Microphones & Headphones
Will
Griffin
Headphones
A common problem for the less-experienced studio singer is loss of control (of pitch, time, volume, or tone,) due to hearing their own voice in the headphone, in a way they never heard before.
Don’t be afraid to try several techniques: hearing more of yourself, less of yourself, taking off one headphone or the other, moving to the "sweet spot" of the microphone. If you do remove one headphone, make sure it resting against the side of your head and the speaker isn't exposed. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting feedback from the mic (certainly if they're recording you a little hotter for a soft voice) and this squeal is more than just annoying to hear...and everybody gets to hear it. And certainly don't be afraid to ask the engineer to adjust the mix you're getting in your headphones.
Be creative, the more you think about monitoring your voice, the better you will get at it. Trust a good producer and a good engineer, but learn to trust your ears too.
Microphones
There are two basic theories of miking a session: find the right microphone for each sound, or use a good microphone and find the right place to capture the sound. Both theories work. This is something that the engineer and their assistance will know how to do.
Microphones have, to varying degrees, what is called "proximity effect." As you get physically closer to the microphone, the bass spectrum of the actuator (your voice, your guitar, your speaker,) is enhanced. The sound gets "bassier," or "darker" or "punchier." This can be used to good effect.
The proximity effect is most pronounced on the Shure SM 58 microphone, which is used primarily for live sound. You might want some of this effect, you might not. Another very popular (and very expensive) microphone often used in the recording studio for vocals is the Neuman U87. A good producer and engineer will help you find the "sweet spot" and the right microphone.
Every microphone has one or more "sweet spot" for your voice or your instrument. The sweet spot is where the combination of proximity, sound, and the ambient sound of the room give a pleasing total effect. It’s a science and an art.
Once again, the artist benefits by thinking about this and other properties of microphones.