How Can I Make My Voice Sound Better on Recordings?

Are you dissatisfied with your recorded sound? Maybe you’ve played yourself back and feel you could do with some improvement.

So how can I make my voice sound better on recordings? You can work on your singing technique and get a better mic. Software and mastering expertise also play a huge role. With a little effort and know-how, it’s possible to transform that final cut.

In this article, we’ll explain how to take your voice to the next level and create professional vocal tracks for public release.

How can I make my voice sound better on recordings?

Learning to sing properly will go a long way. Not only will bad singing techniques impact your sound, but they may also inflict damage on your vocals. The correct technique enables you to have a long career as a singer, as you build the tools to protect your throat, larynx and vocal folds. So even if you don’t fancy lots of exercises and technique, you shouldn’t skip them.

But there’s also a huge amount that can be achieved using equipment software and plugins. Much will be tweaked and improved in the EQ, edit, mix and mastering process. If you’re fairly happy with what you’ve created, but want it to sound that bit more professional, consider a top-end boost, or similar plugin. You can experiment with this, to get the right level for your tone.

Why does my voice sound bad when recorded?

This could be down to your actual vocals, or the equipment you’re using. Choosing a microphone to make the voice sound better can go a long way if it’s the latter. Even if you have perfect technique, beautiful tone and spot-on tuning, if you’re amp’s producing a distorted sound or your mic is tinny, you’re never going to sound incredible.

A dynamic or condenser mic is the standard, although it depends on what you’re using it for (video, live or recording). Any good studio will have a selection of the best microphones for recording vocals, from which you can find the one that most compliments your voice.

Why does my voice sound so bad when I sing?

Let’s look at the specific reason (or reasons) you may be having issues. Which of these do you think you might be experiencing?

Lack of control
Poor tuning
Harsh tone
Singing notes out of your range
Tension in the body
Choosing the wrong repertoire
Pushing and straining
Colds, flu and laryngitis
The wrong equipment (in performances and recording)

If you’re a new singer it may be that you need to work on all of these. And that’s totally normal. It’s said that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to get really good at something. That may or may not be true on a literal basis, but it does illustrate the point that you need to keep at it if you want to get to a pro-level. So don’t expect overnight results. And do expect to work hard at it.

How can I make my vocals sound better?

So how do you fix these poor quality vocals?

Let’s take a look at each of these issues and identify how to improve on them.

#1 Lack of control

Control is all about the breath and is one of the basic tenements of good singing, so work on this before anything else if it’s an issue. On a basic level, you need to access the full capacity of your lungs so that the breath goes in both vertically and horizontally. This will provide you with enough air to support the sound. Next, you need to be able to release it in a sustained way. Imagine a blown-up balloon. If you were to pinch the top of it, the air stays in. You can either release the air on your terms gradually, but easing your grip, or by completely letting go. If you let go, the air comes whooshing out in one go.

Developing control in singing is much like a gradual release of grip on that balloon. But it’s a little trickier when it comes to doing this with your body. Follow these breath control exercises to find out how to do it and train your muscles to cope.

#2 Singing out of tune

Unless you have perfect pitch, you can easily end up flat, sharp, pitchy, or completely off the note. This is the kind of thing that causes audience members to wince. And if you already have a tendency to one of these, it’ll be much worse with vague backing. Here are some tips on how to sing bang on the note. You can cheat this a little in the studio, by using autotune.

How can I make my voice sound better?

#3 Harsh tone

Perhaps your sound has a harsh quality and you want to make your voice softer for singing. It may be that all you need to do, is open your mouth wider to let the sound out. If your voice is still thin, try these methods:

Raise your hard palate, as if you’re about to yawn, then try singing from that position.
Stand straight with your shoulders relaxed and feet hip-width apart. Imagine the notes bouncing off the back of the room.
Eradicate any tension. Massage your jaw, have a good yawn and do some facial yoga.

#4 Singing notes out of your range

Identify the notes you can sing comfortably. Once you have a solid foundation of technique you can sing through scales as part of your training and ease (not screech or force) the voice up the way. If a song is currently too high, get it transposed, or drop an octave where required.

#5 Choosing the wrong repertoire

Maybe you’re just singing the wrong songs. We don’t all suit every single genre. It’s a good idea to stick to music written for your voice type. You can search for songs according to this, be it tenor, baritone, bass, soprano, mezzo or alto.

#6 Pushing and straining

Don’t be tempted to force your voice. And if you ever feel hoarse or sore after singing, you’re doing it wrong (unless of course, you have an illness that’s causing it, in which case you definitely shouldn’t be pushing your vocals). Return to the techniques we’re discussing in this article and build up your voice, rather than pushing it.

#7 Colds, flu and laryngitis

Rest your voice for a while. Keeping hydrated is vital, and sipping warm drinks can help.

Can you make a bad singer sound good?

So can someone with a naturally ‘bad’ voice learn how to sing?

Yes. Everyone has the capacity to learn to sing and develop a level of proficiency. A good start is not to label yourself as a ‘bad singer’, but rather believe you can do it! Commit some time and effort to practise (there’s an abundance of free lessons on YouTube) and you’ll see a huge improvement over a few months.

Singing is both a talent and a skill. Some people have a natural ability, others pick it up as they go along through music lessons and self-improvement. The most successful formula is the vocalist born with talent, who also works on the skill of singing through coaching and learning good technique.

How to make your voice sound better when recording

Perhaps you sound good when practising or on stage, but you need a little help to up the ante on your recordings. Here are some of the components needed to create a top-quality track.

A great microphone (we’ll expand on this shortly)
A quiet booth in which to record (this can be made at home)
Recording and editing software
Really good backing singers and/or instrumentalists and/or backing track
Studio singing technique (notably clear diction)

There can be other issues that surface when recording your singing and not all relate to the equipment you’re using. Diction may become all the more important, especially if you’re hearing popping ‘p’s and hissy ‘s’s. The simple answer to this is to practice some tongue twisters. Make this a part of your vocal routine if you’re a recording artist, as well as a live performer. You can also use a De’Esser, the piece of recording equipment that reduces sibilance.

Why does my voice sound muffled?

A lack of proper equipment will affect the outcome of your recording, and a muffled sound is common. Recording at home can be a challenge, with exterior distractions and a lack of professional equipment. Build your own DIY singing booth in your bedroom, to dampen the sound, reduce extraneous noise and cut out the echo. But be sure to buy a mic with plenty of clarity and a pop filter.

While a recording studio is always preferable, if you’re not able to get into one due to budget or geographical restrictions, your computer is the next best thing. You’ll need to download software with autotune and mix and master your tracks. These processes go a long way in helping you sound better. You’d be surprised to hear how some famous artists sound pre-edit!

‘Good’ singing, along with all forms of artistic endeavours, is to a degree, arbitrary. What one person thinks is good, might not be the same as another’s opinion. So don’t feel downhearted if not everyone loves your style. Even the top musicians experience this. However, there are some fundamentals of singing that you do need to nail to be widely accepted as a good singer.