How to Tune Vocals Without Ruining the Emotion

If you’re using Melodyne (or any tuning tool) to “fix” your voice, you might be missing the point entirely. Tuning shouldn’t erase emotion—it should amplify it. In this post, I’ll share the exact approach I learned assisting a Grammy-nominated producer to tune vocals in a way that keeps the heart of your performance intact. The …

Read more

You Don’t Need Room Treatment for Great Vocals—Here’s Why

If you’ve ever hit record and instantly hated how your voice sounded, you’re not alone. The room you’re in might be working against you—but that doesn’t mean you need to cover your walls in foam panels or spend thousands on acoustic treatment. In this post, I’ll show you exactly how I took a raw vocal, …

Read more

The Vocal Trick That Transformed My Recordings

If your home-recorded vocals feel clean but somehow… flat—you’re not alone. Here’s the truth: it’s probably not your mic, your plugins, or your vocal chain. It’s how you’re emotionally showing up to the performance. And there’s a simple, overlooked method to help fix that before you even hit record. Start with Vibe, Not Vocals One …

Read more

Can UA’s Topline Vocal Plugin Replace Your Plugin Chain?

As a musician who’s spent 20 years recording and producing vocals, I’ve never fully vibed with those “one-stop-shop” vocal plugins that promise radio-ready vocals in seconds. They often feel like a shortcut that strips out the emotion.But lately—while developing my Emotional Editing for Singer-Songwriters course—I started wondering: “Am I missing an easier way to vibe …

Read more

How to Turn Cringe Vocal Takes Into Polished Performances

Have you ever hit record with your whole heart—only to play it back and think, “What happened to my voice?” You’re not alone. Every DIY singer-songwriter has been there. That sinking feeling where the performance in your head doesn’t match what’s coming through the speakers. But before you hit delete, there’s something you need to …

Read more

🎤 Still Hating Your Vocal Takes? Try This 3-Step Reset

If you’ve ever rage-quit your DAW after recording 30 vocal takes that sounded great in the moment—but fell flat on playback—you’re not alone. You’re also not broken.Your voice isn’t the problem.Your environment is. As a DIY singer-songwriter recording from home, you’re expected to do everything—engineer, produce, perform—all while dodging the noise of roommates, kids, and …

Read more

The Secret to Capturing Emotion in Your Recordings

There’s a psychological tug-of-war that happens every time you hit record in your home studio. You want the freedom to create, but also the perfection of a polished track. And more often than not, that tension causes your song to stall out—never getting released because it just doesn’t feel right. Here’s the truth: The most …

Read more

10 Essential Vocal Production Plugins Every Home Studio Needs

If you’re a singer-songwriter or home recording artist looking to release more music, mastering vocal production is one of the most valuable skills you can develop. It’s not just about having the right microphone or the perfect room. In fact, the pursuit of perfection can actually suck the life out of your music if you’re …

Read more