Tips To Prepare Yourself for Studio Recording

 Few aspects of the music industry are more mysterious and intimidating than studio recording.

We've all heard the stories of famous engineers using ridiculously complex techniques and millions of dollars worth of vintage equipment to make professional sounding records.

It doesn't take forty years of experience and an extremely expensive facility to achieve great sounding results, however.

Whether you're a hobbyist recording in your bedroom or a member of a band that's about to head into the studio, there are a few important tips you should take to heart before you start the recording process to make sure the end result is a recording you're proud of.

1.) Your vocals will be a lot stronger if you don’t have to think so much about what you’re singing. The best thing you can do to prepare is to make sure you practice and know the song inside and out. Practicing is crucial to preparing for a studio session.

The better you know what you’re singing, the more focused you can be on the emotion of your singing and not the words

2.) Get a good night’s sleep before the recording session and make sure you sleep in a comfortable position. You don’t want to wake up with a stiff neck, back aches or a tired voice because you didn’t sleep properly.


3.) If you smoke or drink you will want to refrain from these habits leading up to and on the day of your recording session. Smoking damages the lungs and can have a negative impact on your breathing (not giving a lecture but try to quit! lol).

It’s not recommended you quit just before a recording session because this will lead to excess phlegm buildup, coughing and will hinder your ability to sing. Drinking will cause a number of issues especially if you drink the night before.

4.) Even though you should make sure you practice thoroughly, you don’t want to do any extensive practicing a few days before your recording session either.

The day before you want to refrain from yelling or talking too much. Letting your vocal chords rest the day before is how to prepare for a studio session for stronger vocals.


5.) Be mindful of what you drink prior and during your recording session. Stick with water that’s room temperature as much as possible.

Tea without milk is one highly beneficial beverage to drink when preparing vocals for recording, especially if honey is added to it.

Avoid ice water as it can cause the vocal cords to tighten. Coffee, carbonated beverages, dairy products should also be avoided before and during your recording session as these can dry out the throat and cause excess phlegm.

Don’t forget to give your vocals a warm up before you jump into the recording session. You want to loosen up the muscles in your chest and around your vocal chords gradually.

Properly warming up your vocals before your recording session will reduce strain on the vocal chords and better prepare them for the work you’re about to do.

With these five tips your vocals will be properly prepared for your recording session. With all the time you put into arranging the recording session, you want your vocals to be the best they can be and getting the most from your money is vital!

I really hope this helps you vocalists out there. Not just lead vocals but backing vocals too!

Be sure to subscribe to my mailing list for future blogs and check out last weeks blogs.

Get in touch with any questions