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From first take to release
Every vocal goes through the same five stages. Here's what to get right at each one, with the guide or free tool that helps.
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Stage 1 of 5
Record
Set the mic 15 to 20 cm away with a pop filter and leave about 12 dB of headroom. Three focused takes beat ten tired ones.
Microphone guides -
Stage 2 of 5
Edit
Comp the best phrases into one take, tame loud breaths, and tune gently so it still sounds like you.
Free online Auto-Tune -
Stage 3 of 5
Mix
Cut mud around 250 to 400 Hz, compress lightly in two stages, and put reverb on a send so you can time it to the song.
Reverb time calculator -
Stage 4 of 5
Master
Aim for roughly −14 LUFS integrated for streaming, with true peak under −1 dBTP so nothing clips after encoding.
LUFS loudness targets -
Stage 5 of 5
Release
Export a 24-bit WAV, check it on phone speakers and cheap earbuds, then upload to your distributor.
Song length calculator
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Tap tempo
Tap along to any song on the pad, or press the space bar while it’s focused. Your BPM appears after four taps.
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