Why do vocals on musical recordings seem so good but so different on your productions? The answer is that a mixing engineer has processed the vocal tracks to get them sounding great. Keep in mind, there's no magic happening, and we can't take a terrible performance and make it sound new, we are just adding to what is already there. The engineer will use EQ to accomplish two tasks: to reduce or remove unflattering frequencies such as muddiness or nasal tones, and then to turn up flattering frequencies such as clarity and airiness. Compression is an often misunderstood processor which is basically an automatic volume knob. It reduces the vocal down by a certain ratio when it gets too loud. This keeps the level of the track more consistent in the mix and additionally gives the vocal some character and feeling. There are many different styles of compressors and they are all sought after for their traits such as harmonic distortion and circuit style. After compressing, vocals often need some sort of de-essing to control sibilants. This is a high ratio compressor that only acts on specific trouble frequencies, effectively turning down each sibilant only while letting the rest of the vocal remain the same. Too much de-essing can make the vocalist sound like they have a lisp, so be careful. There are many more techniques to practice, but start with basic EQ and compression to give your vocal track a more professional sound.

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