A great microphone in a bad position, in a reflective room, recorded at the wrong level, will lose to a modest microphone set up properly. Setup is free, and it makes more difference than most equipment upgrades.
The room
A dry, controlled room is the goal. Reverb can always be added in the mix; it can never be fully removed.
- Avoid parallel walls and bare surfaces close to the singer - they create reflections and flutter echo.
- Soften the space around the singer: heavy curtains, duvets, bookcases, acoustic panels. A wardrobe full of clothes is a famously good vocal booth.
- Treat behind the singer as much as behind the microphone. A cardioid microphone faces the singer, so the wall behind them is what it hears most.
- Reflection filters - curved shields behind the microphone - help, but they cannot fix a bad room on their own.
- Avoid corners and the centre of small rooms, where low-frequency build-up is worst.
Clap your hands in the space. If you hear a ringing echo, the microphone will too.
Positioning
- Height - typically level with the singer's mouth or slightly above, angled down a little. Singing up slightly keeps the throat open.
- Distance - a common starting point is 15 to 20 cm (roughly a hand's span). Closer for intimacy and warmth; further for a more open, natural sound and better control of loud passages.
- Angle - aiming the microphone slightly off-axis (towards the chin or the nose rather than straight at the mouth) can reduce plosives and sibilance.
- Stability - use a solid stand and a shock mount to isolate the microphone from foot taps and floor vibration.
Pop filters
Plosives - bursts of air on P and B sounds - cause low-frequency thumps. A pop filter, nylon or metal mesh, placed a few centimetres in front of the microphone, breaks up the air before it reaches the diaphragm. It also keeps the singer at a consistent distance.
Gain staging and levels
- Set the preamp gain with the singer performing the loudest part of the song at full intensity.
- Aim for peaks well below 0 dBFS - around -10 to -6 dBFS for the loudest moments, with an average in the region of -18 dBFS. In 24-bit recording there is no need to record hot; there is plenty of headroom and a very low noise floor.
- Never clip. Digital clipping cannot be repaired cleanly.
- Record at 24-bit and at the project's sample rate - 44.1 or 48 kHz is standard.
- Low-cut filters on the microphone or preamp can remove rumble, but it is usually safer to filter later in the mix.
The singer's technique
Good mic technique is part of a singer's craft, and you can help them develop it.
- Consistent distance for consistent tone.
- Backing off on loud notes - moving slightly away for big, belted notes, and closer for quiet, breathy passages. Experienced singers do this naturally; it is built-in compression.
- Turning slightly away on hard plosives if needed.
- Staying still. Moving around changes tone and level.
A recording checklist
- Room treated, microphone positioned, pop filter in place.
- Phantom power on (for condensers - off for some ribbons).
- Gain set from the loudest part of the song.
- Headphone mix balanced and approved by the singer.
- Test recording played back and checked for noise, plosives and level.
Do this now
- Clap in your recording space and identify the reflective surfaces. Find one way to soften each.
- Record a phrase with a pop filter and without. Listen for the plosives.
- Set the gain for your voice on the loudest line of a song and check that the peaks sit around -10 dBFS.
- Record the same line straight on-axis and angled slightly off-axis. Compare the sibilance.