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A lot has happened with the home studio over the past twenty years. Today, it’s fully possible to record professional vocals at home, even with gear that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. If you follow these tips and tricks, you can record the vocals for your next hit yourself!
1. Choose the right microphone
Great vocal sound starts with the right microphone. The two most commonly used microphone types for vocals are dynamic microphones and condenser microphones, and each has its own pros and cons. It can be easier to start with a dynamic microphone, as they’re a bit easier to work with in a room that hasn’t been acoustically treated.
Dynamic microphone
🎙 Picks up less of the room sound.
🎙 More “raw” and direct.
🎙 Does not use +48v phantom power.
🎙 Classics: Shure BETA58A, Shure SM7B.
Condenser microphone
🎙 Picks up more of the room sound.
🎙 Smoother and “softer”.
🎙 Requires +48v phantom power.
🎙 RØDE NT1-A, sE Electronics sE2200
A bit stereotypically, a lot of rock and rap is recorded with a dynamic microphone, where the uncrowned king is Shure SM7B or SM7dB, while “prettier” vocals are often recorded with a condenser microphone. However, it’s important to say that this doesn’t mean rap can’t be recorded with a condenser and a smooth, creamy pop vocal can’t be recorded with a dynamic microphone, because it absolutely can.
Basically, your microphone is your tool, and different models come with different pros and cons and have different inherent sound – so the art is choosing one that suits the sound you like.
...And yes, it can take a bit of time to find the perfect one ;)
Bonus tip: It’s always a good idea to use a pop filter in front of your microphone. This applies especially to condenser microphones, but dynamic microphones can also need a pop filter in the studio.
Bonus bonus tip: if you choose a Shure SM7B, it requires a lot of gain – check out our big SM7B guide HERE:
2. Experiment with placement
A microphone can sound completely different depending on where it’s placed in a room – and the room’s ambience also affects the sound. That’s because the sound the microphone picks up doesn’t only come from your mouth – sound waves also bounce back as reflections from walls and windows.
That’s why professional studios have rooms where the acoustics – and thus the reflections – are 100% controlled.
It’s relatively easy to ‘cheat’ your way to better acoustics in the home studio. You’ve probably seen that you can get reflection filters that you can place behind the microphone. They help to stop some of the reflections, so your vocal recording becomes more controlled.
Even without an expensive reflection filter, you can do a lot at home. If you record in the bedroom, try opening the wardrobe and using your clothes as a backdrop behind the microphone — it may not be very classy, but you’ll be surprised how much it helps the sound! A sofa, bed and thick curtains also improve a room’s acoustics.
If you want to do something for the sound in your recording room, a simple piece of acoustic fabric hung 5 cm from the wall can also make a real difference to the room’s tone.
3. Record 3–6 takes, then stop
Once your singer is sufficiently warmed up and has a solid grasp of the lyrics and melody, you can probably capture their full talent within the next three takes. There can be value in additional takes, especially if you want to experiment with microphone placement, or if the singer gets distracted or loses the rhythm. Many finished vocal tracks consist of segments from several takes.
If a performance is great with just a single mistake, you can simply “patch” that specific part where the mistake occurred, and avoid wearing out the singer’s voice on a completely new take.
4. Hold off on the effects
There are countless methods for shaping vocals, from compression to reverb and delay, as well as EQ. It’s often an advantage to wait and do no more than simple EQ and reverb while you record and evaluate takes — if the vocal works with minimal processing, it can be fantastic once you’re finished mixing.
5. Autotune
It can be hard to keep your fingers off the autotune button once you get started — especially when recording your own music. It’s easy to become overly self-critical and rely too much on technology to fix timing and pitch errors.
Over-correcting vocal recordings or quantising performances too strictly can result in a clinical, emotionless recording. It’s usually better to keep some of the human elements, as this can lead to a more expressive performance.
With these simple tips, you’ll be well prepared to record vocals for your next project. The fun (and scary) thing about recording vocals is that there are no rules — but good tools and solid workflows help you get better recordings that are easier to work with when it’s time to mix your track.
Good luck in the home studio!
