How do I find my own recording voice?

Question

I'm a recording artist (mostly hip hop but I make all kinds of music) and I'm having problems finding a voice that sounds right when I rap. I have a very deep voice with alot of bass in it and it doesn't sound good on a song. I often try to sound like other hip hop artists but it doesn't sound very good either. How do I find my own recording voice?

Answer 1

Try just spending time in front of a mic to become as comfortable as possible listening to your voice through headphones.  If you're spending time trying to sound like someone else it may feel/sound unnatural - and if you're thinking about how your voice sounds that can affect your performance.

You could also try meeting with a vocal coach - they can help you relieve any tension that you might have that is causing your voice to sound pinched or artificial.  It could be that you're not supporting your voice right or articulating and they could probably help fix that within a couple lessons.

If you're engineering your own tracks, consider visiting a local studio or meeting with a good engineer.  If the EQ or compression isn't right you'll never sound quite like a professionally engineered track.