How to Prepare for Your First Recording Studio Session

3 Essential Tips for City Vocal Coach Singers

You’ve booked your first studio session – how exciting! Whether it’s at a state-of-the-art London recording studio or a mate’s home setup, it’s a huge step in your journey as a singer.

At City Vocal Coach, one of the most common questions we hear from students who want to record, especially those starting out with singing lessons in London, is this:

“What should I do to get ready before I go into the recording studio?”

It’s a brilliant question. Recording can be equal parts exciting and nerve-racking. But a bit of preparation goes a long way. In fact, it can mean the difference between a stressful, rushed session… and one where you come away buzzing with good vibes, knowing you’ve created something really special.

So, if you’re heading into the studio for the first time (or simply want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your time and budget), here are three essential tips for you.

1. Pick the Right Producer, Not Just the Right Studio

Studios come in all shapes and sizes, from high-end setups in Soho to bedroom rigs in Hoxton. These days it’s not so much about having the most expensive gear (though it certainly helps!), but about who you’re working with- your producer.

You want someone who really gets your sound. Not just someone who can press record, but someone who understands where you’re coming from musically and can help shape your sound and ideas into something that feels authentically you.

When choosing a producer or studio, ask yourself:

• Do they understand my vibe, genre, and influences?
• Are they genuinely interested in my music- not just music in general?
• Do I feel comfortable being creative around them?

The right producer will push you when needed, support your ideas, and help you shape your unique sound. Whether you’re after a raw acoustic feel, a soulful jazz or R&B vocal, or a fully produced pop or rock ballad, choose someone who understands your vision and is excited to work with you.

2. Don’t Rock Up Without a Finished Song

This is something we see all too often: a tune in your head, a few lyrics and a melody, and the thought, “I’ll just figure the rest out in the studio.”

Don’t.

Studios, whether they charge by the hour or the day, aren’t cheap. More importantly, that time adds up quickly. The last thing you want is to be sat there rewriting your second verse while the clock ticks and your budget disappears.

Here’s the plan: finish your song first.

That means:

• Polished lyrics and melody
• A clear structure (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.)
• Even a rough demo- recorded by your City Vocal Coach teacher as a voice note in a singing lesson- can be incredibly helpful

Unless someone else is footing the bill, the studio isn’t the place to write from scratch. It’s where you add colour and sonics to an already finished song. Treat your session with the same energy you’d bring to a live performance. Come in ready.

(If you need help shaping your song beforehand, that’s something we often work on during lessons at City Vocal Coach, so speak to your London Singing Teacher about this.)

3. Send Your Producer a Creative Brief Ahead of Time

Once your song is finished, give your producer a head start. A short, clear creative brief can save loads of time and make the session more enjoyable right from the beginning. It also helps calm nerves, you can set things out over email instead of trying to explain everything in the room when you might feel overwhelmed.

What to send in advance:

• The key and BPM
• A chord chart or rough voice note demo
• A short description of your vision for the track
• A few reference songs that capture the sound or vibe you’re after

Don’t worry about sounding overly “professional.” You don’t need music production knowledge- just be clear about what you want. For example:

• “This reverb gives me the exact spacey mood I’m after.”
• “The bassline here has the bounce I’d love in my chorus.”
• “The drum sound 15 seconds in is what I’d like going into my chorus.”

Most producers work across a wide range of projects, so the more context you give them, the better they can tailor the session to you.

Bonus Tip: Have Fun!

We say this to a lot of our singing students when they come into our Hoxton studio, especially if it’s their first lesson: this is a moment. It takes courage, so enjoy it. Recording your own music is exciting. Years ago, opportunities like this were rare, but technology has made recording accessible to musicians at every level, and that’s wonderful.

So, when you step into the studio, take a breath. Be present. Whether your track ends up on Spotify, in a record shop, or just on your phone as a gift for someone you love, you’ve created something. That’s special.

If you’ve finished your song, found the right producer, and communicated your vision, you’re already doing brilliantly. Trust your voice. Lean into your authenticity. At City Vocal Coach, we celebrate every singer’s unique voice. Remember: the studio isn’t about perfection; it’s about capturing a moment. Some of the most powerful moments in music history are those where the voice cracks a little and the singer’s true emotion shines through.

So, if you need help getting studio-ready, whether it’s vocal technique, songwriting feedback, or just some guidance- City Vocal Coach is here to help. We offer singing lessons in London for beginners, professionals, and everyone in between. Whether you want to learn to sing for fun or turn your passion into a career, we’ll help you walk into your first studio session feeling confident, focused, and inspired.

Want to chat about how to prepare for your session?

Book a lesson with City Vocal Coach today!

At City Vocal Coach, we have put together our top ten songwriting tips, which will help you move from imitator to innovator.

Songwriting is often seen as this magical dark art, bestowed by the gods of creativity to those they deem worthy, where right from the first song, the songwriter’s creativity should flow onto the page fully formed, original and authentic. This approach goes against all other art forms in which learning, practise and failure are embraced, and a step-by-step learning process is usual. No master painter ever started their career with a masterpiece; they likely began in the same way most art students do, in the classroom drawing flowers, landscapes, portraits, and self-portraits, studying the masters, and receiving feedback from their teachers. All the above would have been part of the learning process towards finding their style, as well as understanding that they will fail, and that feedback, study, and practise will lead them to where they want to be.

In stark contrast to this, the songwriter expects their first song to be gifted to them without study, purposefully avoiding any advice or outside influence which could contaminate their authentic style. Would Picasso be more authentic and original if he hadn’t gone to the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts? Would Claude Monet have led French Impressionism any better if he hadn’t gone to Le Havre School of the Arts, where he first learnt how to mix colour? Is songwriting a higher art form? No, it is no more or less creative than painting, sculpture, acting, architecture, or dance, all of which take years of study to master.

The beginner’s first few songs will undoubtedly have a sense of uniqueness as, after all, we are all unique, and our identity will always shine through when we create. However, these songs will often be an imitation of the music they like and there will come a time when the beginner songwriter wants to switch from imitation to innovation. At this point study, practise, experience, and failure becomes a necessity.

Songwriting tips: No. 1.

Imitate better –

Yes, we are trying to move on from imitation to innovation; however, we should never give up imitating the songs we think work, as it’s a great tool for developing our writing style. But we can imitate better by going beyond what we might typically listen to. For example, try listening to the guitar riffs of death metal to find inspiration for a vocal riff or translate an Italian opera for lyrical inspiration. One of our favourite things at City Vocal Coach is to do song re-imaginings; think of this as practise, take a song from another artist and re-imagine it in your style as if you were writing the song, how would you do it differently?

Songwriting tips: No. 2. 

Title first – 

The most challenging part about writing is starting; many beginner songwriters grab their guitars, open their notebooks, and wait for inspiration, often coming up with the same ideas again and again. Instead, only approach your guitar when you have a title in mind. Having a title will limit the creative routes you can go down, which might sound a bit restricting; however, you’ll be amazed how freeing it is. By having your possible routes laid out before you, you can choose the one you’ve never been down before, one which may lead to innovation.

Songwriting tips: No. 3. 

Daydream – 

Have you ever been in a confrontation with someone, and it’s not until the moment is over that you think of the perfect retort? When you are not consciously thinking about the problem, your unconscious is working on the solution, so during a writing session, take a coffee break now and again; creativity takes time.

Songwriting tips: No. 4. 

Write to a meter – 

Counting stressed and unstressed syllables is one thing that beginner songwriters’ rebel against. Granted, it’s not the most romantic part about songwriting; however, like with the title first technique, giving yourself a blueprint of how your meter will flow will narrow down the possibilities, inspiring you to craft rather than relying on guesswork.

Songwriting tips: No. 5. 

Aleatoric music – 

Also known as chance music, some popular methods involve using dice to decide your chord choices and the cut-up technique, often used by David Bowie. Bowie would cut up journal entries and jumble them up, creating interesting collisions of words and phrases to use as lyrics. It’s a fantastic way to come up with a unique figurative language. Listen to Bowie talk about the cut-up technique here.

Songwriting tips: No. 6. 

Collaboration – 

Hands up if you’ve ever collaborated before? A surprising amount of beginner to semi-professional songwriters have never collaborated before, yet most professional writers will do so regularly. Creating in front of other people can be daunting. Imposter syndrome is something that all songwriters experience; however, the professionals have learned that failure is ok. When these moments happen, they rely on technique to take them through. Sure, your collaborators will probably see your weaknesses, but so will you, which will give you a great insight into the aspects of your writing you could improve upon.

Songwriting tips: No. 7.

Cause and effect – 

Every aspect of songwriting affects the listener; the songwriter must connect the intended effect to the right cause. For example, a rhyming couplet has the effect of stopping the flow, like a full-stop in grammar. If the songwriter wants to continue the thought in the following lines, then a rhyming couplet won’t necessarily support that idea. A more obvious example is how a minor chord projects instability, a major chord projects stability. Linking the right effect with the right cause will enhance the listener’s experience; not linking cause and effect leaves the listener confused about how to feel. Once you embrace this idea, you can then rebel against it, of course; something The Smiths did a lot in their songs, playing with the listener’s emotions where sad lyrics were accompanied by happy, upbeat music.

Songwriting tips: No. 8. 

Embrace failure – 

We have said it a few times already, but it’s a message that deserves repeating. Try asking yourself, what did I fail at today? Change your relationship with failure as it is not a negative but a positive.

Songwriting tips: No. 9. 

Mindfulness – 

As human beings, we constantly dwell on the past and fret about the future. Fretting and dwelling do have their places in the creative process; however, being in the present will allow you to notice things in the world that collide with one another, and if you look close enough, you’ll see ideas emerge from the chaos. The beeping of horns, the screeching of brakes, the slamming of doors, the busker and road rager might sound like a wall of sound, but take a closer listen, can you hear melody, harmony, and metaphor?

Songwriting tips: No. 10. 

Edit – 

There is nothing wrong with serving your song to the public raw, but only if this is your intention. Take time to understand your song and how it was written; not only will this allow you to edit things that could be better, but it will also help you know your strengths and weaknesses as a songwriter. By analysing the outcomes via the process, we will know ourselves better and gradually develop from imitator to innovator.

Remember, songwriting is an artform like all others, not gifted but learnt. If you’re looking for more guidance with your songwriting, all our vocal coaches here at City Vocal Coach teach songwriting techniques, and you can enquire about songwriting lessons here.