This is such a good question. Since vocals are usually the focal point of a song, you definitely want to make sure you are recording them in a way that allows you (or your mixing engineer) as much clarity and flexibility as possible.
In order to track a professional vocal, you'll need:
- Microphone - I prefer the Shure SM7. It is a classic choice for recording vocals and is relatively inexpensive. It also comes with a pop filter!
- Audio Interface - The Universal Audio Apollo is my go-to, but there are a ton of other options.
- Pop Filter + Vocal Shield - This is a very important step! Its a really good idea to get in the habit of recording vocals with a pop filter in order to control the "plosive" air sounds you may accidentally produce when recording. And while a vocal shield does wonders to replicate the feel of a studio vocal booth, it works just as well to record into a closet full of hanging clothes. The purpose doing this is to get the most dry, "dead" recording as possible so that you can freely manipulate the sound with plugins in the mix. If you simply set up a microphone in the middle of a room you would likely capture a very roomy, reflective recording which might not translate well in your song, and it definitely won't give you the professional sound you're going for.
Lastly, before you begin recording, try practicing the loudest moment of your song a few times and watch the meter on your audio interface for clipping. In other words, make sure you're not seeing any red lights when you sing loudly! A lot of people think they need to gain up their mic as much as possible, but this is not the best approach. Simply use your interface to set a healthy gain for your mic, but make sure you are no where near clipping even when you sing loudly.
Hope this helps! :)
