· By Bas Lefeber
Re-Recording AI Vocals: Exactly What to Send the Singer
You have decided to get the AI vocal re-recorded. The next question is what you actually put in the message, and this is where most producers lose a week going back and forth.
Send these six things in the first message and you will usually get a usable take on the first pass.
The short answer
- The AI version, as a reference
- The instrumental with the vocal removed
- Key and tempo
- The lyrics as text
- One line on what the song is about
- Two artist references for the delivery
Then say what you need back and by when. That is the whole brief.
1. The AI version, as a reference
This is the one that does most of the work, and the one producers are oddly shy about sending.
Do not describe the melody in words. Send the Suno or Udio file. The singer immediately hears the exact topline, where the phrases break, how the lyrics sit against the beat and where the breaths fall. Everything you would otherwise spend three messages explaining is in the file.
Singers are not offended by this. A reference is standard practice in any session, and a generated one is simply a reference that happens to be free to make.
2. The instrumental, without the vocal
They need something to sing over. Export the track without any vocal on it, at the same length and arrangement as the reference so the two line up when they drop both into a session.
WAV is better than MP3 here, and mention if there is a count-in.
3. Key and tempo
State both explicitly rather than making the singer work them out. It takes you five seconds and it tells them straight away whether the song sits in their range, which is the first thing they need to know.
If you are unsure about the key, say so and ask. It is a normal question and better asked before recording than after.
4. The lyrics as text
Typed out, in the structure of the song, with the sections labelled: verse, pre, chorus, bridge. Generated vocals slur words, and a singer guessing at a mumbled line will confidently record the wrong one.
Mark anything you want emphasised, and flag any word whose pronunciation matters to you.
5. One line on what the song is about
Not a paragraph. One line. "It is about leaving a city you love" tells a singer more about how to deliver the second verse than any amount of technical direction.
This is the difference between a technically correct take and one with something behind it, and it costs you a sentence.
6. Two artist references for the delivery
Name two artists whose vocal delivery you want it to sit near, and say what specifically you mean: the restraint, the grit, the way they sit behind the beat. Two is enough. Five is a contradiction.
Reference the delivery rather than the voice. You are not asking anyone to impersonate.
Then state the deliverables
Say plainly what you want back, because this is what the price is based on:
- Lead vocal, dry or lightly processed, your choice
- Doubles, harmonies or ad-libs, if you want them, and where
- Format: WAV, 24-bit, matching your session sample rate
- When you need it
Unclear deliverables are the most common reason a quote comes back higher than expected, or a take comes back thinner than you wanted.
A brief you can copy
|
Hi [name], I heard your demos and your voice fits what I am making. I have a track that is finished apart from the vocal. I wrote it with an AI generator to get the topline down, and I want it re-recorded properly. Attached: the AI reference, the instrumental without vocal, and the lyrics. Key: [key]. Tempo: [bpm]. It is about [one line]. Delivery somewhere near [artist] and [artist], mostly the [restraint / grit / phrasing]. I need the lead, plus doubles on the chorus. WAV, 24-bit, 48k. Hoping for something back within [timeframe]. What would you charge for that? |
Send that to a few vocalists whose demos you liked and compare what comes back. The vocalist directory is here, and every profile has that singer's own work on it so you can listen before you write to anybody.
Free to send. You only pay when you accept a quote.
What not to send
- A full mix with the AI vocal buried in it. They need the reference and the instrumental as separate files.
- Five artist references. It reads as indecision and the take comes back hedged.
- "Just do whatever you feel." Freedom without a frame produces something you did not want, and a revision round nobody enjoys.
- Nothing about money. Ask for a price in the first message. It saves both of you a week.
After you send it: what happens next
The brief is the part you control. This is the part on the other side of it, in order, because most producers have never hired a singer this way and the not-knowing is what stops them sending the first message.
Find the voice before you write a word
Open the vocalist directory and play the demos before you write anything. Every profile carries that singer's own released work rather than a stock reel, with their range, the languages they sing in, the styles they work in and a handful of artists they sit near. Anyone taking commissions carries an "Available for customs" badge. Write the brief once you know who you are writing it to: the artist references in point six get much easier when you have already heard the voice.
The quote comes back to you
Sending the brief costs nothing and commits you to nothing. The vocalist reads it and comes back with a price and a delivery time for your specific track. Many also publish set packages on their profile, usually a lead vocal, a lead with doubles, and a fuller version with harmonies. Each one lists what you get, how many revisions are included and how many days it takes, so you can see the shape of the job before you even write.
There is no standard rate here. Scope moves it, and so does who you ask: a single hook is not a full topline with harmonies and ad-libs, and a singer with a catalogue behind them prices differently to one building it. Some also ask for a courtesy royalty share alongside the fee. Where they do, it is on the profile and it is open to discussion.
Your money sits in the middle until you approve
When you accept a quote you pay, but the payment does not go to the vocalist. It is held by The Vocal Market and only released once you have approved the delivery. You are not paying up front and hoping, and they are not recording on a promise. That is the whole reason the first message can be a stranger.
Stems arrive, then you approve
The take comes back through the platform, normally as dry WAVs at 24-bit so you can tune, time and treat them in your own chain. If something is off, the revisions in the package cover it. Once you are happy you approve the delivery, the files are released to you and the payment goes out. Brief to stems is usually about a week, depending on the vocalist's queue.
Free to send. You only pay when you accept a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What do I send a singer to re-record an AI vocal?
Six things: the AI version as a reference, the instrumental with the vocal removed, the key and tempo, the lyrics typed out, one line on what the song is about, and two artist references for the delivery. Then state what you want back and by when.
Is it rude to send an AI vocal as a reference?
No. References are standard in any session, and a generated one is just a reference that was cheap to make. It is the single most useful thing you can send, because it removes all ambiguity about melody, phrasing and where the lyrics sit.
Should I send the lyrics if they are in the reference?
Yes, always. Generated vocals slur words, and a singer guessing at a mumbled line will record the wrong one with total confidence. Type them out with the sections labelled.
How specific should the delivery brief be?
Two artist references, and say what you mean by each: the restraint, the grit, the way they sit behind the beat. Two gives a clear target. Five reads as indecision and you get a hedged take back.
Should I ask the price in the first message?
Yes. Describe the deliverables and ask what they would charge. It is normal, it saves a week of back and forth, and nothing is charged until you agree it.
What file format should I ask for?
WAV, 24-bit, at the sample rate of your session, usually 44.1k or 48k. Say whether you want it dry or lightly processed, and specify doubles, harmonies or ad-libs separately if you want them.
How does the payment work?
You pay when you accept a quote, but the money is held by The Vocal Market rather than passed straight to the vocalist. It is only released once you have approved the delivery, so neither side is exposed while the work is being done.
The bottom line
A good brief is six attachments and about eight lines of text. Producers who send it get a usable take first time. Producers who describe the song in prose get three rounds of revisions.
The background on the whole approach is in re-recording Suno vocals with a real singer. When you are ready, browse the vocalists and start with the demos.
Free to send. You only pay when you accept a quote.
