Great source = Great sound

If your vocals don’t sound good at the start, no mix can fix them. 🎙️

And a lot of artists learn the hard way.

You can have the best plugins, the perfect mix chain, even a pro engineer helping you out… but if your raw vocal recording isn’t clean, controlled, and confident, it’s game over.

Mixing doesn’t make magic. It only enhances what’s already there.

That’s why recording is the most important part of your whole vocal chain.

It’s where the quality begins, and sometimes - unfortunetly - where it ends.

The good news are that you don’t need a big studio or a crazy budget to get great results.

You just need to understand how to use what you already have, control your space, and record smart.

Because once your recording is solid, everything after that - EQ, compression, mixing, mastering - becomes easier, faster, and way more fun.

And... of course resaults are wayyyy better.

So if you’ve been struggling to make your vocals sound “professional,” this one’s for you.

Let's go. 💪

Gear You Actually Need

Let’s be honest. You don’t need a $2000 mic to sound good.

You need the right setup and to actually know how to use it. 

Because the gear doesn’t make your sound. Your environment and how you record does.

Let’s start with the basics.

You need a decent microphone, an audio interface, and a pair of closed-back headphones. 🎧

That’s it.

If you’re new to this, get yourself a condenser mic, something like the Audio-Technica AT2020 or Rode NT1. 

They’re clean, detailed, and perfect for vocals.

Dynamic mics are great too, but they need more gain and a quiet environment, which most home studios don’t have.

Next up, your interface.

This little box connects your mic to your computer, and honestly, even the entry-level ones sound great nowadays.

Focusrite Scarlett, SSL 2, or Audient EVO. All solid. 💎

They give you clean preamps and low latency, which is what matters most.

Now for the headphones.

This one’s important. Use closed-back headphones. Not open, not semi-open, not your wireless Apple earbuds.

Why? 

Because closed-back headphones isolate your voice and keep the playback from leaking into your mic. If you’ve ever recorded a verse and heard your beat faintly echoing in the background, that’s headphone bleed.

Closed-back cans easily fix that. 

And the most skipped part: your space.

Even the best mic will sound bad if your room is bouncing sound everywhere. You don’t need to build a studio, but you do need to control your environment.

Throw a blanket over a window. Hang clothes behind your mic. Lay down a rug. Record between open closet doors full of jackets. 

It’s all about killing reflections.

The less your voice bounces around, the cleaner your recording will be.

Andddd...

If you want to go the extra mile, I’ve got something for you.

If you record in FL Studio, I made a custom Vocal Recording Template designed exactly for setups like this.

You can grab it right here.🎛️

It already has some effects and vocal routing done, so you can focus on recording, not configuring.

Because at the end of the day, gear should help you make music, not get in your way.

Setting Up Your Space

Now that you’ve got your gear, it’s time to make your space work for you. 🎙️

This part separates good recordings from:

“why does my vocal sound like it’s in a bathroom?”

Most people think you need acoustic foam panels, bass traps, and a $1000 studio desk.

You don’t. 

You might invest in that, nothing bad with it but...

What you need is control.

Control over reflections, echo, and background noise.

Because when your voice bounces off bare walls, windows, and furniture, it creates small delays that the mic actually picks up. Those reflections make your vocal sound thin, metallic, and unprofessional.

So let’s fix that.

Start with where you place the mic.

Never aim it toward a wall. Instead, face the middle of the room or a soft surface, like a bed, curtain, or open closet full of clothes. Those fabrics absorb sound naturally.

If you’ve got hard floors, put down a rug. If you’ve got empty walls, hang up a blanket.

And if you want a quick hack, record in your closet.

Yeah, it’s not glamorous, but it works. Clothes are like free acoustic panels. They soak up reflections way better than foam squares from Amazon ever will. 🧥

Keep your mic about an arm’s length from the nearest wall. Don’t press it into a corner, corners create bass buildup and weird resonances.

If you’re using a laptop, move it slightly to the side or behind the mic. Those fan noises will sneak into your recording faster than you think.

Close windows and kill any background noise you can.

All these small things add up.

When your room is controlled, even a $100 mic can sound like it’s worth ten times more.

Once your room is quiet, balanced, and reflection-free, your mic can finally do its job, capture you, not your neighbours dog. 😅

Gain Staging & Levels

Alright, now that your setup is ready, let’s talk about one of the most underrated parts of recording, which is your levels. 🎚️

If you record too loud, you’ll hit clipping, that harsh digital distortion that can’t be fixed no matter what plugin you use later.

If you record too quiet, your vocal will be buried in noise and hiss when you try to boost it later in the mix.

So where’s the sweet spot?

Aim for your vocal peaks to hit around -6 dB on your meter. Somewhere between -6 and -8 is perfect.

That gives you enough headroom for louder parts and leaves space for mixing later.

If you’re seeing your meters slam into red, turn your gain down. If your signal barely moves, turn it up a bit.

Simple as that.

You don’t need your vocal to sound “loud” while recording, that’s what your headphones are for. Turn up your monitor volume instead of cranking your input gain.

Also, keep your mic distance consistent. 🖐

If you move too much during recording, your levels will jump all over the place. Stay roughly one open hand away from the mic, and don’t lean in unless you’re going for a deliberate whisper or emphasis.

Consistency is what makes mixing easier later.

And before you get to recording, record a "control take" to see if your levels are good enough before jumping into actual session.

Watch the levels and adjust before you hit record for real.

Getting this right saves hours later.

Because you can’t “fix” clipping in post. You can hide it, maybe soften it, but it’s still there.

A clean, well-gained vocal will always beat an overcooked one. 🍳

Recording Workflow

Now that your gain is set and your room is under control, it’s time to actually record. 🎙️

This is where you find your rhythm, both literally and mentally.

Recording isn’t just about hitting “REC.”

It’s about setting yourself up to perform your best, with zero distractions.

Start by opening your DAW and creating a new session just for vocals.

If you’re using FL Studio, I already built a ready-to-go Recording Template with everything set up, levels, routing, and a little bit of effects for that comfort feel in your headphones.

Once you’ve got your session open, name your tracks properly.

Lead, doubles, ad-libs, keep it clean and organized.

Because trust me, once you start stacking takes, it gets messy fast.

Then, before your “real” take, do a quick warm-up.

Record 10–20 seconds just to test your mic distance, your gain, and your vibe.

Listen back with your headphones and ask yourself:

"Does it sound clean? Any pops or harshness? Am I clipping?"

If yes, fix it now. Don’t wait.

Once you’re good to go, hit record and lock in. 🔒

And one thing here, expect perfection on the first try.

Most of your favorite songs weren’t done in one take. They were built, piece by piece.

So record multiple takes. Try different deliveries, different energy levels, even small variations in tone. Sometimes the “almost there” take ends up being the one that feels the most real.

Don’t delete your takes right away, either.

Keep them muted in the project, you might come back to them later..

And once you’ve nailed your take? Save your project. Twice.
Name your files clearly, nothing’s worse than having

“final_mix_7_real_final_V2_better_one.wav” cluttering your folder later. 😅

Stay organized, stay consistent, and you’ll start recording faster, cleaner, and more confidently every session.

Bonus Tips

When you record, timing and energy matter just as much as your gear.

Try to record when your voice actually feels good, usually that’s early in the day or late in the evening.

Mornings give you clarity and control, while evenings bring a warmer tone and more emotion.

Find your zone. 🌙☀️

Before hitting record, hydrate.

Drink water 20–30 minutes before your session, it keeps your vocal cords flexible and prevents that dry, harsh sound that ruins takes. 💧

Then warm up.

Freestyle for a few minutes, hum along to your favorite track, or just mess around until your voice feels loose.

Your vocal cords are like any other muscle, they sound better when they’re ready.

If you’ve got a written verse, learn it by heart.

Reading lyrics off your phone might feel easy, but it’ll mess with your delivery and flow.

When the words live in your memory, your performance becomes natural.

Delivery is everything. 🎙️

You can have the cleanest mic and a perfect mix, but if your delivery’s flat, nobody’s going to feel it.

The best artists don’t just record words.

They record emotions, energy, confidence, the stuff that hits you even before you catch the lyrics.

If you want to go deeper on that subject I also created ebook about recording your vocal at home. You can grab it here.

It’s built for exactly this, turning bedroom sessions into studio-quality performances.

Wrapping It Up

At the end of the day, recording vocals at home isn’t about chasing perfection, it’s about learning how to get the best out of what you already have.

You don’t need a fancy mic or some million-dollar booth.

You just need awareness, of your space, your gain, your voice, and your energy. 🎙️

The difference between an amateur take and a pro-sounding one isn’t always the gear.

It’s the small things.

The quiet room. The right distance from the mic. The water you drank before recording. The take you nailed because you actually felt the verse.

That’s the real upgrade.

Every time you record, you’re not just making a song, you’re training your ear, your voice, and your consistency.

So stop waiting for the “perfect” setup. If you don't have a bricks, build with the mud.

Because if you can make your vocals sound good in a bedroom, you’ll destroy it in a real studio. 💥

If you want to take things further, check out my Record Like a Pro Playbook.

It’s packed with the kind of step-by-step guidance that turns beginners into confident, self-sufficient artists.

Remember: it’s not about sounding like everyone else, it’s about finding your voice and learning how to capture it right.

Take care,

Baxon 👊