Why Do Singers/Musicians Use Headphones In The Recording Studio?

Performers in a recording studio will often wear headphones to isolate their voice from different sounds, ensuring that the performer can hear the other tracks/instruments they are singing with, without compromising the sound of their own recorded voice! For example, if you have three microphones set up for a singer, a guitar player and a drum kit, the sound of the drums and guitar will almost certainly be picked up by the microphone in front of the singer. This can make the sound muddied and less sharp, and will also make it harder to edit later. Imagine trying to talk to someone in a crowded bar; even if you are standing directly next to your friend, and are talking right into their ear, they might still struggle to hear because of all the other noise and commotion in the background. Recording each instrument or vocalist separately effectively eliminates this overlapping “bleed” of noise, making sure that each recorded track is clean and clear.