How to Make a Professional Voice Recording for Singing

Choose an audio-recording program. The Windows operating system has built-in software, but it is very basic and limited. There are plenty of free audio-recording programs, such as CoolMedia, which you can download from its website. (See Resources.)

Select the right equipment. The type of microphone you use will heavily impact the quality of your recording. Generally, a simple computer microphone is not recommended. Professional microphones, on the other hand, use special devices called preamplifiers. These components then connect to your computer's sound card. Preamplifiers vary greatly in price, but Web Audio Advisor provides a list of products under $300 as of the time of publication.

Adjust the volume. Since the microphone and preamp connect to your computer's sound card, you can modify the audio settings in Windows until you get the right result. This may take some time and trial-and-error. To adjust these settings, click on the small speaker icon in the bottom-right corner of your desktop. A menu will pop up with a speaker icon at the top. Click on the icon to see the advanced settings. This will allow you to adjust the sound balance until you reach an ideal setup.

Position the microphone correctly. You may be tempted to put the microphone right up to your mouth. However, this is not the correct technique. Although the ideal distance may vary from one product to another, 6 inches of space between your mouth and the microphone is recommended. Keep experimenting until you find the ideal distance.

Maintain a steady, smooth pace. Clearly pronounce your lyrics and do not deviate from the song's timing. If your piece of audio is choppy or inconsistent in any way, it comes off as amateurish. Make as many samples as you need until you feel you have the best one possible. Once you create a solid piece, you are ready to show it off to the world.