At this point, you’ve done everything you realistically can in the physical world. Now it’s time to talk about your actual recording level settings.
In this chapter, we’ll cover level and peak management—along with what happens when these basics aren’t respected.
(Recommended peak range: -18 to -12 dBFS)
Once your environment and gear are reasonably set up, you need to dial in the actual recording level inside your DAW.
A solid target is to keep your peaks roughly within 18 to -12 dBFS.
In this range, you get plenty of headroom (safety margin at the top) without risking clipping, while still recording loud enough to stay out of the noise floor.
In a well-treated studio with clean gear, peaks around 18 dBFS are often more than enough.
In a home-recording situation—where external noise is usually higher—it’s fine to aim a bit higher, around -14 to -12 dBFS.
For both dynamic and condenser mics, set your mic gain based on your loudest section—the part where you sing the hardest.
Occasional peaks that jump close to 10 dBFS are usually fine.
But if you cross that range frequently, it’s safer to re-check your gain.
If your interface (or preamp) has a clip/peak LED, your first priority is simple: never let that light come on.
Do a few test lines, then confirm the level again using the strongest, most explosive part of the song.
If you’re not comfortable reading meters yet, you can also use the waveform shape as a rough guide.
If the waveform typically fills about one-third to one-half of the track height, it’s usually a reasonable, not-overly-hot level.
The same logic applies to USB microphones. Aim for peaks around -18 to -12 dBFS, and most importantly, avoid recording so quietly that the noise becomes the most noticeable thing in the file.