PDF I had the pleasure of working with Geneva B on my Stonehenge Diaries Album. We were in need of a female vocalist for Slow Down. Nomar Slevik suggested Geneva and that is how I got to know her. I think she is a great vocalist and thought she would be an interesting person to interview.
What is your musical background?
Pretty varied! I took piano lessons as a kid and played cello for around four years…Technically got my formal start singing in the Hamilton Children’s Choir when I was eight or nine. It taught me a lot about harmonizing and getting a feel for how to read music and perform; I’ve also played some tenor sax and bass.
I want to start playing piano again and relearn how to read music, I think it will really enhance my songwriting ability. I didn’t start getting into making music seriously until I was around 19, 20, when I recorded my first track for one of Nomar Slevik’s albums in Toronto.
How often do you go into the studio to record?
Oh man, big question. It really depends – it’s nice to go as often as possible but of course it really depends on my objectives and what’s going on project-wise! I’ve recorded in so many different studios and with so many different people for various projects over the years that it has really fluctuated in the past. I’ve learned how to be more organized when it comes to recording songs systematically, however – it has been a huge challenge finding the right people to work with who are really on their sh*t professionally. I finally met my dream producer, working with him has been a really incredible experience. I’ve been working on recording my first solo album and we’ve been building some of the tracks in-studio, it’s really exciting. I’ve been in the studio once or twice a week for the past couple of months…feels really good.
How do you get the beats for your music?
To date, I’ve operated in a pretty underground fashion. Producers from all over send me beats and I choose which ones I’m going to use. This has resulted in pretty much every possible issue that can arise, from having only an .mp3 file for the track from some AWOL producer who lives on the other side of the world, to files getting lost, etc. I’ve realized it’s far more beneficial to work in-person and in-studio to really vibe out the feel for how I want a song to sound and have control over the end product.
My style is evolving and I’m more interested in working with the right people who understand my vision and sound. Above all else, dependability and trust are paramount in the studio. I like to work efficiently and producers who don’t have their sh*t together aren’t conducive to getting the end results I’m looking for. Unfortunately there’s a lot of that in underground music, and being a girl you already have to fight harder to be taken seriously.
I’ve become much more selective about who I work with and what projects I’m taking on. I’ve been doing this for a minute so I guess you learn as you go! For the upcoming project, I have beats from Mike Clouds, Fifth Major, Chin Injeti and Moka Only, among others. I also just recorded a house record that’s getting released this June coming out on Ron Allen’s label!
Is there any particular mic you like to use?
I had the pleasure of recording with a Neumann U87ai mic at Keen Music in Toronto and it was amazing! It picked up everything so clearly and the clarity was unparalleled. I like a mic that really brings out the rich texture of a voice, where you can hear all the little nuances really clearly while you’re recording. That’s the ideal mic! If you can’t hear yourself clearly, that’s a problem.
Any particular signal chain?
(I let my sound engineer Matt at Keen Music answer this one):
We used a Neumann U87ai mic into a Millennia STT-1, the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of mic preamps. A little compression and EQ in the STT to bring out the tone, ‘air’ and clarity in the vocals, which paired nicely with the tonal characteristics of the U87.
Best recording experience?
I love when things run smoothly – that’s key for me. Recording should be a hassle-free, comfortable experience. If you’re not comfortable, your recording is not going to be as good as it could be. Any session where I show up, the producer intrinsically understands my needs as an artist and works accordingly is cool with me. Professionalism is big – we’re doing work. It’s not supposed to look like a party when you go in to record, it’s nice for things to be relaxed but there’s a fine line between casual and too casual, ya know? I’ve really been enjoying my sessions at Keen Music and Hive Studios. There have also been some really magical times recording randomly with cool people where there’s just a really natural vibe and the song is a total Polaroid of whatever was going on in the moment. That’s also really special and I have some pretty fond memories.
Worst recording experience?
It sucks when you record something and the version that comes out on someone’s album sounds like the raw stuff you did when you were recording and there’s been very little time spent on the mix. It misrepresents the person’s skills. It’s also wack when people are smoking in the studio, that’s not good for singers to be around, period. Comfort is important so the studio’s temperature, location and amenities all matter!
Do prefer performing live or recording in a studio?
That’s like asking me if I prefer chocolate cake or ice cream! They’re both great, just different. If I had to choose though, there’s really nothing like doing a live show – you’re literally sharing your soul with the crowd and that’s a pretty profound experience no matter how you cut it. There’s nothing that can compare to the rush you get when you come off stage after rocking a set – it’s a pretty cool feeling. When people tell me I gave them goosebumps, that’s the ultimate compliment right there. Music is about connecting with people so if I do that then I’m doing my job here on the planet!
Any favorite tip that you have picked up over the years?
Cristina Orbe from Seattle once told me never to do any of the actual songs for your set during soundcheck – she performs either with a guitar or band so it’s a bit different for me but that tidbit always stuck in my head!
Any tips for female vocalists?
Your voice is your instrument which means your whole body is part of that instrument – you have to take care of it. Smoking, partying, drinking excessively – unfortunately these are all serious voice wreckers. Now anyone who knows me knows I like to have fun but I had to start taking these things under consideration more seriously as I become a more established artist. Being healthy is all part of it. It’s kinda lame but you should actually live mostly the opposite of the reputation artists have – balanced.
I like doing hot yoga because not only does it relieve stress but it’s good for your breathing. Always warm up before you sing, if you’re not warming up properly you can damage your voice. I started seeing a vocal coach and I’m loving it – I would advise all singers to continue honing their craft with a professional coach because there are always ways to improve your technique and range.
Musical influences?
I am a serious Bill Withers fan, pretty much everything he’s touched is gold. The way he can evoke so much emotion yet keep simplicity in his songwriting has been a huge influence on me. I also really love Shuggie Otis, on some really funky sh*t. I’m a huge fan of Sade, Tweet and Erykah Badu also.
You can check out Geneva B at the following web locales:
Twitter: @geneva_b
Vimeo: vimeo.com/genevab
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/geneva-b
Facebook Fanpage: www.facebook.com/geneva.b.music
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