exceptional vocal production from everything else? For James Herrera, the answer is a methodical approach built around four key elements that work in harmony to create professional, emotionally resonant vocals.
01. The Main Vocal: Building the Emotional Foundation
While technology has evolved dramatically, the foundation of any vocal production remains unchanged: capturing a compelling main vocal performance. James emphasizes that no amount of processing or layering can compensate for a weak primary take.
"The main line is for me the most important track of the whole song. It's where most of the vocalist's feelings are captured. When I'm recording an artist, I always make sure we do some vocal coaching beforehand. This makes sure the vowels are correct, the artist depicts what they want and they don't over exaggerate the esses. My best recording work comes when I'm recording each phrase one by one. This allows me to completely focus on that one phrase and give my best to it. This is, in my opinion, what gives my vocal recordings its quality: high attention to detail. Especially on the main line."
02. Dimensional Doubles: Creating Organic Depth
In today's productions where listeners expect immersive experiences across various playback systems from earbuds to smart speakers, creating dimensional vocal sounds has become essential. James reveals his technique for achieving this effect through strategic vocal doubling.
"Vocal doubles in my recordings are meant to give some stereo field to the main line in a very organic way. These vocal recordings (which are 2, panned left and right) don't need to convey the feeling of the song as much as the main line. Anyway, it is very important for me to nail the timing in order to achieve this stereo feel. I always advise my artists to really listen to the main line, and watch the audio signal while they're singing the doubles. This makes it easier for them to record them at the best timing."
This approach to doubling offers a more natural alternative to the heavily processed vocal stacks found in many contemporary productions. By focusing on timing precision rather than identical performance, James creates a sense of human presence that artificial doubling plugins can't replicate.
03. Strategic Harmonies: Emotion Through Chord Enhancement
As AI-generated harmonies become more accessible, understanding when and how to incorporate human vocal harmonies becomes increasingly valuable. Drawing from his classical choir background, James approaches harmonies as emotional enhancement tools rather than simply additional layers.
"When making harmonies, the most key thing is to really listen to the chord that is beneath the main line. Then ask yourself: "¿Could this part have more depth? If yes, harmonies are needed." Depending on what note you're using in the main line, you can fill up the rest of the chord with the missing notes. There's 3 possible notes: the 1st, the 3rd and the 5th. These always sound good. The rest, you can explore and see if that added tension works musically, but you really need to go by feel here. Harmonies work best for me in bridges, last choruses, and second verses."
04. Intentional Adlibs: Dynamic Space Utilization
In contemporary streaming-optimized productions where maintaining listener engagement is critical, the strategic use of adlibs can create crucial moments of interest. James takes a thoughtful approach to these vocal embellishments that contrasts with the random placement common in many productions. His perspective on adlibs is particularly relevant in today's attention-challenged streaming environment, where every second of a track needs to maintain interest without overwhelming the listener.
"Adlibs can come in the form of repetitions of the main line, random vocal sounds or even harmonic choirs that respond to the main line. Creativity here is key. P.S.: Complete silence can also be an adlib. Nowadays, many producers use silence and extreme contrast as an instrument. If there's a space like that in your song, it might not be the best idea to put an adlib there, because it loses the contrast effect. But anyway, rules are meant to be broken, so be creative."
Balancing Technology and Humanity in Vocal Production
What makes James' approach particularly valuable in 2025 is his balanced perspective on technology. In an era when plugins and AI can handle many technical aspects of vocal production, his focus remains on the emotional foundation that technology alone cannot provide. This human-centered approach acknowledges that while tools evolve, the fundamental goal of connecting with listeners through authentic vocal performances remains constant.
For those looking to apply these techniques, James offers specialized coaching and comprehensive courses providing valuable insights into vocal production craftsmanship while respecting each artist's unique creative voice. Connect with James through Instagram at @jjamesherrera↗ to learn more about his approach to vocal production and develop your skills in today's evolving landscape.