1. Pop Filter: A valuable piece of equipment when recording. Alot of recordings I hear that are done in home studios could be improved greatly by the simple addition of a pop filter. This helps to reduce unwanted hisses and pops. In addition it also heps if the person recording tends to get to close to the mic. While I recommend going with a higher end pop filter if able, a low cost inexpensive one will help also. You can get one for as low as $15 from your local music store.
2. Room Acoustics: Alot of people who record at home tend to do so in a closet or a bathroom. Both work fine depending on the circumstances, but I personally always favored a closet over a bathroom. Why? Because a closet usually has some sort of clothing that will act as a sound baffle. Of course neither of these offer the benefits that a properly treated room would. If you have a closet you use solely for recording or another space, then it would be a wise investment to pick up some studio foam. This can get expensive, but places like Amazon tend to have good deals.
3. Peak Meter: Before you start recording test out your mic. Your recording software or hardware should have some sort of peak meter. Rap, sing or yell into the mic at the level you plan on recording at. This way you can see where you are at on your peak meter. You never want to go into the the 'RED'. This means that your mic level is too high and should be lower.Alot of people make the mistake of wanting to record at the highest level possible. This will cause clipping and unwanted distorion on the track. A good range is between 50% and 75%.
4. Monitors and Mic Placement: If you are recording in the same room as your monitors you will have to experiment with the position of your mic. Having your mic too close to the monitors can cause feedback and pick up the monitor signal.
I hope these 4 quick tips help you in recording, please check back for more tips, tricks and tutorials coming soon. Email me at kamaubeats@gmail or tweet me @KamauBeats with any questions or post them here. Thank you