That's perfect! let's do it again : observing performance in the vocal recording booth

The vocal recording booth is a performance setting in which singers work with music producers and engineers to produce a ‘perfect’ take. Simultaneously, an array of social, cultural and technical aspects of recording studio production affects each participant’s performance. Using Csiksentmihalyi’s systems model of creativity and Argyris and Schön’s model of action theory as a framework, this practice-based research examines recording studio production from the perspective of a session singer. It explicates how vocal booth performance is affected by sociocultural and sociotechnical aspects, and documents how a session singer can actively respond to their environment, make decisions and influence outcomes.