Why preparation pays off
For Vocal recording we work in a 8 m² booth with a tailored headphone mix. You hear every breath. If lyrics are memorised and your voice is not already spent on the commute, you get more usable takes from a four-hour block (€245) than if everything is sorted at the last minute.
Band sessions follow a different rhythm; see our band studio budget guide.
Three to five days ahead
Protect your voice from long shouting matches at gigs or loud bar conversations every night. Short, focused practice beats one marathon. Lock the lyrics: verses, bridges, breath marks and where you want dynamics to change. Write down the intention for the chorus so you are not guessing emotion in the booth.
Listen to the backing track daily and tap the tempo. Note BPM and key in your folder so the engineer does not have to guess. Several songs? Decide priorities: what must land this session and what can move to a follow-up booking.
The night before
Sleep is the cheapest tuning. A short night shows in pitch, stamina and patience — yours and the engineer's. Go easy on alcohol; it dries mucous membranes. Skip heavy spice if you are prone to reflux before long takes.
Pack your bag: lyrics on paper or offline on your phone, instrumentals as WAV (not streaming only), your in-ears if you rely on them, water and optionally non-menthol throat lozenges. Getting here: Tram 1 to Surinameplein, then about four minutes on foot via Overtoom; bus 15 stops on Overtoom. Bike rack outside; on-street car parking nearby (paid, evening rate).. Hours: Mon–Fri 09:00–21:00 · Sat 10:00–18:00, by appointment. Address and map on contact.
On session day: food and drink
Sip room-temperature water through the day, not only right before arrival. Vocal hydration takes time. Many singers avoid dairy and heavy sauces in the hours before recording; learn what works for you at home. One coffee is fine for most voices; a triple espresso right before the booth can add tremor.
Eat lightly about two hours ahead: banana, toast, soup — anything that does not bloat the diaphragm. Singing hungry is tiring; singing stuffed restricts breath.
Warm up without trashing the voice
Loosen shoulders, neck and jaw first. Breath work: long exhales on ssss or ffff. Lip trills or ng sounds in a comfortable range. Then vocalises in the song's tessitura. Do not open with the highest chorus; build gradually. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough for pop and rap; speakers add articulation drills and tongue twisters at tempo.
Warm up at home or while we set the chain. Tell us if fatigue comes faster than expected; we can move hard sections later in the block.
In the booth: monitoring and mic
Ask for a cue mix where you hear yourself clearly without shouting. Too loud in the headphones often makes people sing quietly; too quiet and you push. Some singers leave one earcup half off to hear themselves in the room — say so and we balance leakage.
Keep distance to the pop filter steady: about a hand's width, slightly farther on loud consonants or screams. On doubles or ad-libs, stay in one spot per take set or the room tone shifts. Breaks are not luxury; they keep the voice fresh through the hour rate (€68).
What we prepare on our side
Send tracks and tempo ahead via contact or [email protected]. We load instrumentals, set markers and pick microphones suited to your voice. During recording we flag takes that work for pitch and feel so you can focus on delivery.
We keep project files for 12 months; download your material in time. Cancellation is free up to 5 days before the slot; see terms and conditions for the 25% deposit.
Checklist and next steps
- Lyrics final, backing as WAV, tempo noted.
- Rested, hydrated, no heavy meal right before session.
- Warm-up done; monitor level agreed with engineer.
- Breaks planned; hardest parts not as the first take.
General tips, not medical advice. Persistent hoarseness or pain: see a doctor and postpone the session. Ready to book? Vocal recording or call 020 248 3164. Need mixing later? Read stems for mixing guide.
