06 Levels Before recording any audio the first thing to do is to get a level.
"The best way to get quality vocals is to use a vocal booth and a great mic but if you can't have both aim for a decent mic and stand."
Jaimeson
Producer
Initially this will only take a couple of minutes but it will require some further adjustment.
This is because singers, rappers and any kind of vocalist will usually give a bit more when you tell them you're recording, rather than just getting a level.
Always record from the moment they walk into the booth but don't tell them, because their warm up is often the best take before they start to feel 'red light' pressure.
There are two types of signals. 'Line level' is a standard level for electronic instruments: things like drum machines, synth modules or the line outputs from guitar amps that you plug straight into the mixer or recorder without needing a microphone.
Line level signals are generally pretty easy to set up because you control the levels from the instrument's front panel buttons.
Microphone levels require more work.
The same mic will give more or less signal level depending on the type of instrument it's placed next to and two different types of microphone placed near the same instrument may give different levels too.
To compensate for this, microphones are put through a device called a mic pre-amp or signal processor.
This is designed to cope with all of these variables and can bring all the different signals up to a similar level.
Unless you buy a dedicated mic pre-amp or signal processor you'll be using those built into your mixer, recorder or computer sound card.
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