In my way of thinking, the most important parts of good audio recording are finding a quiet place to record and choosing an appropriate microphone and placing it properly. If you find a good "studio," half the battle is won, because microphone placement then becomes less critical and minimal processing (equalization and noise reduction) is necessary.
First, close all doors and windows into your space and listen. You should hear minimal noise from the outside and from the inside (machine sounds, fans, air handling, etc). The room should be large enough not to sound "boxy" but not so large as to have an echo. It should have a variety of surfaces--wood, stone, carpet, curtain. I like bookcases, particularly messy ones, which provide irregular surfaces. The objective is to avoid the "slap-back" echo one gets from parallel hard surfaces. If you clap your hands, the sound should die away abruptly, without ringing or echo. That said, most spaces outside of a professional studio are going to be less than ideal. This is where microphone choice and placement come into play.
The brand of microphone is not so important as the type. If you already have a good quality analog mic, you can use it with an analog to digital (XLR to USB) converter, but I think that's an unnecessary complication if you're starting from scratch. A cardioid pattern dynamic or condenser USB microphone is the best choice for most home recording setups, because this gives good control of less than perfect acoustics. A cardioid mic picks up sound from the front and rejects it from the rear. There are websites and YouTube videos available which can help with mic choice.
In my own far from ideal setup, I record in my home office. I place the mic to the side of my mouth and about four inches away. It’s a Shure PG27 USB cardioid condenser with a shock mount and wind screen mounted on a boom stand bolted to the table top behind my computer monitor. This allows me to position it where I need it, without worrying about bumping into it while I’m performing. It’s similar to the setup you typically see in a radio studio. I perform sitting down, but it’s flexible enough to allow for working standing up. If your recording room is closer to a professional studio, you may find that working farther back from the mic gives you a more natural sound with less pickup of mouth noises, sibilance and p-popping. I try to maintain a constant distance from the mic, because in my particular space, the sound changes noticeably if I move too far from the “sweet spot.” I like my sound a little on the live rather than dead side, but that’s a personal preference, and since my hearing is not what it once was, I’m probably not the best judge anymore.
Details may vary, but if you can find a quiet place with a good mix of absorptive and reflective surfaces and use a cardioid pattern microphone you should get a good sound.
Hope this helps!
Winston
