How to Prepare for a Vocal Recording Session

The singer's checklist

The NIDCD's voice care guidance covers the day before and the day of:

1. Drink plenty of water. Balance any caffeine or alcohol with extra water.
2. Humidify dry rooms. NIDCD recommends 30 percent humidity.
3. Skip the extremes. No screaming or whispering, and rest your voice through the day.
4. Check your medicines. NIDCD says to avoid or limit those that dry out the vocal folds, including some cold and allergy medicines.
5. Know the song cold. Rehearse to the exact backing track, tempo, and key, and mark breaths on a lyric sheet.

The gear checklist

Set everything up before the singer warms up, so you don't burn takes troubleshooting.

1. Mic, stand, and pop filter in place. Placement and distance are on how to record vocals at home.
2. Session loaded. Backing track imported, tempo and click set, one mono track armed and named.
3. Wired closed-back headphones. Apple's latency guide says Bluetooth adds latency. Monitoring setup is on how to monitor vocals while recording.
4. Gain set on the loudest line, then a test take played back to check for clipping, pops, and headphone bleed.

Plan the takes

Universal Audio's comping basics puts the ideal at four or five passes of the lead. Track the lead first while your voice is fresh, then doubles and harmonies. Counts are on how many vocal tracks to record. The full workflow is in how to record music at home.

Related questions

How do I prepare my voice for recording vocals?

Drink plenty of water, rest your voice, avoid screaming or whispering the day before, and keep indoor humidity near 30 percent. If your voice is hoarse or tired, move the session.

Should I record vocals if my voice is hoarse?

No. The NIDCD advises against speaking or singing when your voice is hoarse or tired.

How many takes should I plan for?

Plan four or five full passes of the lead, then comp the best phrases into one track.

More answers: Home recording FAQ