How To Prepare For The Recording Studio With Sound Engineer Cam Melton

Before he ever pressed record, Cam Melton was working in engineering—building systems, solving problems, and refining details most people never notice. That technical precision stuck with him. But outside of spreadsheets and structure, he found himself drawn to sound.

Bit by bit, what started as a personal interest became something deeper. He started recording his own songs. Then friends' songs. And eventually, opened up his own studio together with a friend—designed with one goal in mind: to help artists feel comfortable enough to be expressive, and supported enough to sound like themselves.

Cam’s background as a sound engineer and a singer and performer himself makes him uniquely skilled at bridging the technical with the emotional. His sessions aren’t about flashy gear (though he has plenty of gear at his studio) or chasing perfection. They’re about clarity, confidence, and communication—especially for those new to recording.

What Do I Need to Do Before I Record?

There’s a moment before every first session where doubt creeps in.

“What do I bring? Am I ready? What if I mess up?”

That kind of uncertainty is more common than you think.

Cam walks through how to mentally and practically prepare for recording—without overthinking it or putting too much pressure on yourself.

Start by bringing the essentials: your lyrics or lead sheets, a water bottle, and maybe a reference track or two if there’s a specific sound you’re going for. The most important thing, though, is that you know the song you’re recording really well. This will help you feel a lot more comfortable in the booth.

Warming up both vocally and mentally can make a huge difference. A short vocal warm-up clears tension, but just taking a few minutes to ground your nervous system before the session helps you stay focused and expressive when the mic turns on.

The Whole Process (For Singers)

Before you go in the studio you prepare the song you want to record and you make sure that whoever you’re working with at the studio has your track. They will then prepare the session ahead of time so that once you get to the studio you can start recording right away.

First you’ll record the lead vocals - the main melody. It’s important that your voice is sharp and fresh for that part as it is the most important part of the song. You’ll do a bunch of takes for each section of the song until both you and your engineer feel like you have what you need. This can be anywhere between 5 to 20+ takes.

Depending on the situation, the engineer (or producer) might then roughly comp your vocals. Comping means cutting together the best takes so that you can get a rough idea of what the final vocal will sound like. This is also needed in case you’re doing any doubles or harmonies!

Doubles are where you’re singing exactly the same thing as the melody again to make it sound a bit fuller. It’s important that you’re getting it as close to the actual lead vocal as possible so that there’s less editing needed after you’re done recording.

Same thing goes for harmonies - if you’re adding any harmonies in your song, it would be happening around the same time as your doubles.

At this point your job as the singer is done! But your song is far from being finished…

Once all of your vocals are recorded your engineer or producer will then take all those recordings and polish everything. That means pitch correction, fixing any timing issues, adding plugins like reverb, delay, and anything else that’s needed to make it sound like a professional recording.

Once that’s done the song gets mixed. This is where the producer/engineer makes sure that all the levels between the different tracks and instruments are right. You’ll basically have the song finished after the mixing process is done.

But there is one more step - mastering. This is usually done by a third party to get an extra set of ears. During the mastering process they’ll basically just make sure that your song is going to sound good on all devices - in a car, on your phone, professional speakers, etc.

And now, your song is done and ready for release!

The Gear Isn’t the Goal—Connection Is

You don’t need to know how every plug-in or pedal works. That’s what your engineer is there for. Choosing the right microphone for your voice matters more than people realize. Some mics emphasize clarity and brightness, while others round out warmth and texture. Knowing what suits your tone can save time and elevate your sound instantly.

Even the room itself plays a role. A dry room with little reflection will sound completely different than a large, open space. Room setup, placement, and positioning affect tone and presence on the track.

And when it comes to building a fuller sound, layering vocals can create what’s called a “chorus effect”—where slightly varied versions of your own voice stack together to add energy and emotional lift. A common question is whether to record harmonies, leads, and doubles all in one go. It’s important that you pace your session so you don’t wear out your voice, and approach each layer with fresh energy.

All of that work will be done by your engineer so that you can truly focus on your vocal performance - getting the emotions and delivery of the song right - which is the most important aspect of any vocal recording!

Learning to Speak Studio Without Speaking Tech

You don’t need to use fancy language to collaborate well. What matters most is being able to name what you like, notice what feels off, and express how you want your music to land emotionally.

Sometimes it sounds like:

“I want this part to feel more open.”

“That version felt a little tight—can we try it again?”

“Can we try less reverb and see how that sits?”

And sometimes, it’s as simple as:

“But I want it to sound like this.”

That’s enough. Engineers are translators. They take feeling and turn it into frequency. But it only works if you give them something to work with. At the end of the day this is your recording so your opinion is the one that matters most - don’t be afraid to speak your mind!

Building the Song: Layering, Space & Intentional Editing

A strong vocal take is only the beginning. What happens after—layering harmonies, balancing EQ, subtle tuning—can completely shape how your voice is received and remembered.

Vocal stacks can add depth and energy—but only when used with intention. If the lead vocal gets buried in layers, the emotional impact often gets lost. It’s not about more—it’s about support.

When it comes to editing, he’s clear: some things should be cleaned up, but not everything needs to be perfect. A little imperfection can make a performance feel human, raw, real. Learning when to lean in, and when to leave something alone, is part of developing artistic instinct.

And finally, there’s the issue of overproducing. Cam warns that adding too many tracks—especially when you’re not sure why—can dilute the story of the song. Every track should earn its place. If it doesn’t add meaning, it’s just noise.

Cam’s philosophy? Editing should amplify your intention, not cover up uncertainty. When every choice serves the message, the music feels stronger—because it’s honest.

Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Know Everything. Just Begin.

The best recordings don’t start with expensive gear or a perfect vocal—they start with a singer who’s willing to step into the booth, take a breath, and trust the process.

You don’t have to know all the answers. You just have to get in the room. I promise you, it’s a ton of fun and you’ll want to go back again and again.

🎧 Check out our full episode on our show From Singer To Artist below!

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