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I stopped the video at “you have to be a good singer”. I know my limitations

By the sounds of my vocals I need a poop filter, not a pop filter.

Video is 7 years old and it's the best one. Everyone needs to see this when recording vocals.

You are a Blessing to me! I have learned more from you than any other person on KZfaq. I'm a 61 year old man. Life's troubles lead me to give up my love for music for 14 years. God pulled me up from a very dark place. I started to do music again but felt so far behind with how things are done today. Then I found one of your videos young man and was blessed by what I learned from you! I now I'm rambling a little but I need you to know that because God has blessed you now you are Blessing others. THANK YOU!!! ps: your singing is great!!!

"When your signal looks low on the meters.. You feel unmanly" lmfao

I was doing every single of the donts he said.... every single one. Singing closely, recording right below clipping, no pop filter... everything xD thanks man

I agree with the recording volume concept to a certain extent. When I'm recording anything, I like the track's loudest volume to be at 0 DB (-12 dBFS) so that the volume is loud enough without clipping and then you don't have to worry about extra noise from the pres from low gain-staging when increasing the volume. In terms of the master bus, I used to have problems with having it overload (like Graham keeps saying), but I found out a good tip from Bobby Owsinski's Mastering Engineer's Handbook. For setting volume for the master track, set the first track you're working on to -10 dB (NOT full scale). That way, as you add tracks in, you won't run into the risk of a hot master bus. Since I've done this, I haven't come close at all to clipping. And by doing that, I still get good gain staging from my recording and apply it to the mix. Everyone has their own approach, and this is mine. Not saying this video is wrong, it's just different from what I do, and I've had plenty success with my approach.

Graham has such a gift for teaching. That succinct breakdown of cardioid, the box effect, gain structure, man. Basic stuff, but stuff I hadn't bothered to consider in my rush to record. I learned something today. Thanks, RR!

Been recording for years, trust me...this is a great tip video for beginners!! 100%

It's 2021..... and this brother's advice is STILL so spot on!! Love this dude. I love his way of explaining things in a very "Non-technical" way!!

4 years of audio engineering school and your videos are everything I learned in those 4 years only better and simpler explained, and I have picked up some tricks I would´t even think of otherwise. Thank you for creating such rich and simple videos. I am new to the channel and I´ve been all day checking out all your vids.

Great steps, I've just setup my home studio and this video cleared it up for me for a start up.. thank you!

It's the little stuff like this that I always forget about. Your videos have been helping me a lot.

This was such a big help to me. Every time I'm looking for tutorials, I always come across videos where people aren't very clear or tell me something SIMILAR to what I'm looking for, but not EXACTLY what I'm looking for, and you literally told me EVERYTHING I was looking for.

You are the man bro. I always use to record low and people would always tell me otherwise. Never could find the right levels and it effected all of our music. After watching this I've had mad improvement in my sound. Appreciate ya bro!!!

This makes me realize why I don’t like one of my songs. I sounded too loud! I hated it the minute my producer/audio engineer sent it to me. I didn’t have much technical knowledge so I said it was the mix that was bad. He argued and convinced me the mix was good and I accepted. And that (abusive? Hahaha) cycle continued for years... He’d send me my song and I’d hate the sound and we’d argue and either I go record again or I just accepted (sometimes he’d say it was the way I rap/sing) ... and THAT is why I’m learning to mix and produce myself :) And that’s my best advice to every artist: get your own set up and master your sound.

the gain staging thing was super awesome to hear about. I've had issues with clipping and leveling and that just answered my question perfectly

This is so useful! I've been trying to figure out how to get cleaner vocals when I record at home and I'm so excited to apply this.

Man thanks a lot, I'm starting my home studio and your channel is the most effective way of getting the info needed, straight to the point, you've just earned another fan, keep it up bro.

Great tips as always Graham. I used to own and then co-owned a commercial Studio in Bristol, England with the band Portishead through the 90`s and early OO`s. Amongst the other engineers we had there, I engineered some demos and low budget albums myself ( including my own ). The amount of tech was much more limited to us then but I did OK I suppose. Fast forward to the last 5 years and I`ve been slowly building up a home studio facility on a budget for my own bands and projects and had to learn about all the new computer based tech and refreshing my old knowledge too. More often than not I`ve come across your vids on youtube when looking for tips on how to use or do certain things properly and have found them very useful, keep up the good work, cheers Dude. BTW I knew about this tip but it was interesting to hear the science behind it too.

Loved the way you teach man, you got charisma! Thanks for the videos.

Thanks, Graham! Super helpful! I'm an elementary school teacher trying to build a "home studio" in our classroom on a shoestring budget and your material is helping me get this project underway. I'm so appreciative! All the best!

I m blessed with that short voice preamp test you did on the mic. . God bless.

Thank you very much .... exactly the kind of info I was searching for!

I've been doing this for a while but still found this video helpful.

I have been in radio for 20 years....Thank-you for your E-book and your videos....Fantastic stuff, it really gets down to the basic, and #1 of recording and you make it so simply that even this old dog is learning new tricks...Thank-you...

This has been extremely informative man. I've never seen it put so bluntly. Thank you! I keep hearing gain stage to peak around -6...then -12, 18 etc.

BTW a blanket is effective as a vocal booth on the cheap.

Just a quick comment... your video was AMAZING! It wasn't any information that I personally didn't know, I've been doing this for many, many years, but it's nice to see someone who goes so much into good detail about two simple things an really addresses all issues and solutions. I'm sure many are appreciative! Plus, you don't seem like a douchebag like some of these cocky guys are. Well done!!!!!!

Thank you so much for giving us your time. You are a true blessing and offer us REAL help!! You answer questions we are all asking at one time or another. Many, many thanks!! 👍🏻🎶

Thanks for taking time to make all these helpful videos. I've been back several times, and I appreciate the help.

I don't want to sound weird but you got the voice of an angel

„record vocals in two steps“ me: sound interesting video: over 10minutes me: ahhh shieeeet here we go again

I love the way you explain everything! Everything makes sense and i have learned so much today. Thanks you, so much!

Love your channel. Learning so much. I’m getting ready to set up a home studio and your videos have been a God send. Thank you 🙏🏾. Can’t wait to start recording and posting.

awesome video. thank you sir. you helped me out here.

Thanks for the advice mate... Cheers...

Another well explained video. Too often you see things recorded too hot so it's nice hearing someone that knows and understands why a hot signal is no longer as important. Thanks Graham

You know it's a good video when the video's audiomix is perfect back in 2013.... Incredible information, super helpful, thank you so much!!!

Aw the song you sang made me so happy, a nice surprise while going through the deep darks of KZfaq 😂

I've seen this before,but needed to see it again : )

I so love how you explain things, so easy to understand. Thank you so much!!

I am very new to all of this and I'm trying to decide on a set up for my home studio - you explained everything in a way that was easy for me to understand and just made sense. This was so helpful, thank you! :)

Brilliant tips man. Many thanks!

9:46 Best part of the video. He is coming and He reigns !

I've been struggling with a vocal I did recently that just had way too much low-end 'Mung' in it, and your video explains why. Clear, concise instructions with easy-to-follow examples. You're the best my friend, keep 'em coming... (and a very happy xmas to you and yours) :-)

That was great, I'm gonna try it out. I've always sang close to the filter, you've showed me a new way. I'll let ya know how it works out. Thank you.

I love how he says "Beginner recording engineers" and I'm just a dude who just finished high school and wants to get into music

Thanks ! Loved the info about gain staging totally went too far with a recent track lol

This has been such a helpful video! Thank you! Love the song you sang, too!

Great video! No fluff or wasted time. Clear and concise. Thank you!

Holy shit. I am a student at Middle Tennessee State University and am majoring in commercial songwriting. With that I have to take other recording industry major classes such as Audio Fundamentals which is essentially a very technical overview of what the audio production majors will need to know. Being a songwriter, I find this class very difficult and a lot of technical language that sounds foreign to me. I watched this video because I am trying to create decent quality recordings of my songs and trying to find how to get the best sound and in this video you have mentioned so many things that I didn't even realized I knew. I have been so confused in this class and in one video you put in perspective so much technical language that I can now understand. Thank you so much!

you rock dude... thanks, seriously. and what you know about using "jank". I thought only people from my hometown area (tidewater va) use that word...

All of your videos are so helpful! Thanks for all of your uploads!

Well done on presenting a clearly articulated guide on vocal recording. Love the song choice for the demo.

thanks bro, great song

Dude, you're super, and you really do an excellent job of describing the best method for sound with a mic! Thank you, and also great voice. :)

thanks brother. Appreciate you sharing the knowledge and love to here you lyrics giving Him glory. Be blessed!

This is SO good. We are told lies about riding up close to the mic, but you can't edit away proximity bass effect very easily... Great content graham!

"Turn that jank up." Words to live by. Anyway, this is fantastic advice. Very simple, very helpful.

thanks man, I learnt alot. Ordering my focusrite tomorrow and was looking for tips and you help, so thanks

I did everything you said in the video and it made a huge improvement on my vocal recordings. Thanks!

This was extremely helpful! Thank you much for taking the time to make this video. Of course I subscribed. Best wishes!

Dude, your tips are extremely helpful and unconventional. Keep 'em coming!

Auditory principles well demonstrated.

Thanks man these two steps have made my day. plus i have seen some of your other videos as well they were also very helpful. thanks again.

9 years old, and still helped me more than all the others I listened to. I was getting major harshness and sibilance on my vocal, didn't think about the level because I tried reducing it to about 1/2 to 2/3 of clip, but no difference. BUT I tried turning it down further to about 1/3 and voila, MUCH clearer. Been trying different mics, moving the mic all over the place, point at the throat, side of the mouth, etc. Nothing helped much except lowering the level. I hope you are well, and THANK YOU

In my experience, different songs require different distances from the mic. Also, I've found that a normal/basic dynamic mic is more than enough to get a great vocal take...in fact I've found that i tend to prefer my vocals through a dynamic as opposed to the too-many-frequencies of the condenser.

how dare you surprise me wit that voice how am i suppose to sing in this mic after that

This guy is an amazing teacher. Nothing I hear from other KZfaq guys sticks like with him.

I have learned so much from your channel and my mixes have gotten 100% better all the way around. thank you for your efforts, much appreciated

7:38 gain staging

"...maybe you are a robot..." LOL I love that part.

Great video, mate. Thank you for taking the time to do it.

Brilliant advice and I have been recording for a few years, recently my first mic when bust and I was looking at the Rode NT1A so was really glad to hear your vid saying you stand by it.

5:57 is pretty funny if you imagine your favorite song being recorded like that lol

trying to record in a dorm i try to keep it down by staying close to the mic but i never get a consistent volume like that

really like the way you get your points across graham, you make learning interesting with god analogies to boot. love the channel man. big thumbs up

Loved this guy already. Then he started singing some gospel. Love him even more now lol :'''')

"if God were doing a voice over for a movie trailer, it would sound awesome, and big, and deep... in my mind" LOL dying!

Thankyou for your fantastic video . I have been recording my vocals for years now . I started off on the cheap with some basic dynamic mics and now have a dream setup that gives me the best vocal sound I have heard anywhere. My two main mics are the Rode Nt1 and Sony C800g running through Neve and Sebatron preamps. I have found that room+mic+preamp are all of importance in getting to your sound and it has taken me a few years to get mine. Careful use of compression has been the final icing on the cake. I use a Sebatron THORAX for a bit of compression and the sound is amazing.

Thanks Graham. Because of your videos, the sound on the sessions I record is constantly improving.

Does it harm setting the popfilter further behind? The vocalist I worked with seem to go closer and closer further in the recording session as they get exited. With the popfilter further behind will ofc block them from that

A sock works great as a pop filter if you're poor!!

Thanks, Graham. After years of solo recording and wondering where to set my volume, you explained it so clearly.

Thank you so much, I am learning to record by myself! And find your videos very helpful! I also really like your singing!

Hey Graham great video, I have an Sterling ST69 mic. You talked about recording in cardioid. My mic also has omni and figure 8 patterns. With a mic that has all 3 patterns, what is the best for recording hip-hop vocals? I'm new to this and teaching myself as I go so feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks man!

Damn dog thanks for sharing your info/ some secrets & some common since lol but this help me with recording with my preamp i cant thank you enough very Great full keep up the good work ill be tunning in

Thank you! Very helpful to know why this is what is recommended. it's always easier to remember to do things when you know the "why" behind them!

This channel is gold. I've always wondered about these two things. Great explanation it all makes sense.

We used to make pop filters out of a nylon stocking and a coat hanger!! Ha - ha - ha. Yeah Great. You know it's amazing that I know this stuff yet I keep having to go back over it to remind myself. Oh yeah, I was probably too close to the mic so the level is jumping all over the place.

"..and that's how they sound like God."...haha! Said with such a straight face...perfect!

This was so simple but super helpful. Thank you so much!

Excellent tutorial! I am building home studio for voice over work and this is extremely helpful! Thanks! 😊

9:47 sounds like a Christian song, Amen?

What if your recording metal and you have screams and growls along with loud harmony vocals and or your singing louder then what you are on this video, do u just turn the pre amp mic volume lower?? Thanks

From all of us trying to get a good sound in our home studios... thank you!

Many, many thanks for your time and effort to share. Continued blessings brother.

I use an AT2020 and it works great.