Record Great Vocals in Your Bedroom the Easy Way

As the democratization of music production continues to propagate, many people have been innovating new production techniques, creating entirely new genres of music, and recording literal chart-topping hits—all in the comfort of their bedrooms. But if you’re just getting started, you might soon realize that the vocal recordings you capture in your bedroom are … less than ideal.

Getting a tight and professional sound from a small bedroom is possible—but it takes planning, preparation, constant rearrangements, and maybe a few bucks here and there. You don’t need the best mics, interfaces, preamps, and sound treatment to get a killer vocal take—just the right knowledge. In this entry, I’ll be discussing some basic and advanced tips and tricks to get the best sound you can—and if you do have some budget, some of the best products you can buy, too.

Which Microphone Should I Choose?

This question is important, but it really comes down to your budget, your voice, your room, and what music you’re trying to make. Most guides will suggest that a large diaphragm cardioid condenser mic is the one true solution when recording home vocals. While I don’t disagree with that assertion, there are legitimate reasons to go with something different.

What’s Better in the Bedroom?

Dynamic vs. Large Diaphragm Condenser

The reason many guides will recommend a condenser microphone for home vocal recording is that their capsules are more sensitive to sound. The recording will capture your performance more clearly, representing more nuance and fine detail; it will also capture all the background noise that exists in your bedroom: every reflection, every fan, the AC unit, motorcycles passing in the street—all of it.

So, while a condenser is the preferred microphone to choose for vocal recording, there are at least two situations in which you’d probably want to reach for a dynamic mic: if you’re in a small, rectangular, untreated room, or if you’re recording loud and aggressive rock/metal vocals. If you’re able to properly treat your room and are recording dynamic (a.k.a. lots of changes in volume) or quiet vocals, a condenser is the way to go.

Here are some popular microphones for vocal recording at a few different price ranges:

Avoid Small Diaphragm Condenser and Ribbon Mics (For Now)

While these style mics are used to record vocals all the time, I cannot recommend it as your first (or even second or third) microphone for bedroom vocal recordings. Their use cases for vocal recordings reside primarily in professional recording studios. Use whatever mic you please, but here are some reasons you should avoid them—at least until you have a stocked mic locker.

Small diaphragm condensers have incredible detail and lightning quick transient response, making for an almost hyper-realistic recreation of a performance. However, they’re also hyper-sensitive and insanely vulnerable to plosives (p- b-, k- sounds) and sibilance (s- and t- sounds) and they lack the mid and low-end warmth LDCs and dynamics enjoy. You’ll probably have to EQ, de-ess, and compress your recording to the moon and back to get a good sound with a SDC, not to mention have an unbelievably well treated room.

Ribbon microphones have a dark, rich, velvety tone with high-end roll off and are often used to capture intimate performances. However, ribbon mics have a lot of disadvantages in a bedroom recording scenario:

1. Acoustic nightmares in small rooms. Almost all ribbons are fixed in a figure-8 polar pattern, meaning it picks up sound equally (but oppositely) from both the front and back. When recording in a small bedroom, this results in room reflections bouncing off the walls and ceiling to be extremely present, creating a boxy, hollow sound that cannot be fixed in post (We’ll talk about how to use a figure-8 polar pattern to your advantage later).
2. High risk of permanent damage. Ribbon mics are crazy sensitive and delicate. I’ve seen a ribbon bite the dust from a trumpet high note and from a single drop. Plosives from a loud singer can absolutely tear the ribbon, and adding +48V phantom power will likely destroy any ribbon microphone (an easy mistake to make). You don’t want to have to treat your mic with kid gloves.
3. Low output gain. Even compared to gain-hungry dynamic mics like the SM7B, many ribbon microphones have incredibly low output sensitivity, meaning you’ll have to have a powerful preamp in a high-tier interface or mixer or an external inline booster like a Cloudlifer CL-1 to get a healthy and present recording. This just adds to the expense of starting a bedroom studio, making it a nonstarter (though the Cloudlifter is a handy tool).

How to Think About Polar Patterns in the Bedroom

When recording in the bedroom (or anywhere, really), the polar pattern of the microphone can greatly affect the character and coloration of your sound. One good reason why going with a condenser mic is a great choice for most bedroom producers is the fact that many of them feature switchable polar patterns, giving you flexibility in just one mic.

The capsules in true moving-coil dynamic microphones almost always have a fixed pattern—dynamic mics that can switch polar patterns are incredibly rare and fit in specific niches, so it’s just not something worth worrying about.

But that doesn’t mean a dynamic mic won’t suit just about every need for a vocalist: a fixed cardioid microphone will always be the default choice, so avoid mics with fixed omni or figure-8 patterns (unless it’s your second or third mic). So, what’s the advantage of switchable polar patterns when recording in a bedroom? This is going to get a bit technical, so if you just want a quick rundown, skip to the end of this section.

Proximity Effect and Off-Axis Coloration: Omni vs. Directional

Nearly all directional microphones and particularly cardioid condensers naturally possess a phenomenon called the proximity effect (the Electro-Voice RE20 is a notable exception). As you get closer to the mic, low frequencies will boost; this can be used to your advantage to create an intimate almost in-your-ear sound, or it can make your vocals muddy, boomy, unbalanced, and more vulnerable to plosives. Position your microphone accordingly.

Perhaps the most important potential disadvantage directional mics have is their proclivity to affect sound via off-axis coloration. Unfortunately, microphones simply cannot reject all frequencies equally—they tend to do a pretty good job with the mid-range, but not so much with the low and high-end. Sound reflections from your room will eventually bounce back into the on-axis zone of the microphone, creating comb filtering and phase, which can result in an unnatural, hollow, an/or “tubey” sound with nasty room noise.

Omnidirectional microphones are not subject to either the proximity effect or off-axis coloration. Even though it seems like an omni wouldn’t be ideal for bedroom vocals (picking up all reflections, no isolation from directivity), when used for close-micing, it can record fantastic vocals!

If you’re close-micing a very loud, powerful, and busy/legato part, the primary/direct sound of your voice will mask some room reflections, and because omnis pick up sound equally from every direction, it doesn’t have any off-axis coloration (except at extreme and unnatural angles). While room noise and reverb recorded with a directional mic usually sounds nasty in a bedroom, it can sound very warm and natural with an omni.

Cardioid Pros:

• Since all sound from the rear is rejected, room noise and reflections are greatly mitigated
• Cardioid (and its super and hyper siblings) capture sound from the front, making your vocal performance centered and isolated, keeping noise like fans or street traffic out of the track.
• Because they pick up less ambient noise, directional microphones can be used at a greater distance

Cardioid Cons:

• Even though sound from the rear is rejected, room reflections will bounce rear sound back to the front of the mic, adding off-axis coloration, comb filtering, and undesirable room noise.
• Directional mics “suffer” from the proximity effect—positioning the mic is more specific, and close micing can lead to issues with frequency and plosives.
• Isolation is great, but that means recording a moving target (or if you like to move when you sing) will result in a bad recording.

Omni Pros:

• Room noise and ambience are captured naturally and cleanly because there is no off-axis coloration—there is no off-axis at all!
• No proximity effect means clean and consistent recordings from all angles.
• Placing the mic is more forgiving

Omni Cons:

• No directivity means no noise isolation—it will pick up every sound in the room
• Poor room acoustics = poor recording. Omni will capture natural ambience, but if that ambience is bad, then that will be present in the recording.

In short, a cardioid pattern is going to be what you want to go with 90% of the time, but omni can be extremely useful, particularly when recording background vocals. If you have the means, I’d recommend spending the extra cash to get a single mic with a switchable polar pattern (and it’s cheaper than buying two mics), but fixed cardioid will get the job done.

Taking Advantage of Rejection Nulls: Figure-8/Bidirectional Mics

Recording vocals with a figure-8 pattern mic is an underutilized technique—it takes quite a bit more planning and proper positioning to pull off a great bedroom recording with one, but when strategically angled, you can exploit the massive rejection points on either side of the mic.

A figure-8 mic has near total rejection of off-axis sound coming from the left, right, top, and bottom of the microphone. If your bedroom has low ceilings, the mic’s vertical rejection will omit the early reflections of the ceiling and floor. When recording in a very small room, the side rejection can be massively useful when recording close to a wall.

When using a figure-8 mic, treat the rear lobe of the mic by placing sound absorbing material directly behind the mic and some more directly behind you—this will block out the early reflections from the walls and can make for a great recording. Avoid recording near corners or the exact center of the room, and do not use traditional reflection filters—your recording will end up sounding boxy and lifeless.

Room Treatment, Mic Positioning, and Sound Isolation

One of the main reasons recording vocals in a bedroom typically results in a subpar product is the nature of the space—when sound waves from your voice travel past the microphone, they bounce off of every surface in the room, causing tons of problems (comb filtering, room resonance, flutter echo), not to mention whatever electronics or appliances you have running in your home (high noise floor for AC, fans, traffic, refrigerator hums). The size of a typical bedroom exacerbates these issues immensely.

But there are plenty of methods to treat your room to get great vocal recordings—some will cost money, some will cost time, and some will cost comfort—but all will be worth it for the end result.

DIY Methods

Room reflections are the main culprit of bad bedroom vocal recordings, so the first thing to do is dampen the room. Cover it in soft stuff: rugs on the floor, blankets on the walls, coats and clothing behind your head—a common solution is using a closet full of jackets and such as a makeshift vocal booth. Target hard surfaces like windows and bare walls for the most effective outcome.

Other cost-effective methods include singing under a blanket (though I’ve had mixed results), setting up your mattress on its side in the center of the room (incredibly effective if not cumbersome and time-consuming—try it with your mic positioned both toward and perpendicular to the mattress and see what sounds best), and setting up the microphone in a variety of positions until you get the perfect sound. Avoid recording in the dead center of the room, as that’s usually where reflections and acoustic nodes/anti-nodes will cause the most interference.

Paid Options—Absorption and Diffusion

There are also a plethora of paid options for acoustic treatment available at B&H—absorption materials like the aforementioned mattress or clothing or spot absorption panels reduce sound energy by converting acoustic energy into heat, reducing reflections and shortening reverb time.

You can purchase from a variety of acoustic wall panels at B&H as well as professional sound blankets that are designed for easy mounting and double as blackout curtains, but one of the most effective absorption materials you can purchase are bass traps for the corners of your room. Normal absorption materials don’t cut low frequencies as effectively as mids and highs, and corners often cause the most issues in the low end. Products like the Auralex LENRD Bass Traps are highly effective and will make a noticeable difference in your room right away, especially if you have a lower singing voice.

A common home recording solution is a personal reflection filter like the sE Electronics RF-X Reflection Filter, essentially a small wall with acoustic paneling that has hardware to set up a microphone that will prevent unwanted audio ambience and block out early reflections from your room.

Beyond just foam pads or absorption materials, if you’re serious about bedroom recording, you can select a decorative diffusion panel, an acoustic treatment designed to redirect and scatter reflected sound energy throughout the room instead of it bouncing back in a concentrated geometrical pattern. The uneven surface geometry of an acoustic diffuser redistributes sound energy and will noticeably improve sound clarity, intelligibility, imagine accuracy, and tonal balance of both your recordings and your monitoring system.

There are different styles of diffusers including quadratic residue diffusers (QRDs), slatted systems, multi-depth panels, and geometric surface diffusers, all of which scatter soundwaves and affect frequency behavior differently. Shallower panels affect higher frequencies, and deeper panels lower, and the more uneven a surface is, the more scattering occurs.

Should I Use Absorption or Diffusion?

If your room is very small, diffusion will likely be less appropriate and absorption is the way to go. A balanced room should use a combination of both, with front/side walls and corners favoring absorption materials and the rear wall and ceiling favoring diffusion as they work best when placed at the primary reflective point (especially helpful when using a cardioid mic), but a combination of the two can work quite well.

There is no perfect method—each room is different so mix and match while making test recordings to find the perfect sweet spot for your room.

Bonus Tips for Recording Vocals at Home

• When close micing, plosives and sibilance are a common issue—especially with condenser mics due to the proximity effect. Using a pop filter can mitigate these issues but beware that sometimes pop filters can change the sonic characteristics of your vocal recording or add unwanted resonance or filtering—but having one in your kit is always a good thing. A good affordable option is the Auray PFNY-6, and the Stedman Proscreen XL V2 is a best-selling premium option if you’re willing to drop some extra cash.

• Try positioning the mic at different distances and angles from your mouth. Sometimes the off-axis coloration or proximity effect can add desirable character to your recordings—this is especially true with figure-8 pattern mics.
• If you’re handy, you absolutely can build your own acoustic paneling for pennies on the dollar. The internet is full of useful guides on how to do this, and you’ll be able to customize everything from the absorption material to the size.
• Don’t forget to treat the ceiling too! If you’re really serious (and your ceilings are high enough), you can get ceiling clouds that absorb and trap reflections quite well.
• When it comes to audio interfaces, nearly every modern device has high headroom and the ability to record with professional level bit and sample-rates. We have guides to audio interfaces on Explora, but when it comes down to it, select whatever you want and can afford—the mic preamps on even inexpensive interfaces sound clean and transparent, and you won’t get anything game-changing that isn’t in the ultra-high-end tier.

Conclusion

With the knowledge from this guide, you should have all the information you need to start capturing fantastic vocals in the comfort of your bedroom. If you would like to learn more about home and studio recording, be sure to check out our curated collection of articles and videos on Explora.